The Cleveland Guardians may still be focused on the grind of 2026, but one of the more intriguing questions already hanging over the roster is what comes next at first base. Bleacher Report thinks the answer could arrive in 2027, with top prospect Ralphy Velazquez projected to crack the Opening Day lineup after a huge season in Triple-A.
That projection comes with a pretty clear runway. Joel Reuter pointed to the fact that Cleveland has little reason to expect a big splash in free agency, and with Nathaniel Lowe set to depart, Velazquez could be the next man up.
“The Guardians have multiple areas they could look to upgrade, but history tells us they’re not going to spend in free agency. A year removed from a 27-homer season, Kyle Manzardo has been relegated to Triple-A in favor of veteran Nathaniel Lowe. With Lowe departing in free agency, top prospect Ralphy Velazquez has a clear path next spring,” Joel Reuter wrote.
There’s already been plenty of talk that Velazquez should be in the majors right now, helping Cleveland in its push for another playoff berth. The Guardians did try to shore up first base at the deadline in early August, bringing in Lowe from the Cincinnati Reds and sending struggling Manzardo down to make room.
Even when rosters expanded on Sept. 1, Cleveland kept Velazquez in the minors. That decision came despite a strong push from the 20-year-old, who tore through August in Columbus with a .356 batting average, a 1.300 OPS and 15 home runs among his 32 hits in 23 games.
One possible reason the Guardians held off is the chance of an MLB work stoppage next year. If Velazquez is placed on the 40-man roster and a lockout happens, he wouldn’t be able to play in the minors while the major league season is shut down.
Cleveland hasn’t said that’s part of its thinking, but the concern is obvious enough. The Guardians may not want to stall his development if he ends up sitting for an unknown stretch. Whenever Opening Day 2027 rolls around, though, Velazquez looks like a strong bet to be in the mix for a regular role.
In Other News...
Guardians Farm System Has A New Long Term Prospect Question
The trade deadline left the Guardians system largely intact, which matters because the organization did not spend its prospect capital the way some contenders do. Cleveland moved only one top-30 name, Jacob Cozart, and otherwise kept its upper tier in place, where Angel Genao, Ralphy Velazquez and Braylon Doughty continue to stand out as the most immediate pipeline pieces. For a club that has made a habit of leaning on young talent, the bigger story is not what it gave up, but how quickly the next wave may be arriving.
Juneiker Caceres is already starting to shape that longer view. The Venezuelan prospect has been turning heads at both High-A and Single-A, and evaluators now see him as the best bet to become the organizations top prospect by 2028 because of how fast he has developed and the tools he brings naturally. For Cleveland, that creates a familiar kind of farm-system question: how to balance the need for help soon with the reality that the most intriguing upside may still be several seasons away. [Read more 🡒]
Steven Kwans Future Just Became A Real Guardians Offseason Issue
Steven Kwans name is suddenly in the kind of conversation Cleveland usually tries to avoid with one of its most reliable players: what happens next. The two-time All-Star still has a year left on his contract, and there have been no reported extension talks, which has only added fuel to the idea that the Guardians could be facing a difficult decision on a player who remains one of their most polished everyday pieces.
Even with some dip in the counting stats this season, Kwans value has not disappeared. His on-base work and defense still grade out well, which is why any offseason talk around him is less about performance than roster direction, payroll, and timing. For a Guardians front office that has long prized controllable talent, the possibility of moving a player of Kwans caliber would be the kind of issue that hangs over the winter until it is finally answered. [Read more 🡒]
Guardians Reliever Hits Another Brutal Setback In Lost Development Run
Andrew Walters development hit another painful pause this week, as the Guardians reliever had right UCL repair surgery with an internal brace, a procedure that carries an expected recovery window of 10 to 12 months. It is the latest in a string of setbacks for the young pitcher, who has been trying to get back on track after already losing significant time to injuries since June 2025, including lat muscle surgery.
For Cleveland, the timing is especially tough because Walters was still in the middle of trying to build momentum in the organizations pitching pipeline. Even with a standard rehab path, a return to MLB action before 2028 now looks unlikely, leaving the Guardians to wait out another long recovery and wonder how much development time is left to reclaim once he is finally back on the mound. [Read more 🡒]