September is right around the corner, and MLB teams are bracing for the last month of the season. In the specific case of the Cleveland Guardians, they are currently 68-66, with a two-game lead over the Texas Rangers for the last AL Wild Card spot and 2.5 games behind the Chicago White Sox in the AL Central.
The league allows teams to expand their rosters to 28 players on September 1, letting them add two players to the mix. The Guardians, as an offensively-challenged squad, need to consider potential fixes that help them hit for more power.
They have a ready-made solution in first baseman Ralphy Velazquez. The 2023 first-round pick is dominating Triple-A as a 21-year-old, hitting .274/.353/.544 with 20 homers and a 129 wRC+. Over a recent stretch, he homered 16 times in 21 games, a jaw-dropping feat no matter the level.
In a recent exercise in which he examined 10 potential September call-ups most likely to impact postseason races, Joel Reuter of Bleacher Report named Velazquez, whom the Guardians have resisted bringing in to the majors to this point.
“Considering the Guardians rank 28th in the majors with 18 home runs in 22 games this month, they should be rolling out the red carpet for Velazquez to fill whatever role best suits him. The 21-year-old fits best at first base, where he would be an immediate upgrade over deadline pickup Nathaniel Lowe, who has an 83 OPS+ in 17 games since joining the Guardians. One way or another, he’s one of the best nine bats in the organization right now,” Reuter wrote.
After a scintillating start to his Guardians’ career, Lowe has cooled off considerably. This doesn’t mean he can’t get hot any minute now, but the truth is that Velazquez might very well be a better option if we talk strictly about power hitting. The situation, however, is complex.
If the Guardians promote Velazquez, that means they have to add him to the 40-man roster. If they do that, they won’t be able to assign him to Triple-A to play minor league games next season if a lockout takes place.
If the league locks out players, those on 40-man rosters won’t be able to play minor league games. The Guardians certainly want to make sure Velazquez can continue his development in 2027 should the start of the season be delayed, as he is a big part of the next wave of young, promising players in Cleveland.
With MLB teams calling up impact prospects these days, however, there’s a chance the Guardians accept the risk and bring in Velazquez at some point next month. We shall see, as only time will tell.
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