The Cleveland Guardians have been on a solid little run over the last couple of weeks, and after splitting Saturday’s doubleheader with the Pittsburgh Pirates, have moved back into a tie with the Chicago White Sox atop the AL Central. It has been an up-and-down campaign up to this point, but the AL is a mess and the Guardians have what they need to make a run.
In order to truly make a deep run, getting more production out of the first base position would help quite a bit. Rhys Hoskins and Kyle Manzardo have been disappointing, but luckily, Cleveland’s best remaining prospect plays first base and could be heard from down the stretch even though his impressive streak recently came to a rather lame end.
Top prospect Ralphy Velazquez took a 30-game on-base streak into Saturday’s game for Triple-A Columbus. Unfortunately, after starting 0-1, the game was suspended in the third inning due to rain and Velazquez was later replaced in the lineup after the game resumed.
“Cleveland #Guardians 21yr old (1B) prospect Ralphy Velazquez on-base streak will come to an end at 30 games. Velazquez started Friday night’s game for Columbus and went 0-1 before play was suspended in the third inning due to rain. When play resumed today Kody Huff replaced him at first base officially ending his streak. Tough way to lose it…,” Guardians Prospective wrote.
Cleveland #Guardians 21yr old (1B) prospect Ralphy Velazquez on-base streak will come to an end at 30 games.
Velazquez started Friday night's game for Columbus and went 0-1 before play was suspended in the third inning due to rain.
When play resumed today Kody Huff replaced him…
— Guardians Prospective (@CleGuardPro) July 18, 2026
Velazquez is barely 21 years old, so it would be dangerous to rush him to the majors at such a young age. However, he is making it harder with each passing day to justify leaving him in the minors considering the fact that he has been such an on-base machine while Hoskins is hitting .177 and Manzardo is hitting .210.
The 6’3″ slugger has an .872 OPS and 11 homers in 77 games after his impressive 2025 season that saw him quickly rake his way from High-A to Double-A. His .980 OPS in 36 games in Double-A this season was more than enough to convince the front office he was ready for his last stop in the minors, and he has now performed so well that reaching Cleveland before the season ends is a legitimate possibility.
The Guardians should be hunting for a power-hitting corner infielder ahead of the trade deadline. If they are unable to find one, it would be a lot of fun to see Velazquez join the party.
NEXT: Guardians Veteran Is Quietly Turning His Season Around
