The Cleveland Guardians have been surprisingly quiet this offseason, especially for a team coming off back-to-back AL Central titles. With a roster that’s tantalizingly close to being a legitimate World Series contender, fans were hoping for at least one big move to push them over the top. But instead, the Guardians have kept things low-key - and low-budget - with their payroll trending toward the bottom of the league.
One of the biggest issues holding this team back in 2025 was the lack of power. The Guardians finished 20th in the majors with just 168 home runs - a number that simply doesn’t cut it for a team with October aspirations.
José Ramírez did his part, launching 30 homers, while Kyle Manzardo chipped in 27. But beyond those two, the power output fell off a cliff.
No other player hit more than 14 home runs, and that kind of imbalance puts a serious ceiling on what this offense can accomplish.
If the Guardians are going to take the next step, someone - anyone - outside of Ramírez and Manzardo needs to start driving the ball out of the yard. And while the front office hasn’t made any splashy acquisitions, it’s clear they’re banking on internal solutions to address the power shortage. That’s where Alfonsin Rosario enters the conversation.
Rosario, a 21-year-old outfield prospect, may not be ready to make an impact in 2025, but he’s firmly on the organization’s radar as a potential long-term solution to their power woes. At 6-foot-2 and 222 pounds, he already has the physical tools to be a legitimate power threat. Scouts project him as a potential 30-homer bat - and that’s exactly the kind of pop Cleveland’s outfield sorely lacked last season.
Just how bad was the outfield production in 2025? Steven Kwan and Angel Martinez led the group with just 11 home runs apiece.
That’s not going to cut it in today’s game, especially when your infield is already carrying the bulk of the offensive load. The Guardians are clearly hoping Rosario can help change that narrative.
He took a big step forward in 2025, reaching Double-A and putting together an impressive season: 21 home runs, an .806 OPS, and 499 plate appearances over 115 games. That kind of production at his age is encouraging, and while he still needs to refine his plate discipline and strike-zone recognition, the raw power is very real. MLB.com currently ranks him as the Guardians’ No. 12 prospect, with a projected MLB debut in 2027.
Rosario is part of a growing wave of young talent in the system that could help reshape the Guardians’ offensive identity in the next few years. There’s a clear need for someone to step up and bring some thunder to the lineup - and while the organization is cautious not to place too much pressure on any single prospect, the urgency is hard to ignore.
If Cleveland wants to stay atop the AL Central and finally make a deep postseason run, they’ll need more than just strong pitching and timely hitting. They need power - and Rosario just might be the guy to deliver it.