The Cleveland Guardians fell just two games shy of the 2026 World Series, and they never would have gotten even close to that point had it not been for the incredible growth of some of the foundational young talents on this team. Players such as Chase DeLauter, Travis Bazzana, Parker Messick, and Gavin Williams burst onto the scene this year and all look the part of becoming perennial All-Stars who can ideally lead this team to the promised land.
The best part is, the keg isn’t fully tapped. There is a lot more young talent waiting in the wings and one top prospect will reportedly have a shot to take over a key position in Spring Training in 2027.
In a recent article for Cleveland.com, Paul Hoynes went into detail by breaking down each player on the roster and how their 2026 went. He noted that first base could be up for grabs as top prospect Ralphy Velazquez could be ready to take the first base job in camp.
“First base will be a position to watch next spring training. Top prospect Ralphy Velazquez and Kyle Manzardo are two of the candidates. Velazquez had a monster 2026 at Double-A Akron and Triple-A. Antonetti says he and Manzardo will have a chance to win a big-league job next spring,” Hoynes wrote.
Kyle Manzardo’s regression was one of the most disappointing subplots of the 2026 season. The front office had to trade for Nathaniel Lowe at the trade deadline to make up for Manzardo’s struggles and the flop that was the Rhys Hoskins signing.
Manzardo broke out with 27 homers and a .768 OPS in 2025, but he was unable to replicate that success and slumped to a .215 average and just 13 homers this year. It would be surprising if Velazquez couldn’t immediately replicate Manzardo’s 2025 numbers and establish himself as another foundational young piece of this lineup.
You never want to rush a prospect’s development, especially with someone like Velazquez who is only 21 and has just 85 games of experience above Double-A. However, if he rakes in Spring Training like he did all throughout 2026, Lowe might be let go in free agency and Manzardo might be reduced to fighting for DH duties.
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