The Cleveland Guardians have an excellent farm system. Maybe the MLB team can’t say the same at the moment, but the organization is in a very healthy state from a prospect standpoint.
In this space, you have probably read about Angel Genao, Ralphy Velazquez, Braylon Doughty, Jace LaViolette, Khal Stephen, Jaison Chourio, and plenty of other names, but Ryan Cesarini probably doesn’t ring a bell.
Cesarini was a 14th-round pick in the 2024 MLB Draft. He is a 23-year-old outfielder playing in Double-A Akron, but he’s not just holding his own there: he is thriving.
And, on Friday night, Cesarini had a day to remember. He hit two home runs and is putting everyone on notice: he has some serious power and is on an unreal tear at the plate.
“You cannot be serious, Ryan Cesarini! He launches his second homer in two innings and his SIXTH in the last three games,” Guardsinsider posted.
You cannot be serious, Ryan Cesarini!
He launches his second homer in two innings and his SIXTH in the last three games 🤯 pic.twitter.com/qHmfphp1jF
— GuardsInsider (@GuardsInsider) August 14, 2026
Six home runs in three games is nothing short of amazing. God knows that the Guardians need that kind of power in the majors, but let’s not get ahead of ourselves. Cleveland might have something in Cesarini, but it’s still way too early to crown him MLB-ready. For now, let’s all enjoy what he’s doing and dream about a bright future for him.
After his Friday heroics, Cesarini is slashing a robust .384/.452/.808 with a 1.260 OPS in 20 Double-A games. Before that, he played 34 games for the Guardians’ High-A squad, hitting a strong .260/.331/.472 with a .803 OPS.
Between the two levels, Cesarini is hitting .305/.376/.595 with 15 home runs and a .971 OPS. Believe it or not, power is not his primary tool.
The outfielder stole 40 bases last year and has 13 in 2026 between the two levels, having been caught in the act just once.
Cesarini is not on MLB Pipeline’s top 30 organizational prospects list, even after the trade deadline, but that doesn’t mean he isn’t talented or that he doesn’t have a chance to make the majors one day. He is still probably a year or two away, in any case, but it does appear that he could be a contributor someday.
Only time will tell, but he is currently one of the most exciting outfield prospects in the upper minors.
NEXT: Guardians Drop Opener Against Padres As Second-Half Struggles Continue
