The Cleveland Guardians bullpen recently got a boost with the promotion of talented reliever Franco Aleman. The 25-year-old flamethrower has been on the radar of prospect specialists for a couple of years now, as he has always had the talent to be a difference-maker in relief. So far, everybody has been impressed with the big righty.
Before 2026, however, he had been held back by injuries and inconsistent control and command. Last year, for example, he underwent surgery to repair a hernia in his left hip and missed the start of the Triple-A season.
When he returned, he posted a horrible 7.85 ERA with 5.89 walks per nine innings. He could never find his groove on the mound.
This year, however, has been different. Finally 100 percent healthy, he impressed in his first 12 innings in Columbus, with a perfect ERA and 18 strikeouts, and earned a promotion to the majors. His .077 batting average against and 0.58 WHIP prove just how dominant he was before getting the call.
Forbes’ Bernie Pleskoff is in awe of the overall package, calling Aleman a ‘high leverage’ reliever with the potential to overpower hitters.
“To this old scout, Franco Aleman is an above-average, high-leverage relief pitcher with upside and great potential. His future is as simple as overpowering hitters and throwing strikes with a high-velocity fastball and above-average secondary pitches. The Cleveland Guardians should be able to count on rookie Franco Aleman to help the team get to their 9th inning closer with solid, credible outings,” Pleskoff wrote.
That’s good, because the Guardians are definitely in need of someone they can count on in the back of their bullpen. Aleman will have to prove he can do it at the highest level, but he has the tools to become a reliable setup man in front of closer Cade Smith.
Aleman’s four-seam fastball sits in the high-90s, and he complements it with a wipeout slider. He has pitched two scoreless innings as a major leaguer so far, with no walks and one strikeout to his name.
We are in mid-May, and Aleman has yet to allow his first earned run of the season between Triple-A and the majors. That’s how dominant he can be when he’s fully healthy, which evidently wasn’t the case last year.
With a few more weeks of pitching like this, Aleman will earn Stephen Vogt’s trust and become a high-leverage weapon in the Guardians’ bullpen.
NEXT: Insider Names 3 Possible Leadoff Replacements For Steven Kwan
