After a 2026 season in which Cleveland again outperformed expectations, the Guardians are already looking ahead to the next wave. The club’s recent surge was powered by rookies like Parker Messick, Chase DeLauter and Travis Bazzana, and that kind of homegrown impact has become part of the organization’s identity. With 2027 on the horizon, three prospects stand out as the likeliest candidates to arrive in Cleveland.
The biggest name in that group is Ralphy Velazquez, the Guardians’ No. 1 prospect. The former 2023 first-round pick has moved fast, and his bat has kept forcing the issue.
He opened 2026 in Double-A Akron and hit .317 with seven home runs in 36 games before moving up to Triple-A, where he kept producing. By the end of the year, Velazquez had posted a .278 batting average, 63 RBIs and 22 home runs.
Whether he lands at first base or in the outfield, the offensive upside is obvious. Cleveland needs that kind of power in the lineup, and Velazquez looks positioned to supply it at some point in 2027.
Another name to watch is Jaison Chourio, the Guardians’ No. 5 prospect. The 21-year-old out of Venezuela signed with Cleveland in 2022 and remains an intriguing switch-hitting outfielder despite a rough 2025.
This past season, he hit .317 in 22 High-A games and followed that with a .265 average in Double-A. There’s a path for him to work his way into left field by midseason in 2027, especially with Angel Martinez having shown flashes in 2026 but also coming off a rough playoff stretch.
The final arm on the list is Khal Stephen, Cleveland’s No. 11 prospect. The right-hander came over in the trade that sent Shane Bieber to the Toronto Blue Jays, and his first full year in the system was uneven.
Stephen pitched 12 games in Double-A Akron and finished 2026 with a 3-2 record and a 3.44 ERA. He didn’t quite match the buzz that followed his arrival, but his age and experience still make him the next pitcher most likely to get the call as Cleveland keeps leaning on young arms to fuel its staff.
In Other News...
Guardians Pitching Duo Just Earned Recognition For Clevelands October Run
Gavin Williams and Cade Smith just added another line to a postseason run that already put them in the spotlight, earning spots on MLBs All-Postseason team for their work in the 2026 playoffs. For Cleveland, it was a fitting nod to a pair of arms that carried a heavy load when the games mattered most, with Williams setting the pace as one of the most dominant starters in the field and Smith handling leverage innings out of the bullpen.
Williams led all postseason pitchers with 33 strikeouts while working to a 2.30 ERA over 15.2 innings, and Smith was nearly as sharp in relief with a 2.38 ERA and 14 strikeouts over 11.1 innings. The recognition underscores how much the Guardians leaned on both pitchers during October, and it also serves as a reminder that Clevelands playoff push was built as much on pitching depth as on any one breakout moment. [Read more 🡒]
Guardians Offseason Push Could Hinge On One Contender-Making Trade
The Guardians offseason search for a lineup upgrade is already taking shape around a familiar front-office question: do they chase a proven name, or try to buy into a player whose best years still appear to be ahead? Several possible trade fits have surfaced, including Zach Neto, CJ Abrams, Jeremy Pea, Alec Burleson and Spencer Steer, each offering a different blend of upside, cost control and roster fit. For a club trying to improve for the seasons ahead, the appeal is obvious, especially when the goal is not just adding talent but finding someone who can grow with the core.
What makes the conversation more interesting is how those names line up with Clevelands needs. Some bring shortstop stability, others offer versatility or left-handed pop, and all come with contract situations that could make them more or less attainable. Nothing is close to official, and no deal has been made, but the fact that the Guardians are being linked to this kind of contender-making trade talk says plenty about the level of ambition being considered as the offseason unfolds. [Read more 🡒]
Guardians Keep Running Into The Same Problem Contenders Can't Ignore
The Guardians keep finding themselves in the same conversation every time the front office looks for a way to bridge the gap between a good roster and a true contender: pitching costs money, and good pitching costs a lot of it. The discussion around the club has centered on how Cleveland handles its pitching decisions, whether it can realistically add through trades, and how its payroll constraints stack up against teams that can simply spend past problems instead of working around them.
There is also a bigger layer hanging over all of it, one that reaches beyond this season and into the next round of MLB labor talks. Younger players stand to be affected if the league and union end up back at the bargaining table, especially if the conversation turns toward a salary cap or an owners push for a lockout if no agreement is reached. For a team like Cleveland, which has to be precise with every dollar, the outcome of those negotiations could shape the way it competes for years. [Read more 🡒]