The Cleveland Guardians have a tempting problem on their hands. Ralphy Velazquez is tearing through Triple-A, the big-league offense still has plenty of rough edges, and the question is whether the club should bring up one of its top prospects now or keep the long view in focus.
Velazquez, the Guardians’ 2023 first-round pick, needed some time to get comfortable after moving up to Triple-A. He had already flashed big-time production in Double-A Akron, where he posted a 162 wRC+.
Once he settled in at Columbus, though, the numbers started to jump off the page. In 64 games there, he’s hitting .267/.353/.506 with 15 home runs and a 121 wRC+.
He’s also matched his career high for homers in a minor league season, finishing with 22 between the two upper-minor levels, the same mark he set last year. The power surge has been especially loud lately: Velazquez has hit 11 home runs in his last 16 games. For a Guardians team that could use a whole lot more thump, that kind of stretch is impossible to ignore.
Still, the case for an immediate promotion isn’t simple. Paul Hoynes of Cleveland.com laid out why he doesn’t think the Guardians should rush him to the majors.
“Do you put all your chips into the middle of the table and bring [Ralphy] Velazquez up? I don’t know if I would do that,” Hoynes said. “If worse comes to worse and there is a lockout, and it extends into the regular season next year, I’d certainly want him getting at-bats somewhere.”
That lockout concern matters because all parties expect one to be looming. If the league is locked out, players on the 40-man roster wouldn’t be able to play minor league games or take part in spring training.
Velazquez is not currently on the Guardians’ 40-man roster, which gives Cleveland a layer of flexibility. If he stays put and a lockout hits, he could still be available for minor league games next season as scheduled, even if regular-season games are lost. A call-up now would take that option off the table.
There’s no doubt Velazquez has put himself in the conversation. But as encouraging as his bat has been, the Guardians have seen enough to know that a strong minor league line doesn’t always translate right away. Juan Brito and Cooper Ingle both had solid stretches in the minors before struggling after their promotions this season.
So yes, Cleveland needs offense. Badly. But if the organization has to choose, it may lean toward the safer developmental route rather than forcing the issue with Velazquez before it’s absolutely necessary.
In Other News...
Guardians Lineup Suddenly Has A New Problem Fans Cant Ignore
The Guardians lineup picked up another layer of uncertainty this week when Rhys Hoskins was moved to the injured list with lower back inflammation, a development that quickly shifted attention toward how Cleveland will patch together its offense. To fill the roster spot, the club brought back David Fry from Triple-A Columbus, giving the group another option while the everyday picture gets a little cloudier.
Fry had been swinging the bat well in Columbus and gives the Guardians some flexibility, but the broader concern is harder to miss because Chase DeLauter and Jo Adell are still active while working through their own issues. DeLauter is dealing with mild left hamstring tightness, and Adell has a left knee contusion, leaving Cleveland with multiple moving parts at once and no clear sense yet of how settled the lineup will look in the immediate future. [Read more 🡒]
Bo Naylor Is Raising A Tough Question Cleveland Never Answered
Bo Naylors time with the Brewers has already come with a noticeable shift in approach, and it has played out exclusively at Triple-A Nashville so far. The former Guardians catcher has looked more polished in his new setting, showing signs that his swing decisions and quality of contact are moving in the right direction after the trade.
The numbers have followed the eye test, with better underlying indicators and a far more dangerous line at the plate than he had been carrying before. Milwaukee could eventually have a real catching decision to make if it wants to see whether that progress translates beyond the minors, but the bigger question is whether Cleveland ever fully settled the one Naylor path it left open. [Read more 🡒]
Travis Bazzanas Rookie Slide Has Become A Real Guardians Concern
Travis Bazzanas first full taste of pro baseball has followed the usual rookie script, only with a rougher stretch lately. Since June 1, the Guardians young hitter has seen his offensive production dip and his strikeout rate climb, a reminder that even the most promising bats can hit a wall once pitchers start finding patterns and testing adjustments.
Stephen Vogt has not hidden the fact that Bazzana has been going through it, but the manager also has not wavered in his belief in the bat. Bazzana has already logged 106 games between Triple-A and the majors this season, which is plenty of mileage for a first-year player, and Cleveland now has to sort through how much of this is growing pain and how much is a concern if the slide keeps going. [Read more 🡒]