The Cleveland Guardians rolled into the 2025 postseason with their second straight AL Central title in hand-but once again, the bats didn’t show up when it mattered most. Outside of José Ramírez doing José Ramírez things and a strong first half from Steven Kwan, the offense largely sputtered. But there was one bright spot fans should be paying close attention to heading into 2026: Kyle Manzardo.
At 25, Manzardo made his presence felt in a big way, splitting time between first base and designated hitter and delivering a breakout performance that turned heads across the league. After slugging 27 home runs in 470 at-bats, he’s gone from under-the-radar prospect to a key piece of Cleveland’s offensive puzzle.
Manager Stephen Vogt couldn’t hide his excitement when asked about Manzardo’s offseason progress. “His swing is looking great.
The ball is jumping off his bat,” Vogt said. “Even his miss-hits off the machines or live BP, the ball is jumping.
We’re really proud of Kyle. He transformed his body.
It’s fun to watch.”
That kind of praise from a manager-especially one like Vogt, who knows a thing or two about hitting-carries weight. And the numbers back up the buzz.
Manzardo was one of just five players under 25 to post an isolated power (ISO) over .220 in 2025, joining names like Corbin Carroll, Junior Caminero, Riley Greene, and Pete Crow-Armstrong. That’s elite company, and it speaks to the kind of raw pop Manzardo brings to the table.
But like most young hitters, he’s not a finished product. The .234 batting average and a .671 OPS against left-handed pitching show there’s still work to be done.
That said, those are the kinds of growing pains you expect from a young slugger adjusting to big-league arms. If he can make even modest improvements against southpaws, he could move beyond platoon status and start knocking on the door of All-Star conversations.
The Guardians’ front office has faced plenty of heat from fans for not adding a major bat in free agency-this offseason and the one before. And it’s fair criticism.
The 2025 lineup lacked consistent power, and it showed in October. But Manzardo’s emergence gave the offense a much-needed jolt, and if he takes another step forward in 2026, it could be a game-changer.
There’s a lot to like here: the power, the youth, the work ethic, and now the vocal support from the coaching staff. Manzardo’s not just a feel-good story-he might be Cleveland’s X-factor this season. And if the Guardians want to finally turn regular-season success into a deep playoff run, they’ll need his bat to keep trending in the right direction.