The Cleveland Guardians may have found a new star.
While everybody was focused on Chase DeLauter and Travis Bazzana, C.J. Kayfus continued to put his head down and get to work.
He worked his way through the minors, and he’s become an everyday contributor in the major leagues.
Now, the first baseman/outfielder has been listed as one of the biggest breakouts among the top 100 prospects in baseball.
“Size and positional questions dogged this third-round pick from ’23, but he’s just kept swatting them all away. Kayfus swung his way up the Guardians’ minor league ladder, onto our Top 100 and all the way to Cleveland in recent weeks. Outperforming other more heralded prospects, the career .293/.395/.525 hitter in the minors eventually made it so the Guardians couldn’t ignore his offensive potential any longer, and he rose from off the board to the middle of the Top 100,” per MLB Pipeline.
Kayfus had a worrisome tendency to strike out, but he’s done an outstanding job of being more disciplined at the plate and not chasing as many breaking balls.
Not known for his power, he’s also taken big steps as a slugger.
Kayfus hasn’t been fazed by the bright lights of MLB and had an RBI in his first plate appearance with the Guardians.
This team doesn’t need him to play at his primary position of first base, but they could use plenty of help in either corner of the outfield, where he’s done a solid job.
Kayfus has the potential to be one of the faces of this franchise for years to come, even when Bazzana and DeLauter also make their way to Cleveland.
The 23-year-old was one of the most consistent players in their farm system this season, and there are plenty of reasons to feel excited about what he can do now that he’s been given a chance to prove his worth with the Guardians.
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