The Guardians may not have finished 2026 with much offensive punch, but there’s already a name inside the system that could help change that. Ralphy Velazquez, Cleveland’s top prospect, turned in a huge year in the upper minors and is expected to be part of the big league conversation in 2027.
That’s why Terry Pluto’s take landed with some weight. The longtime Cleveland.com columnist said he is eager to see what Velazquez can do, and he went as far as calling him “the best minor league hitting prospect” he has seen in the organization since Chase DeLauter at Class A Lake County in 2023.
“Guardians may have their next Chase DeLauter in farm system. “I’m excited to see what Ralphy Velazquez can do. He is the best minor league hitting prospect I’ve seen in the Cleveland farm system since I watched DeLauter at Class A Lake County in 2023,” Pluto wrote.
The comparison is no small thing. DeLauter has already shown exactly why Cleveland is so high on him.
After climbing through the farm system, the former first-round pick hit .287 with sixteen home runs and a team best 131 OPS+ as a rookie this year. He then kept it rolling in October, setting a franchise record for hits by a rookie in a single postseason and earning a spot on The Athletic’s All-LCS team after going 8-21 with a homer against the Rays.
Velazquez’s season gives the same kind of buzz a legitimate power bat tends to create. The 21 year old hit .290 with 29 home runs and a .927 OPS over 121 games split between Double A Akron and Triple A Columbus.
MLB Pipeline now has him pegged as Cleveland’s No. 1 prospect and No. 29 overall. And the power numbers stand out even more when you consider this: no player who began the 2026 season with the Guardians reached twenty home runs in the majors.
That puts the spotlight right where Cleveland needs it most. The offense struggled for much of 2026 and finished near the bottom of the majors in runs, OPS and home runs, making added production one of the club’s biggest priorities this winter. Velazquez could be a big part of that answer.
First base looks like the clearest opening for him. Nathaniel Lowe and Rhys Hoskins are both free agents, and Lowe remains a possible reunion fit.
The question is timing. Cleveland could choose to add a veteran there early and let Velazquez ease in later, or it could hand him the job from the start.
David Fry and Kyle Manzardo are also options, though Manzardo went to Triple A after the trade deadline following a down season.
The Guardians have already seen what it looks like when young hitters seize a moment. DeLauter, Travis Bazzana and Petey Halpin all delivered important moments this October. If Velazquez keeps moving the way Pluto believes he can, he may be next in line to give this lineup a different shape - and maybe the power Cleveland has been hunting.
In Other News...
Guardians First Base Battle Could Reshape Clevelands Young Lineup
The Guardians late surge toward the 2026 World Series was fueled in large part by the continued rise of young talent, with Chase DeLauter and Gavin Williams becoming central pieces of the clubs next core. Even with that progress, the front office still has a few spots where the long-term picture is not settled, and first base is shaping up as one of the most interesting ones heading into the next spring.
Paul Hoynes recently pointed out that the job could be up for grabs in 2027 spring training, with top prospect Ralphy Velazquez and Kyle Manzardo both in the mix. Velazquez followed a strong 2026 minor league season, while Manzardo slipped after a strong 2025 and eventually pushed the team to add Nathaniel Lowe at the trade deadline, leaving Cleveland with a position battle that could have real impact on how young the lineup comes together. [Read more 🡒]
Guardians May Have Found An Intriguing Answer At First Base
The Guardians head into the offseason with a clear need at first base, and the search comes with a familiar profile in mind: a veteran right-handed bat who can deepen the lineup without locking the club into a one-dimensional answer. That kind of fit matters in Cleveland, where roster flexibility often carries as much value as raw power, and it has helped put Alec Bohm on the radar after six seasons with the Phillies.
Bohms appeal goes beyond the obvious bat-to-ball skills. He brings the kind of versatility that can help a team patch different spots around the infield, and his stronger second half in 2024 only adds to the intrigue as the Guardians sort through their offseason options. For a club looking to make one of its biggest lineup holes less of a question mark, he checks a lot of the right boxes. [Read more 🡒]
Guardians Face Two Offseason Priorities After Another ALCS Near-Miss
Another October has ended with the Guardians close, but not quite close enough, and the work now shifts to the kind of offseason that can shape whether that kind of near-miss becomes a step forward or just another memory. Cleveland heads into the 2026-27 winter with a familiar mix of promise and urgency, built around a young core and a rotation that has kept the club in the postseason conversation.
Austin Hedges sits near the top of the list of priorities, with the Guardians hoping to bring back the catcher for the leadership and game-calling he provides. Beyond that, the front office knows it needs more than continuity, as free agency could thin out parts of the roster and the club is still searching for impact additions on both offense and the pitching staff to help push past the AL Championship Series ceiling. [Read more 🡒]