The Cleveland Guardians entered this season with high hopes and expectations for some of their top prospects.
Unfortunately, Travis Bazzana will miss the next two months with an oblique strain, and Chase DeLauter has also struggled to stay healthy.
Notably, that may open up the door for another prospect who quietly but steadily has been turning a lot of heads in the minors.
C.J. Kayfus is dominating, and Paul Hoynes of Cleveland.com believes the slugger could make his MLB debut soon.
“I don’t know if they’re ready to pull the trigger on making a move,” Hoynes said. “I think Kayfus would be the guy ahead of DeLauter. He just got to Triple-A. This guy needs to play some games.”
Kayfus has made a strong impression through the first two months of the season.
He started the season with Double-A Akron and hit .364 with a 1.066 OPS during his 18 games there.
The 23-year-old was promoted to Triple-A Columbus and is batting .315 with 13 RBIs and four home runs in 23 games.
MLB.com has him as the No. 5 prospect in the Guardians’ organization, but he’s been the most steady and reliable contributor so far.
Stephen Vogt’s team could use a boost at the plate, particularly from an outfielder.
Jhonkensy Noel and Nolan Jones failed to make the most of the extended opportunities that came with Lane Thomas’ absence.
Though Kayfus might still be a little raw, the talent is most definitely there, and the Guardians could give him an extended look.
NEXT: Former Player Gets Honest About Travis Bazzana's Injury
