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Top Cleveland Guardians Prospects for Dynasty Leagues

By Trevor Hooth
Travis Bazzana Cleveland Guardians Top Prospects for Dynasty Leagues

The Cleveland Guardians are almost perennial frontrunners in the AL Central at this point. They won it once again in 2024 and made it all the way to the ALCS. They’re a team filled with talent and they just received the first overall pick in the 2024 draft to help restock their farm system. While they’re a talented group, they will have to find ways to take another step forward. They can’t expect a near 40/40 season from José Ramirez and Cy Young-esque output from Emmanuel Clase every season.

That being said, Cleveland is consistently good at producing homegrown talent. They have a lot of prospects who are close, particularly on the hitting side of things. There are high-ceiling bats, but in general, the Guardians have a type. They like hit tool over power hitters, which they are loaded with at this point. There are some pitchers to take note of, but they really tried to reload with high-upside pitchers in the most recent draft.

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Top Cleveland Guardians Prospects for Dynasty Leagues

1. 2B Travis Bazzana, Age: 22

The Guardians won the draft lottery, allowing them to take Travis Bazzana with the first overall pick of the 2024 MLB Draft. He’s an excellent hitter who would be an easy first pick in FYPD if Roki Sasaki wasn’t getting posted. But whoever is drafting second will love Bazzana. It’s not just bat-to-ball skills, but he has a good understanding of the strike zone. On top of that is legitimate power and the ability to run. He’s a fantastic fantasy prospect. In 27 games at High-A following the draft, Bazzana slashed .238/.369/.369 with three home runs and five stolen bases.

2. OF Chase DeLauter, Age: 23

Injuries limited Chase DeLauter to only 39 games in 2024. In that short period, he hit eight home runs with a .261 average, combined across three levels. When DeLauter is healthy, he has some very loud tools. He has big-time power and hits the ball hard on a regular basis. He doesn’t strike out much and walks at a 10 percent clip. Injuries have been prevalent throughout his career. He broke his foot and toe early last year, then again later in the year with a hamstring strain. There was also a broken foot during his time in college. The talent is there, no question. If DeLauter can finally get healthy, he has the skillset to be a coveted outfielder for fantasy lineups.

3. SS Juan Brito, Age: 23

In his first full season in Triple-A, Juan Brito slashed .256/.365/.443 with 21 home runs and 13 stolen bases while posting a 16.1 percent strikeout rate and 13.5 percent walk rate. He looks every bit ready to make an impact in Cleveland in 2025, but there isn’t a clear spot for him. Brito will have to battle it our with the likes of Brayan Rocchio or Andrés Giménez for a spot on the infield. The switch hitter is also defensively versatile, logging appearances at every infield spot and right field during the 2024 season. His best role might be as a super-utility type while he gets acclimated to the big leagues. Brito has power and speed with a high likelihood of contributing this upcoming season.

4. OF Jaison Chourio, Age: 19

Jackson Chourio’s little brother, Jaison Chourio, who signed a year after his brother, is proving himself an exciting prospect in his own right. He’s a speedy switch hitter with a good hit tool that stole 44 bases in Single-A in 2024. Chourio also walked more than he struck out and added five home runs to his line. There are already some exciting skills present, and he’s showing them off against older competition. Chourio projects for some more power, too. His average, plate skills, and wheels already make him an interesting fantasy prospect, so any power added is just a bonus.

5. LHP Parker Messick, Age: 24

Parker Messick may best be known for single-handedly causing mass panic about future teammate Chase DeLauter after making him look pretty bad when Florida State and James Madison squared off in 2022. In the time since then, Messick was selected 54th overall in 2022 and has moved onto making Double-A hitters look bad, posting an impressive 11.65  K/9 and 2.8 BB/9 with a 2.06 ERA in 65.3 innings. With numbers like that, it wouldn’t be shocking to see Messick get a chance in Cleveland at some point in 2025.

6. SS Angel Genao, Age: 20

As a 20-year-old Angel Genao hit 10 home runs and stole 25 bases while slashing .330/.379/.499 between Single-A and High-A. That includes the bulk of his at-bats coming at the higher of the two levels. Genao makes good contact and knows what pitches to swing at to make things happen. Even if he’s capped at around 10 home runs a season, being able to steal bases and provide a high batting average makes him a helpful fantasy player. If he does add more power, he’ll be a dynamic one.

7. SS Welbyn Francisca, Age: 18

Welbyn Francisca is yet another switch-hitting prospect… Yeah, the Guardians have a type. The type isn’t switch-hitter though, it’s switch hitters who can perform against older competition. Francisca ended 2024 with 117 at-bats in Single-A as an 18-year-old, where he slashed .325/.402/.402 with eight stolen bases. On the whole season, he totaled seven home runs and 19 stolen bases. Beyond that he shows a really good feel for the zone, posting double-digit walk rates. He also fits the Guardians’ trend of being hit over power. There could be more power coming, but he’ll be more geared towards average and steals.

8. 1B C.J. Kayfus, Age: 23

The Guardians selected Kayfus in the third round of the 2023 MLB Draft out of Miami. In his first full professional season, he combined to hit .291/.393/.511 with 17 home runs. Kayfus has patience, he drew walks at a rate of just over 12 percent last year. During his time in Double-A, his strikeout rate was 28.2 percent, which is something to keep an eye on. The other question mark for Kayfus is on the defensive side of the ball. As the organization stands now, he’ll have to compete with Kyle Manzardo for first base reps down the road. He also played left field last season. If he can continue to hit for a high average with power, they’ll find a spot for him.

9. C Ralphy Velazquez, Age: 19

Cleveland loves giving their young hitters tough assignments, as evidenced by the first handful of prospects on this list. They’ve done a good job as a whole, too. Ralphy Velazqeuz is another member of that group, spending most of the season in Single-A, with a 19-game stint in High-A, at the age of 19. In Single-A he slashed .243/.362/.414 with 10 home runs and eight stolen bases while walking 15 percent of the time. Those are all very solid numbers, especially for a catcher. There’s a chance Velazquez moves to first base long term, in which case more pressure gets put on his bat to perform. He’ll likely start in High-A again in 2025.

10. LHP Joey Cantillo, Age: 24

Joey Cantillo was originally drafted by the San Diego Padres but traded to the Guardians in August of 2020 in what was a pretty significant deal. Cleveland traded Mike Clevinger, Greg Allen, and a player to be named later (which wound up being knuckleballer Matt Waldron) for Cantillo, Gabriel Arias, Owen Miller, Josh Naylor, and Cal Quantrill. Cantillo showed promise after being a 17th-rounder but battled injuries. He finally debuted at the big league level in 2024, posting a 4.89 ERA with 44 strikeouts and 15 walks in 38.2 innings. Heading into 2025, there should be an opportunity for him to take on a rotation spot from the outset of the season. The southpaw has a track record of posting solid strikeout numbers, however, he does have a tendency to give up runs. His walk numbers improved in his small major league sample, but for the last couple of years, when healthy, he has consistently posted a BB/9 over 5.0 in Double-A and Triple-A. His strikeout rate is appealing, however his high ERA and walk numbers provide enough reason for fantasy managers to be wary.

11. OF Johnathan Rodriguez, Age: 25

Many of the hitting prospects on this list to this point have a hit tool led profile. Johnathan Rodriguez is also hit over power. In Triple-A in 2024 he slashed .301/.390.540 with 29 home runs before a promotion to Cleveland at the end of the season. In his small 13-game sample he hit .129 and struck out 35 percent of the time. The flip side of that was a 22.5 percent walk rate. It’s a small sample size, but in general he settles into a mid-20s strikeout rate and a walk rate between 10 and 12 percent. The biggest issue will be finding a spot on the field with any sort of regularity. It’s completely possible he spend another year in Triple-A. His power makes him interesting, but he just needs the opportunity.

12. OF Alfonsin Rosario, Age: 20

The newest member to the Guardians farm, Alfonsin Rosario was dealt by the Cubs in exchange for Eli Morgan. He was a sixth-round pick by Chicago due to his loud tools. Rosario is fast, he can generate power and he’s good with the glove. In 2024 he hit 16 home runs and stole 20 bases in Single-A. That came with a 32.2 percent strikeout rate while slashing .230/.344/.423. The swing-and-miss concerns are very real and his approach is very pull-heavy. There are some adjustments needed, but if the Guardians can help him to make just a little more contact then his tools have the potential to really fill up a stat line.

13. C Cooper Ingle, Age: 22

The power that Cooper Ingle showed in 2024 really changed his outlook from a fantasy baseball standpoint. Ingle hit .305 with 11 home runs and seven steals as a catcher between High-A and Double-A in 2024. Beyond that, he walked more than he struck out on the season, with a 56:65 K:BB ratio. He plays a premium fantasy position and was able to show a really good ability to hit for average and produce for on-base percentage. Sprinkle in potentially double-digit home runs and there’s a good fantasy catcher in there. After showing what he can do in his first full pro season, Ingle will have to continue to build on it in 2025. If he does his stock will continue to rise.

14. RHP Braylon Doughty, Age: 18

The Guardians selected California prep pitcher Braylon Doughty 36th overall in the 2024 MLB Draft. He’s touched 97 MPH with his fastball, but his arsenal is led by his ability to throw very good breaking balls. As with any high school pitcher, there is a lot of risk involved for both the drafting team and fantasy managers. His upside right now is very high, but there will still be some time before we see exactly what his potential is.

15. RHP Daniel Espino, Age: 23

It was not that long ago when Daniel Espino was a coveted pitching name on his way to the front of the Guardians rotation. Injuries put the kibosh on that in a hurry. Espino hasn’t pitched since 2022 while dealing with shoulder injuries. To be honest, this might be too high of a ranking because of the risk and unknown. The issue is that if Espino comes back and can be healthy while throwing the triple-digit fastball and big slider he once had, then he’s still a prospect. However, the health questions are just too much at this time.

16. RHP Joey Oakie, Age: 18

In the third round of the 2024 draft, the Guardians selected another high school pitcher in Joey Oakie. He works with a sinker that touched 97 MPH pre-draft and a big slider. Cleveland spent $2 million on him as a third-rounder, which correlates to an early second-round signing bonus. Finding his third pitch will be something that happens over the course of his career, but the Guardians are known for their ability to develop pitching.

17. LHP Jackson Humphries, Age: 20

Jackson Humphries had an ERA of 4.56 and a 1.39 WHIP in 2024, which isn’t ideal for a prospect making a top-20 list. That being said, he spent the whole year in Single-A and turned 20 in July, so he was young. Beyond that, his 11.05 K/9 is just high enough to keep things interesting. Statistically last season showed that he could strike people out and there’s a long way to go. He leads his arsenal with a sinker that tops out in the upper-90s but sits in the mid-90s and a pair of solid breaking balls. It’s not unlikely that Humphries will be assigned back to Lynchburg to start 2025. If he shows more command or shows a lower ERA he could move up to the next level quickly. He’s a fun arm with strikeout upside if he puts things together.

18. RHP Andrew Walters, Age: 23

After being drafted 62nd overall in 2023, Andrew Walters was assigned straight to Double-A to kick off his professional career. After 17 appearances out of the bullpen, he was promoted to Triple-A where he once again worked as a reliever. Across those two levels, he recorded eight saves in nine chances. His 2.32 ERA in 50.1 minor league innings was enough for him to debut in 2024 as well. He threw 8.2 shutout innings with Cleveland while striking out six and walking five. How the Guardians handled him last season shows they believe in him, but it looks like he’s a long-term reliever. While the back of the Guardians bullpen is pretty locked in at the moment, they clearly like Walters and that could give him an inside track if a spot opens up. He should have a shot at some big-league relief role in 2025.

19. SS Alex Mooney, Age: 22

Alex Mooney had a lot of draft helium coming out of high school but chose to attend Duke instead. Ultimately, he was taken by the Guardians as a 7th rounder in 2023. He spent 2024 in the Midwest League where he hit .235 with 12 home runs as a 21-year-old. The intriguing stat, however, was his 43 stolen bases. Despite his low average, his speed and double-digit walk rate still helped him to post a 113 wRC+ at the level. Double-A will provide an interesting challenge for Mooney who showed he can put up counting stats, which help fantasy managers, but he’ll have to prove he can hit enough to consistently contribute those numbers. That being said 43 steals is quite a lot and certainly makes Mooney worth monitoring as he climbs through the ranks.

20. OF Robert Arias, Age: 18

The Guardians signed Robert Arias out of the Dominican Republic as part of the 2024 IFA class. He’s a lefty swinger whose profile is that he does a good job putting bat to ball and has some speed. That very much fits what Cleveland values. As a 17-year-old in the Dominican Summer League, he hit .247 and stole 29 bases. He also posted a 13.7 percent walk rate, which looks even better next to his 8.3 percent strikeout rate. Stats, particularly walks, are hard to rely on at times, but it does show that he has a solid skillset. If he can generate a little bit of pop then he could turn into a very interesting fantasy prospect.

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