Cleveland Guardians Make Roster Moves With 4 Players

Tommy Wild

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The Cleveland Guardians cut their Spring Training roster to 44 players following recent moves.

The Cleveland Guardians continue to cut down their big-league Spring Training roster as Opening Day gets closer and closer. The organization made a series of roster moves on Sunday, involving four of its players.

Optioned To Triple-A: Johnathan Rodriguez

Johnathan Rodriguez was optioned to Triple-A on Sunday and will start the season at the Minor League level.

The outfielder came into Spring Training with a big opportunity to make an impact, and possibly even make his way onto the Opening Day roster. Cleveland only has four right-handed hitters on its 40-man, including J-Rod, and they still need more balance in the lineup.

Rodriguez didn’t have a bad Spring Training. He did log six hits in 22 at-bats, for a batting average of .273. However, none of those were extra base hits, which is really what the Guardians need out of a player with his skillset if he's going to occupy a spot on the Major League roster.

Rodriguez remains an option in the outfield at the big-league level, but there are other players who will get some run before him.

The Guardians reassigned two catchers, Kody Huff and Cooper Ingle, to Minor League camp as part of their roster moves on Sunday.

With Bo Naylor competing in the World Baseball Classic, the Guardians needed some more depth behind the plate. But Bo is back in Goodyear, so reassigning this pair to keep them working makes the most sense.

As for Ingle, even though his time at big-league camp is over, he impressed quite a few people during his stint, including manager Stephen Vogt.

“What we're seeing from Coop is, obviously, we know this kid can hit, and he works extremely hard at that, but we've seen growth behind the plate this spring,” said Cleveland’s skipper late last week.

“Just from his work, in practice, the things he's diving in with Sandy while he was here… this kid's super athletic, and he did a great job last year, taking a step forward in his game planning. Were hoping he continues that down that path. We're very excited for Cooper's future.”

Dayan Frias recently re-joined the Guardians after spending the last few weeks with Team Colombia in the World Baseball Classic. He’ll continue to get his spring work in with the Minor League group.

After all of these moves, Cleveland's Spring Training roster is now down to 44 players.

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I guess this means that Fairchild has a good shot at breaking camp with the Guardians after his homer today.

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Bo's breakout? Why a toe tap could power Naylor in '26

GOODYEAR, Ariz. -- By putting his front foot down, Bo Naylor began to put his best foot forward offensively this past season.

Amid an up-and-down 2025 season, Naylor worked thoroughly on his hitting mechanics, with an effort of simplifying his lower half to help get his best swing off more consistently. And though his final numbers weren’t what he would have hoped, he enjoyed a strong finish that inspired confidence in what his ‘26 could bring.

“I think Bo's just scratching the surface of the hitter he can be,” manager Stephen Vogt said earlier this spring. “Everybody develops at a different clip. … I think he's putting himself into a position to have a big breakout year."

Literally and figuratively. Naylor pivoted from a leg kick to a toe tap in August. In September, he was one of the Guardians’ top hitters as they surged to the AL Central title.

“We don't get to the playoffs without Bo Naylor at the plate last year,” Vogt said.

Naylor endured a tough first few months of 2025; he had a .623 OPS before the All-Star break. Along the way, he and the Guardians’ hitting team were methodically working on adjustments. Hitting is extremely hard as it is; a lot of it is mental and having a good plan when you get into the batter’s box.

Naylor felt good about that side of things last season. The work he needed to do was physical, as far as getting his body in the right spots to execute his plan.

“That was kind of the missing piece,” Naylor said. “September, I think that was a good indication of strides in the right direction of being in the right positions and actually being able to go out there and execute the plan that we had gone into the at-bat with.”

Naylor was a few weeks into using a toe tap when September rolled around; he first implemented it on Aug. 15. In 91 games before that point, he slashed .174/.278/.360 with a 12.4 percent walk rate, a 24.8 percent strikeout rate, an 80 wRC+ and a 35.9 percent hard-hit rate.

In 19 games in September, Naylor slashed .290/.324/.548 with a 5.8 percent walk rate, an 18.8 strikeout rate, a 136 wRC+ and a 48.1 percent hard-hit rate. More recently, he hit .353 (6-for-17) with one homer in four games representing Canada at the World Baseball Classic.

“The mechanical change he made last year was huge for him,” Guardians hitting coach Grant Fink said. “He had struggled in the past at finding consistency of being on one leg. When he got that front foot down, it just gave him comfort in being able to move more aggressively without feeling like he was out of control.”

Fink noted Naylor doubled down on that work this offseason and worked hard on his path in the batter’s box. The toe tap was new to Naylor last season, but not to him as a player. He said he used one as a two-strike approach while he was in high school, but went away from it in pro ball.

Given his experience with it, it was a relatively seamless adjustment.

“I was able to kind of get back to those feels,” Naylor said, “and get comfortable with it a lot earlier than I think I would have if I didn't have a little bit of background with it before.”

Naylor is entering his third full big league season. Since his MLB debut on Oct. 1, 2022, he’s logged a .670 OPS in 1,041 plate appearances. But development is never linear in baseball, and we’ve seen flashes of what Naylor can do, including in September.

Naylor building on his September and taking a big step this season would be huge for the Guardians. They brought back largely the same position player core as 2025, when they had a poor season collectively at the plate.

That means the Guardians need Naylor and others to take a step this year.

“With him as well as a lot of people, it's just about consistency,” Fink said. “You saw these flashes through periods of time where you're like, ‘Man, this kid can really hit.’ I think this is the first time in his life -- and he'd even tell you this -- that he left the offseason knowing that his lower half was in a place that he wanted it to be.

“He wasn't searching anymore. He had something he's confident in, and now he could just go double down on that and come back confident in that. That's a superpower right there, just being confident in what you're doing and not having to double think things."

Tim Stebbins covers the Guardians for MLB.com.

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Guardians breathe a sigh of relief as José Ramírez reports improvement one day after leaving game with sore shoulder

Updated: Mar. 16, 2026, 6:42 p.m.|Published: Mar. 16, 2026, 6:29 p.m.

By Joe Noga, cleveland.com

CLEVELAND, Ohio — Guardians manager Stephen Vogt appeared rather relaxed for a guy whose franchise cornerstone third baseman had a brush with disaster on Sunday afternoon.

Fortunately for Vogt and All-Star slugger José Ramírez, things seemed pretty positive when everybody arrived at the club’s training facility on Monday in Goodyear, Arizona.

Speaking with reporters prior to Monday’s Cactus League night game against the Cubs, Vogt said Ramírez is feeling “much, much better today” after leaving Sunday’s contest with a sore left shoulder, and that he will be reassessed day by day moving forward.

Ramírez injured the shoulder diving headfirst into third base in the second inning on a successful steal attempt.

“He should be just fine in a few days,” Vogt said.

Speculation was present but rather subdued following Ramírez’s exit Sunday. The club said there were no plans to have any imaging or an MRI done on the 33-year-old Dominican native who signed a seven-year contract extension worth $175 million in January that will likely keep him in a Cleveland uniform for his entire career.

Vogt said his immediate thoughts when Ramírez took himself out of the lineup in the fourth inning centered on getting backup Carter Kieboom to the plate to take Ramírez’s next at-bat.

“When things happen in-game, I don’t give them much thought — my job’s the next man up,” Vogt said. “Go finish the game and then wait for the people who went to school for that kind of stuff (doctors, medical staff) to tell me what’s going on. But he was evaluated postgame and the big factor was going to be how does he feel coming in today? And he felt much better.”

Ramírez’s durability has been remarkable. He has only made one trip to the injured list in his 10-year major league career, missing 30 games in 2019 after undergoing surgery to remove the hook of the hamate bone in his right hand. Last season he exited a game in Toronto in early May after landing awkwardly on first base. Ramírez sat out the following game, but was back in the lineup for the series finale two days later.

Vogt said Ramírez’s durability stands out, especially considering how hard he plays the game.

“He takes really good care of himself and José knows his body really well,” Vogt said. “(In Toronto) he said, ‘I’m going to need one day and I’ll be ready to go.’ Like, he just knows.”

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Top prospect informed he won’t make opening day roster, but heads to Columbus just a call away: Guardians takeaways

Updated: Mar. 16, 2026, 7:38 p.m.|Published: Mar. 16, 2026, 7:34 p.m.

By Joe Noga, cleveland.com

CLEVELAND, Ohio — The Guardians informed four players Monday they will not make the opening day roster, including top prospect Travis Bazzana, but all will remain with the team through the end of spring training.

Manager Stephen Vogt announced before Monday’s Cactus League night game against the Cubs at Goodyear Ballpark that Bazzana, Milan Tolentino, Pedro Avila, and Dom Nuñez were cut from the opening day roster. The quartet will stay in camp as the Guardians play two exhibition games in Phoenix next week before heading to Seattle to open the regular season.

Bazzana, the organization’s top prospect, has hit .286 with an .833 OPS in 14 at-bats across five games this spring. He has one home run, four RBI, one walk, and four strikeouts.

“I think I’ve seen him play six times now, and every time out, I get more and more impressed,” Vogt said. “We see more of his game, the base running, the defense. We know he can hit, but it just seemed like every time Travis was out there, we got to see a new element of his game.”

Vogt told Bazzana he needs to continue developing with everyday at-bats.

“We know this kid’s going to help us win a lot of games,” Vogt said. “But he needs to go play and get everyday at-bats and continue to develop.”

Tolentino had one of the best camps of anybody on Cleveland’s roster, Vogt said. He entered Monday hitting .188 but had a 1.021 OPS in 16 at-bats with two home runs, six RBI, eight walks, and five strikeouts in his first full big league camp.

“The growth that we saw just in one year from last spring to this spring (really stood out),” Vogt said. “Just a very mature approach at the plate. Barreling all kinds of pitches off lefties, off righties. The baserunning was tremendous, the defense was outstanding, and we know he can pretty much go anywhere on the field to play.”

Vogt told Tolentino he’s “one phone call away” after putting himself in position to help the team.

Nuñez, the fourth catcher in the organization’s depth chart, has hit .300 with a 1.400 OPS across 10 at-bats in eight Cactus League games. He has two home runs, four RBI, four walks, and four strikeouts.

Vogt praised Nuñez’s impact beyond his on-field performance, saying nearly a dozen pitchers named him as someone who helped them develop last year during one-on-one interviews before camp.

“He’s just a selfless teammate,” Vogt said. “There’s a lot of good baseball left in Dom Nuñez, and we know that and he knows that. Just the value that he brings as the teammate and as a person, and the knowledge that he’s able to instill in some of our players. Dom is a very valuable person.”

Avila has pitched in six games and posted a 3.24 ERA across 8 1/3 innings with four strikeouts and one walk.

“We’re just so pumped to have Pedro back,” Vogt said. “And he wanted to come back to Cleveland. He trusts us, he loves us here, and it’s reciprocated. We know Pedro is going to help us win some major league games at some point; it’s just unfortunately not going to be opening day.”

Hunter Gaddis, Andrew Walters making progress with injuries

Hunter Gaddis was scheduled to throw a bullpen session after being sidelined with right forearm tightness. Vogt said Gaddis is progressing day-to-day, with a resolution expected in the next week.

Right-hander Andrew Walters has a live batting practice session coming up as he continues his recovery surgery to repair a torn latissimus dorsi muscle in June. Walters is throwing 120-150 feet in his bullpen progression.

“Anytime pitcher coming off injury is getting back on the mound, that’s a good sign,” Vogt said. “Andrew’s progressing very well.”

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Guardians Executive Says Team Does Not Want To Lose Young Pitcher

March 16, 2026

By Mike Battaglino

MLB roster decisions are tough enough as it is, based on the talent of the players and the needs of the team alone. If you add other concerns into the mix, such as minor league options and Rule 5 considerations, it can become even more difficult.

The Cleveland Guardians are facing that kind of dilemma as they look to finalize their 26-man roster for the 2026 season. Relief pitcher Peyton Pallette has put forth a strong case to make the team, and he also may have something else working in his favor.

Pallette was a Rule 5 draft pick by Cleveland, which means he has to be kept on the active roster for the entire season or be offered back to his previous team, which in this case is the Chicago White Sox. The Guardians must determine if Pallette can contribute enough to the pitching staff to be worth that restrictive requirement.

Guardians executive Bob DiBiasio recently said the team does not want to lose the young pitcher, but he also acknowledged that there may not be a role for him in its deep bullpen.

“I think [Peyton Pallette’s] got a really good chance. He’s throwing the heck out of the ball. I think he’s a guy we don’t want to lose. Our bullpen’s deep,” DiBiasio said.


A second-round pick by the White Sox in the 2022 MLB Draft, Pallette has not yet made his major league debut. He pitched last season at Double-A and Triple-A, where combined he threw 64.2 innings in 57 appearances with a 4.06 ERA, 86 strikeouts and just 28 walks.

According to MLB Pipeline, his fastball can hit 98 mph. After experiencing some shoulder tightness at the start of camp, he has eight strikeouts in just four innings and has not allowed a run in four spring training games. That alone could earn him a bullpen job.

However, other factors may be in play as well. Top setup man Hunter Gaddis has experienced forearm tightness, and though it is not believed to be serious, an extended absence could provide an opening and a need in the bullpen. But, if Joey Cantillo does not earn a spot in the starting rotation, he may be kept on as a reliever because he is out of minor league options.

It is a complicated situation, but if Pallette keeps pitching as he has been, he will make the decision very easy for the Guardians’ brass.

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Stephen Vogt Hints At Possible Change In Guardians Outfield

March 16, 2026

By Mike Battaglino

The Cleveland Guardians had multiple players take part in the World Baseball Classic. With that tournament winding down, those players are returning to spring training, which is forcing some last-minute adjustments and reevaluations as the team puts together its Opening Day roster.

With just a handful of spring games remaining, the Guardians still have some questions to answer in the outfield. Not only do they have to decide on who those players will be, but they also have to determine what alignment they will use.

With Steven Kwan’s status of particular interest as he potentially moves from left field, manager Stephen Vogt said he wants to see Stuart Fairchild in center field now that he is back with the team from the WBC.

“Kwan is making the conversion from left [to] center field, but Vogt said he wanted to see Stuart Fairchild play center. Fairchild, in camp as a spring training invitee, hasn’t gotten much playing time because he was participating for Chinese Taipei in the WBC,” Paul Hoynes wrote.

The Guardians were considering moving Kwan, who is a four-time Gold Glove left fielder, to center field in part to help prospects Chase DeLauter and George Valera make an easier adjustment to their first full major league season by playing the less-demanding corner spots. Also, as the Guardians’ best defensive player, it could be necessary to have Kwan play the most difficult position regardless of those considerations.

However, there is a large potential downside, as Kwan is also one of Cleveland’s top offensive players as its leadoff hitter. He has shown a tendency for extended slumps at the plate as the season goes on, and a more grueling defensive assignment could exacerbate that problem.

The Guardians signed Fairchild to add depth to the organization and perhaps compete for a reserve outfield role. A five-year MLB veteran, he could bring experience to what profiles as a very young group that likely includes last season’s center fielder, Angel Martinez.

If CJ Kayfus holds on to his projected role as a DH, there are likely to be five outfield spots available on the final 26-man roster. If Fairchild can show enough over the final eight spring games, he could potentially land the final one over other contenders, Nolan Jones and Petey Halpin.

After batting .250 with two home runs, six RBIs, and three stolen bases for Chinese Taipei in the WBC, Fairchild may have a good chance to begin this season in the majors.

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Guardians Could Consider Key Moves Amid Packed Outfield Roster

March 16, 2026

By Andres Chavez

The Cleveland Guardians outfield is one of the most crowded areas of the roster. Steven Kwan and Chase DeLauter will likely play every day if they are healthy, but platoon advantages and versatility will likely dictate the rest of the dynamics.

George Valera figures to play most of the time against righties as a left fielder, with Angel Martinez possibly taking the weaker side of that platoon. After that, things get a bit murky.

The team decided to option lefty-masher Johnathan Rodriguez to Triple-A this past weekend, but things are still crowded with the return of Stuart Fairchild from the World Baseball Classic. Analyst Mike Kurland, who does a fine job projecting lineups and playing time situations, offered his two cents on the Guardians.

“Guardians Johnathan Rodriguez getting optioned moves him out of the projected weak-side platoon role. Stuart Fairchild would fit this role very well. He’s someone who’s hit LHP well, has shown the ability to play above-average defense, and is having a good spring training,” he wrote on X.

Fairchild, signed in December to a minor league deal with an invitation to spring training, has a decent chance of making the roster but is far from a lock. He has a career 88 wRC+, a below-average mark, but boasts a 106 wRC+ while facing southpaws. That could help him in the consideration of manager Steven Vogt.

Vogt recently said he wants to give Fairchild a longer look.

Kurland suggests that Nolan Jones is still in the running for a spot, though. So is Daniel Schneemann.

“Nolan Jones is out of options, so they are crowded there. Daniel Schneeman is also a name who could take a bench spot, but they do not need more LHH for depth,” Kurland said.

Jones has a mediocre 22 wRC+ in Cactus League play and faces an uphill battle to break camp with the team. Yes, the Guardians committed $2 million to him in November by tendering him a contract, but he has done little to suggest he deserves to be on the squad. He is also a lefty, when the Guards have more of a need for a righty-hitting outfielder like Fairchild.

Schneemann, another lefty, wouldn’t do much to change the outfield dynamics since he is also a lefty like Valera, Steven Kwan, DeLauter, and Jones. He could earn a super-utility role that includes infield work, though.

Fairchild hits lefties, can play both outfield corners in addition to center field, and is hitting a robust .308/.400/.615 in Cactus League play. Those three reasons are the foundation of his case to make the roster.

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Stuart Fairchild Is Itching for a Spot in the Big Leagues With the Cleveland Guardians

A former 38th-round selection back in 2014, Fairchild has kept his name in the pot for a chance to sport the navy blue and red on Opening Day.

Cade Cracas

7 hours ago


Stuart Fairchild Is Itching for a Spot in the Big Leagues With the Cleveland Guardians
A former 38th-round selection back in 2014, Fairchild has kept his name in the pot for a chance to sport the navy blue and red on Opening Day.
Cade Cracas
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7 hours ago

The Cleveland Guardians' coaching staff and front office are going to have a tough decision if Stuart Fairchild continues thriving.

Following the start of the World Baseball Classic, where Fairchild represented Chinese Taipei, he found himself at the top of his game, belting two home runs, one of which was a grand slam against Czechia, in 12 at-bats. He also drew four walks to five strikeouts, while also stealing three bases and flashing his tremendous speed.

After returning from the WBC, he kept that momentum high, striking a solo home run 405 feet in his first game back at spring training.

This type of productivity and power at the plate from a player like Fairchild, who for most of his career has been a journeyman, is exciting. On the contrary, it makes the decision on placing him in Triple-A or the majors that much more difficult.

When asked about the play of Fairchild recently at the WBC, Guardians manager Stephen Vogt offered praise to the 29-year-old.

"I didn't follow it closely, but our group did," Vogt said. "Good to see him get a couple of results, couple of big hits. We know the power is there with Stuart and the defense as well. Again, it's getting him back into our group. How does that puzzle piece come into play... and getting him as many at-bats as possible before the end of camp."

So far, when playing with Cleveland at spring training, Fairchild has flashed little moments of excitement in his game. In just 13 at-bats, one more than he was able to get at the WBC, he's recorded four hits, one double and one home run for one RBI. He's also drawn a single walk.

Compared to most of the other players that Cleveland's looking at to compete for a spot on the Guardians' Opening Day roster, he's actually putting together a strong case to get the nod.

Of players with 10 or more at-bats, he has the sixth-best batting average at a mark of .308. Yes, it's a low, limited number of chances, but flashing his abilities no matter what amount of games he ends up playing in is important.

The only outfielders ahead of him with better marks at the plate are Kahlil Watson, who has already been sent back down to the minors; Jaison Chourio, who is still too young and inexperienced to make the big league roster; Petey Halpin, who is also fighting for a spot on the major league roster; Chase DeLauter, who has been exceptional in limited opportunities while battling injuries; and Ángel Martínez, last year’s starting center fielder.

Four-time Golden Glove winner Steven Kwan has his spot in the outfield locked down, while George Valera seemingly does as well. That means the final roughly two to three spots for outfielders come down to DeLauter, Martinez, Halpin and Fairchild.

Fairchild is facing a very, very tough road ahead to carve out a role in the big leagues with the Guardians; however, if he keeps performing at the rate he has been, he may leap his way into real contention.

For now, he'll likely begin the campaign in the minors, mainly due to the fact that he has no options remaining and hasn't been added to the 40-man roster yet, and if the Guardians front office decides to send him down, he would be DFA'd.

His path ahead may be more determined by injuries or prospect inconsistencies, rather than how well he's been playing

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Rising Guardians slugger could turn longstanding black hole into position of strength

By Henry Palattella

2 hours ago

For most of the 2020s, the Cleveland Guardians’ catching situation left a lot to be desired. While the 2010s started with Carlos Santana and ended with Yan Gomes and Roberto Pérez, the start of the latest decade featured a lot of Austin Hedges with a sprinkle of uninspiring options like Luke Maile, Cam Gallagher, and Ryan Lavarnway.

But that hasn’t been the case in the past two seasons thanks to the emergence of Bo Naylor. Although Naylor’s time with the Guardians has been a bit inconsistent, he’s oozing with potential and still growing as a player.

He showcased that at the end season when he posted a .290/.324/.548 slashline in September, and has picked up where he left off this spring with a strong showing in Arizona and an even stronger showing for Team Canada in the World Baseball Classic.

Bo Naylor could take a huge leap for the Guardians in 2026
While Naylor’s renaissance has been bubbling under the surface for Guardians fans for a while, that WBC performance helped push it to the forefront. Naylor ended up going 6-for-17 in four games at the tournament with a towering home run against Team USA in the quarterfinals that traveled 404 feet.

The homer, which came off a lefty in Gabe Speier, left Naylor’s bat at 104.2 miles per hour. Last year Naylor hit just .171 against southpaw pitchers, but the early returns from this year make it seem like he’s turning a corner.

He entered play on Monday hitting .500 (5-for-10) in four games this spring.

One of the biggest reasons he could be turning that corner is because of a batting stance change, as he’s all in on using a toe tap in his batting approach after adding it last August.

“The mechanical change he made last year was huge for him,” Guardians hitting coach Grant Fink told reporters in Arizona. “He had struggled in the past at finding consistency of being on one leg. When he got that front foot down, it just gave him comfort in being able to move more aggressively without feeling like he was out of control.”

Although Naylor’s always going to have swing-and-miss in his game thanks to his long, violent swing, the toe tap should help him tap into that power more.

Naylor already has a strong offensive foundation (he finished last season in the 66th percentile in whiff rate and strikeout rate), so it’s exciting to think about how much better he could be if added some more power to his game.

Any improvement from Naylor would also be a huge win for a Guardians team that spent most of the offseason sitting on the sideline.

New additions Rhys Hoskins and Stuart Fairchild both have intriguing skillsets that could help the Guardians win in 2026, but it’s clear that the front office is banking on some of their internal players taking leaps — Naylor among them.

Naylor’s taken huge steps to grow behind the plate since entering MLB. And now this could be the year where he does the same at the dish.

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Three Positives From Goodyear, Arizona

We’ve almost reached the regular season, but there’s still plenty in Spring to be positive about.

by Madelyn Novak

Mar 16, 2026, 8:38 AM CDT

In a week full of World Baseball Classic games, Guardians players have been finding success in Goodyear and in Houston.

Naylor’s Big Night

In Friday night’s WBC game between the United States and Canada, Guardians’ catcher Bo Naylor had a big night for his native Canada. Although his team lost and ultimately sent the U.S. to the semifinals, Naylor proved himself to fans all over the world. In the bottom of the sixth inning, Gabe Speier threw a two-out pitch to Naylor with a runner on base. He took that pitch deep into the seats at Daiken Field to cut the United States’ lead to 5-3. While his team wasn’t able to capitalize on that momentum and was ultimately eliminated from the WBC, Naylor made his name known on the biggest stage.

Halpin Helping Big

Cleveland’s 95th draft pick from 2020, Petey Halpin, has been making waves in Spring Training. The young centerfielder has had pretty consistent playing time this March, totalling 25 at bats so far. In that time, he’s hit .320/.433/.640 with eight hits and two home runs. He’s also continuing to show off his speed on the basepaths, claiming five stolen bases so far. He’s played just six Major League games during the regular season so far, but if he can get consistent playing time in 2026, he’ll definitely be a threat on the bases and at the plate.

Gaddis Nearing Return

As the start of the regular season inches closer, so does the return of setup man Hunter Gaddis. Gaddis was shut down early in Spring Training due to right forearm tightness. He received an MRI to assess the damage and found that there was no damage, however, the team had shut him down just to be safe. Since then, he’s been working towards a return with two bullpen sessions this week. While the timing of his return has yet to be fully determined, he’s been making good progress and has “been feeling really good” according to Manager Stephen Vogt.

Social Media Spotlight

This week’s social media spotlight highlights Matt Wilkinson who pitched for the Lake County Captains in 2025. He’s spent the last couple of weeks representing Team Canada at the World Baseball Classic, and he had a huge moment in Friday’s game against the U.S. He struck out the team’s heavy hitters, Cal Raleigh and Bryce Harper. The below video shows just how much spirit the young pitcher has.

https://twitter.com/i/status/2032665435569618964

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Spring Breakout game between Guardians, Angels features hot temperatures, prospects

Published: Mar. 17, 2026, 4:56 p.m.

By Paul Hoynes, cleveland.com

CLEVELAND, Ohio — There will be hot prospects and hot temperatures on display Thursday when the Guardians play the Angels in their Spring Breakout game at Tempe Diablo Stadium.

Start time for the game featuring the top prospects from each team has been moved to 2 p.m. ET because of anticipated high temperatures. When the game was originally scheduled to start at 4 p.m. ET, temperatures were forecast to be between 96 degrees and 102 degrees.

On March 5, teams submitted a 40-man player pool for the game. That had to be reduced to between 23 and 27 players by Wednesday.

The Guardians’ 40-man player pool included top prospects second baseman Travis Bazzana, outfielder Chase DeLauter, first baseman Ralphy Velazquez, infielders Angel Genao and Juan Brito and catcher Cooper Ingle.

Outfielders Kahlil Watson, George Valera, Jace LaViolette and Jaison Chourio were included as well.

Valera is not expected to be available because of a strained calf. DeLauter and Brito are competing for spots on the big-league club so they might not play as well.

Bazzana, however, was told Monday that he’ll open the season at Triple-A Columbus. So, the No. 1 pick in the 2024 draft could make an appearance.

Among the pitchers who may be available are Khal Stephen, Braylon Doughty, Joey Oakie and Daniel Espino. Lefty Parker Messick is competing for a spot in the Guardians’ rotation.

Espino, Cleveland’s No.1 pick in 2019, is healthy again for the first time since 2022. He could get a look in Thursday’s game.

Stephen came to Cleveland from Toronto in the Shane Bieber trade. He was Toronto’s second round pick in 2024 and heavily scouted by Cleveland.

This is the third year for the MLB’s Spring Breakout concept. Next year it will include a single elimination tournament with teams competing for championships in the Cactus and Grapefruit Leagues.

Here is the Guardians’ 40-man player pool.

Name Position Org Rank MLB Rank

PITCHERS (15)

Braylon Doughty RHP 8 —
Daniel Espino RHP 18 —
Caden Favors LHP NR —
Jogly Garcia RHP NR —
Yorman Gomez RHP NR —
Josh Hartle LHP 27 —
Jackson Humphries LHP NR —
Will Hynes RHP 24 —
Parker Messick LHP 5 95
Joey Oakie RHP 10 —
Peyton Pallette RHP 30 —
Rafe Schlesinger LHP NR —
Khal Stephen RHP 7 —
Andrew Walters RHP 26 —
Matt Wilkinson LHP NR —

CATCHERS (2)

Cooper Ingle C 6 99
Jacob Cozart C 20 —

INFIELDERS (11)

Travis Bazzana 2B 1 20
Juan Brito 2B 17 —
Dean Curley INF 14 —
Jose Devers SS NR —
Dauri Fernandez INF 23 —
Welbyn Francisca SS 13 —
Angel Genao SS 3 66
Alex Mooney INF NR —
Gabriel Rodriguez SS/3B 21 —
Milan Tolentino SS NR —
Ralphy Velazquez 1B/OF 4 89

OUTFIELDERS (12)

Wuilfredo Antunez OF NR —
Robert Arias OF 22 —
Juneiker Caceres OF 11 —
Jaison Chourio OF 12 —
Chase DeLauter OF 2 46
Jace LaViolette OF 9 —
Nick Mitchell OF NR —
Alfonsin Rosario OF 16 —
Nolan Schubart OF/1B 28 —
George Valera OF 29 —
Aaron Walton OF 19 —
Kahlil Watson OF 15 —

Rankings are listed according to MLB.com’s top 30 Guardians’ prospects and MLB.com’s top 100 MLB prospects.

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Terry’s sleeper prospect for the Guardians; Can the Cavs fix their defense in time? Terry’s Talkin’ podcast

Published: Mar. 17, 2026, 6:57 p.m.

By Terry's Talkin' podcast, cleveland.com

CLEVELAND, Ohio — It’s time for this week’s episode of the Terry’s Talkin’ podcast, with cleveland.com columnist Terry Pluto and host David Campbell. In this episode, they talk about the Guardians and Terry’s impressions after spending a week in Goodyear watching the team.

Terry also discusses the lackluster defense by the Cavs in Sunday’s loss, and whether they can fix it by the playoffs.

They also look at the Browns’ free-agent signings and what’s ahead in the draft.

Highlights:

Guardians Outlook: Optimism for the Guardians is guarded but positive, primarily due to the perceived health and depth of the team’s pitching staff.

Chase DeLauter Praise: Manager Stephen Vogt is exceptionally high on outfielder Chase DeLauter, calling him a “complete hitter” who looks “scary at the plate.”

DeLauter’s Path: DeLauter’s unconventional journey, including being overlooked in high school and falling in the draft due to injury, positions him as a potential steal for the Guardians.

Patience for Bazzana: There’s a call for patience with 2024 first-round pick Travis Bazzana, emphasizing that player development takes time and is not always linear.

Bazzana Scouting Report: While physically average, Bazzana is noted for a fanatical work ethic but may be overly driven; his bat will need to carry his “okay” defense.

Sleeper Prospect: Class-A infielder Dauri Fernandez is a deep sleeper prospect who impressed with his poise, backed by a significant signing bonus and strong rookie stats.

Mixed Prospect Results: Other Guardians prospects show a mixed bag: Angel Martinez looks promising, Juan Brito is struggling, and George Valera is injured again.

Ramirez’s Frustration Injury: José Ramírez sustained a minor shoulder injury after aggressively stealing a base, fueled by anger over a call from the automated strike system.

Automated Strike Debate: The hybrid automated ball-strike (ABS) system is causing frustration, with the powerful umpires’ union cited as a reason for the delay in full implementation.

Cavaliers’ Permissive Defense: The Cavs’ defense has been called “too permissive” by Kenny Atkinson, though the return of Max Strus is expected to add toughness and improve wing defense.

Cavs’ Roster Instability: The Cavaliers’ biggest challenge has been a constant lack of roster consistency due to numerous injuries to key players, preventing the team from building chemistry.

Cavs’ Playoff Defense: The Cavs’ playoff lineup is expected to be more defensively sound than their regular-season lineups by featuring fewer exploitable matchups on the court.

Bo Naylor’s Workload: The hope is that catcher Bo Naylor plays fewer games this season to allow backup David Fry more playing time, which would indicate positive contributions from the backup.

MAC Tournament Success: For the first time since 1999, the Mid-American Conference sent two teams, Akron and Miami, to the NCAA Men’s Basketball Tournament.

Coaching Speculation: Following Akron’s success, coach John Groce would be a perfect candidate for the head coaching vacancy at Butler due to his Indiana roots and ties to the program.

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Pedro Avila, looking for a big-league gig, gets his release: Guardians takeaways

Updated: Mar. 17, 2026, 8:11 p.m.|Published: Mar. 17, 2026, 7:52 p.m.

By Paul Hoynes, cleveland.com

CLEVELAND, Ohio — When the Guardians told right-hander Pedro Avila that he wasn’t going to make the team Monday, manager Stephen Vogt made it sound like Avila was going to stay in the organization.

On Tuesday, however, Avila asked for and was given his release. There’s a chance he could re-sign with the Guardians in the next several days, but right now he’s checking to see if there’s a big-league job waiting for him among the 29 other teams.

“We’re just so pumped to have Pedro back,” said Vogt on Monday. “He wanted to come back to Cleveland. He trusts us and loves us and it’s reciprocated. We trust him and love him.

“We told him, ‘We use 30 pitchers here every year.’ We know Pedro is going to help us win some major league games at some point. It’s just unfortunate that it’s not going to be on opening day.”

Avila became a fan favorite in Cleveland in 2024 when he went 5-1 with a 3.25 ERA in 50 appearances. He went from pitching long relief to working in high-pressure situations, striking out 73 and walking 30 in 74 2/3 innings.

He spent last season in Japan, starting for the Yakult Swallows. The Guardians brought him to big-league camp this year on a minor league deal.

If Avila can’t find a big-league job, there’s a chance he could sign a minor league deal with Cleveland and open the season at Triple-A Columbus.

One and done

Let’s hope Brayan Rocchio at least cashed in on his frequent flyer miles.

The Guardians’ second baseman left Goodyear, Arizona on Friday night to join Italy for its semifinal game against Venezuela in the World Baseball Classic. Italy lost to Venezuela on Monday with Rocchio making a pinch-hitting appearance.

Then he boarded a plane and flew back to Arizona. That’s a long way to go for one at-bat.

Welcome back

Jose Ramirez (left shoulder) missed his second straight game Tuesday night after injuring himself on a steal of third base Sunday against the A’s. The Guardians will reassess Ramirez after Wednesday’s off day.

The news was better for utility man Daniel Schneemann (right ankle). Schneemann, after missing four games with a sprained right ankle, was back in Tuesday’s lineup at third base.

Catcher Bo Naylor also returned to the lineup, although he wasn’t recovering from an injury. Naylor was behind the plate in his first game since playing for Team Canada in the World Baseball Classic. Naylor hit .353 (6 for 17) with one homer and four RBI in the WBC.

A start for everyone

Tuesday was Slade Cecconi’s day to start, but the Guardians sent lefty Kolby Allard to the mound against the Reds instead. Cecconi, meanwhile, started a minor league game to keep him on track for the regular season. David Fry caught him.

Manager Stephen Vogt said earlier in the spring the Guardians were going to stretch Allard out as a starter. Allard, in camp on a minor league deal, is going to be hard-pressed to make the 26-man roster, but he could agree to go to Columbus and continue to get stretched out as a starter.

Cade Smith, Erik Sabrowski, Codi Heuer and Trevor Stephan are scheduled to follow Allard.

Finally

Bench coach Tony Arnerich will manage the Guardians on Tuesday night. Vogt is away from the team for personal reasons.

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