The Cleveland Guardians pulled off a major late-season comeback last season. They came back from a 15.5-game deficit to win the AL Central Division in the very last game of the season.
However, even good things can be improved, and this team definitely isn’t the exception to that rule. With that in mind, Louis Analysis took a look at their projected lineup, making a couple of tweaks from what we saw last season.
In this scenario, he has Cooper Ingle at catcher, with Kyle Manzardo at first, Brayan Rocchio at second, Gabriel Arias at shortstop, and Jose Ramirez rounding up the infield. Then, he has Steven Kwan at left field, with Angel Martinez and C.J. Kayfus at center and right field, respectively. Last, but not least, he expects David Fry to be the team’s designated hitter.
Potential 2026 Guardians lineup:
C: Cooper Ingle
1B: Kyle Manzardo
2B: Brayan Rocchio
SS: Gabriel Arias
3B: José Ramirez
LF: Steven Kwan
CF: Angel Martinez
RF: CJ Kayfus
DH: David FryLoads of rotation options, but is this enough to top the AL Central again? pic.twitter.com/1CGKb8T6Ac
— LouisAnalysis (@LouisAnalysis) November 30, 2025
This makes perfect sense, although it’s hard to believe that Stephen Vogt will turn the page on Bo Naylor so easily. Ingle seems to have a much higher upside, but the Guardians also brought Austin Hedges back, so the young catcher might need to wait a while before taking over as the every-day starter.
As for the outfield, star rookies Chase DeLauter and George Valera should also be in the mix. Valera closed out the season on a high note, and DeLauter got the nod to make his MLB debut in the playoffs.
Former No. 1 pick Travis Bazzana should also get a chance at one point. Whatever the case, the good thing is that this team has plenty of options right now.
NEXT: Guardians Could See 10 Prospects Debut Next Season
