The Cleveland Guardians’ biggest problem in 2026 was no secret. The pitching staff carried the team to a third straight division title and a trip to the ALCS, but the offense ranked 24th in runs and 27th in home runs. With Nathaniel Lowe and Rhys Hoskins both heading into free agency, first base is wide open. The front office may not need to look outside the organization to fill it. Ralphy Velazquez spent this season proving he is one of the best young power hitters in the minors, and MLB Pipeline’s scouting report notes that he “succeeds against both lefties and righties and all types of pitches.”
Velazquez’s 2026 season was a breakout. He opened the year at Double-A Akron and hit .317 with a .980 OPS in 36 games, which earned him a promotion to Triple-A Columbus on May 18. He kept hitting there, too, finishing with a .278 average, 22 home runs, 63 RBIs and a .904 OPS in 85 games. Between the two levels, he hit .290 with a .379 on base percentage, a .548 slugging percentage, 29 home runs and 93 RBIs. He also played in the Futures Game in July for the second time in three years.
What makes those numbers even more impressive is his age. Velazquez turned 21 in May and was more than five years younger than the average player in the International League. Very few hitters that young produce at that level in Triple-A.
Cleveland took Velazquez 23rd overall in the 2023 draft out of Huntington Beach High School in California, signing him for $2.5 million, below the slot value for that pick. He was drafted as a catcher, but the Guardians wanted his bat in the lineup every day, so they moved him to first base almost immediately. After a slow first full season, he took off in 2025, leading the High-A Midwest League with 17 home runs before hitting .330 at Akron at just 20 years old.
MLB Pipeline’s scouting grades help explain the excitement. He earns a 60 for power and a 50 for his hit tool, and the report praises his bat speed, his strength and his ability to drive the ball in the air to his pull side. It also notes that he manages the strike zone well and does not try to do too much at the plate. Defensively, he has become an average first baseman with a solid arm, though he is not built for the outfield.
The front office could bring in a short-term veteran to share the job, but a strong spring could make Velazquez impossible to keep off the Opening Day roster.
The Guardians have built their recent success on homegrown talent, with Chase DeLauter, Travis Bazzana and Parker Messick all making major impacts this season. Velazquez could be next. If he brings his power to Progressive Field next summer, he could give Cleveland’s offense the boost it badly needs without costing the team a dime in free agency.
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