This position group to provide spring intrigue for Guardians

This story was excerpted from Tim Stebbins’ Guardians Beat newsletter. To read the full newsletter, click here. And subscribe to get it regularly in your inbox.

CLEVELAND -- When the Guardians report to Spring Training in Goodyear, Ariz., next month, it will commence a camp that is set to be loaded with competition both on the pitching staff and among the position players.

As for the latter, the outfield will be an intriguing group to follow this spring. Let’s take a look at three reasons why.

1. The land of opportunity
When the Guardians’ decision-makers have noted this winter that they expect competition across the roster during Spring Training, it’s easy to first look to the outfield. Cleveland has a dozen options heading into camp, and only one (Steven Kwan, left field) is penciled into a starting spot.

Beyond Kwan, the outfielders include: Chase DeLauter (Guards' No. 2 prospect, per MLB Pipeline), David Fry, Petey Halpin, Nolan Jones, C.J. Kayfus, Angel Martínez, Johnathan Rodríguez, Daniel Schneemann, George Valera and Kahlil Watson (No. 18). The Guardians also signed veteran Stuart Fairchild to a Minor League deal on Dec. 20 that includes an invite to big league Spring Training.

Of course, players such as Fry, Kayfus, Martínez and Schneemann each have versatility to play around the diamond. But center and right field appear wide open, and the Guardians will have six weeks in Goodyear to sort through their options before they assemble their Opening Day mix.

2. The youngsters
The Guardians want to give their up-and-coming players opportunity this spring, and they've been cognizant of that while considering potential acquisitions who may help complement the young guys.

DeLauter, Valera and Kayfus fall into that youthful category. Each reached the Majors last season, and each will get runway this spring and an opportunity to further help Cleveland in 2026. That trio figures to have a lot of eyes on it during camp, certainly DeLauter -- who made his MLB debut in October in Game 2 of the AL Wild Card Series against Detroit.

DeLauter will get reps in center and right during camp. Valera will be in the right-field mix, and Kayfus showed down the stretch in 2025 that he can handle right and first base. With that trio, Cleveland’s outfield could be infused with key young contributors in ‘26. Spring Training is the first step toward that possibility.

3. Potential for an addition
While the young talent will get an extended look this spring, it still could make a lot of sense for Cleveland to add a veteran hitter to its outfield composition.

The Guardians’ struggles to gain outfield production in 2025 has been discussed ad nauseam this offseason. So, too, has the fact that DeLauter, Kayfus and Valera could provide a boost in ‘26. But good fits remain on a free-agent market that has moved along at a methodical pace this winter -- including potential complementary players, such as right-handed-hitting veterans Austin Hays, Miguel Andujar and Harrison Bader.

The Guardians have four right-handed hitters on their 40-man roster in Gabriel Arias, Austin Hedges, Fry and Rodríguez. Fairchild also hits right-handed, but this nonetheless feels like an urgent need to address over the next month.