To say that Jose Ramirez has carried the Cleveland Guardians ever since Francisco Lindor left town up until 2025 would be an understatement. He has been one of MLB’s premier producers for almost a decade now.
However, he has been slightly above-average this year, as opposed to his usual elite self. His 106 wRC+ and .228 batting average are definitely not what Guardians fans have gotten used to during all these years.
It could be a slow start, or the start of his decline. It’s too early to tell. What we do know, however, is that other players have risen to the challenge and stepped up to help pick up the slack as Ramirez goes through this period.
Three former first-round draft picks in particular stand out above the rest: starting pitcher Gavin Williams, outfielder Chase DeLauter, and second baseman Travis Bazzana. MLB insider Anthony Castrovince discussed the trio and their valuable contributions to the 2026 team.
“But the 2026 team has gotten a first-round-pick pick-me-up from three players. Williams enters Wednesday’s road date against the Yankees with the best walk rate (7.9%) of his young career, allowing the 6-foot-6, 250-pound righty’s power arsenal to play up all the more. [DeLauter’s] emergence this season is less a product of any major adjustments made in the Minors and more about him proving more durable after myriad health woes hampered his Minor League career. Though Bazzana is mere weeks into his MLB career, his elite discipline and contact-oriented approach have elevated him from No. 1 Draft pick to No. 1 spot in the batting order in remarkably short order,” Castrovince wrote.
You can say what you want about the Guardians, but their ability to hit home runs with their first-round picks is astonishing. They took Williams in 2021, and he has developed into a true ace with a 3.07 ERA entering Tuesday with a career-best walk rate. They selected DeLauter in 2022, and he is already a regular with a 120 wRC+. Ralphy Velazquez, their 2023 selection, is knocking on MLB’s door with amazing performances in the upper minors, and Bazzana, the No. 1 pick of the 2024 MLB Draft, is already among the best second basemen in the league.
A small market team like the Guardians needs to hit on every first-round pick to remain competitive year after year, and Cleveland’s talent evaluators and scouts have done an amazing job in recent seasons.
Ramirez is still the heart and soul of this team, and his ability to rebound to pre-2026 levels will make or break the Guardians’ season, but this trio of former first-rounders represents the future of the franchise.
NEXT: MLB Insider Reveals Guardians' Stance In Trade Deadline
