The Cleveland Guardians are a perennial playoff contender despite not having some of the more recognizable players in the game. They are successful because the sum almost always turns out to be better than its parts, at least in terms of popularity.
But Cleveland does have some bona fide All-Stars it can turn to. Among the most notable is left fielder Steven Kwan.
The Guardians star recently landed on MLB’s Top 100 list.
“The Top 100 Right Now rolls on with Nos. 80-61: 75. Steven Kwan,” MLB Network posted on X.
The #Top100RightNow rolls on with Nos. 80-61! 👏
How'd we do? pic.twitter.com/9VTcSRn1eP
— MLB Network (@MLBNetwork) January 15, 2026
Some may argue that Kwan should be higher than this, based on his stellar play in his first four MLB seasons. Since his debut in 2022, he has a career slash line of .281/.351/.390 and has established himself as one of the best contract hitters in the game with a strikeout rate of just 9.5 percent.
On top of that, he has won the Gold Glove in every season, and he has been named to the AL All-Star team the past two years. In addition, the Guardians have made the postseason three times. It would be difficult to find any player in the majors with those credentials.
However, his value might best be seen in the number of MLB teams that have been interested in acquiring him. He was a hot commodity at last season’s trade deadline, when the Guardians turned away offers and kept him for what turned out to be a surprising late-season surge to the AL Central title.
Now, the 28-year-old remains a prime trade target. Unfortunately for Guardians fans, that is because he has yet to come to an agreement on a long-sought contract extension that would secure his future with the franchise.
Kwan is under team control through the 2027 season, so the Guardians may be in no rush to figure this out. But it will hover over him and the organization until it is resolved one way or the other.
Hopefully, the Guardians will be able to keep one of the Top 100 players in the game, and he will rise in those annual rankings for Cleveland.
NEXT: Young Guardians Pitcher Projected To Make Big Leap In 2026
