GOODYEAR, Ariz. -- The Guardians captured the American League Central title for the third time in four seasons in 2025. But they also ranked in the bottom three in the AL in home runs for the third time in four years and once again had difficulty generating enough offense to advance deep in the playoffs.
Scoring runs in the postseason may not be a problem for much longer. After targeting hit-over-power types in the Draft and on the international market for several years, Cleveland has assembled perhaps its best collection of power prospects since Albert Belle, Brian Giles, Manny Ramirez, Richie Sexson and Jim Thome were percolating through the system in the late 1980s and early 1990s.
The Guardians have five position players on MLB Pipeline's current Top 100 Prospects list, all of whom are gifted hitters. Second baseman Travis Bazzana (Cleveland's No. 1 prospect, No. 20 overall in MLB), outfielder Chase DeLauter (CLE No. 2, MLB No. 46) and first baseman Ralphy Velazquez (CLE No. 4, MLB No. 89) -- all former first-round picks -- pack considerable power as well.
COMPLETE GUARDIANS PROSPECT COVERAGE
In the last couple of years, Cleveland has begun to collect more players who stand out more for their pop than their ability to make contact. It drafted four hitters in the top three rounds last July who fit that profile: outfielders Jace LaViolette, Aaron Walton and Nolan Schubart and infielder Dean Curley. It also traded Eli Morgan to the Cubs for outfield prospect Alfonsin Rosario in November 2024 after he ranked fourth (minimum 400 plate appearances) in the Single-A Carolina League in both homers (16) and strikeout rate (32.2 percent) in his first full pro season.
"Some of our guys like Chase DeLauter have good swing decisions and contact and also impact the baseball," assistant GM James Harris said. "But you look at our Draft last year, and we went for some guys who make less contact and have big power. We're valuing impact a little bit more because we just didn't have it. We've added more guys with big bodies and impact, and we'll try to improve their contact."
The 6-foot-6, 230-pound LaViolette set Texas A&M records for career homers (68) and walks (169) during three years in College Station. He possessed as much raw power as anyone in the 2025 Draft but also came with in-zone swing-and-miss concerns. He entered last year as a potential No. 1 overall pick before a down season that ended with a broken left hand made him available to the Guardians at No. 27, where he signed for an over-slot $4 million.
"I don't know if there are many guys as physical as Jace in baseball," Harris said. "He's behind only Stuart Fairchild as the second-fastest guy in our camp. There aren't many body types like that in baseball. He looks fast and healthy again. We've very excited to get him out there in games."
More physical than most infielders at 6-foot-3 and 218 pounds, Curley also endured an inconsistent 2025 college season that dropped him from a projected mid-first-rounder to the second round, where he landed an over-slot $1,773,905 bonus. The Tennessee product has plus raw power and well above-average arm strength, but he scuffled offensively and defensively last spring and in his brief pro debut in Single-A.
"We probably made more adjustments with Dean than with anyone else," Harris said. "He went out, and he was very aggressive. We're trying to help him settle down a little bit, ID which pitches he can drive and attack those. It's more an approach issue than a swing issue."
The 6-foot-3, 219-pound Walton (Arizona State) and 6-foot-5, 223-pound Schubart (Oklahoma State) also are physically imposing and have track records of hitting for power in college. In his first season with his new organization, the 6-foot, 222-pound Rosario tied for second in the system with 21 home runs (one homer behind the leader, Velazquez) and cut his K rate to 27.5 percent.
Camp standout: Chase DeLauter
Since the Guardians selected him 16th overall out of James Madison in 2022, DeLauter has displayed one of the best combinations of size (6-foot-3, 235 pounds), athleticism, production and patience in the Minors. He has slashed .302/.384/.504 but has played in just 138 games because of foot, hamstring, core muscle and hamate injuries.
Though DeLauter has yet to make his regular-season MLB debut, he did start two games in the Wild Card Series last October. He's raking at a .393/.433/.643 clip in Cactus League action and looks like he'll win Cleveland's starting right-field job.
"We're managing Chase's workload to ramp him up slowly so when he's full go, he can take off," Harris said. "He was our starting center fielder in the playoffs, so he's good enough to be there. He handles the bat with maturity and has been crushing balls this spring. There's not much more he has to do other than to be consistent and stay healthy."
Spring Breakout sleeper: Kahlil Watson
A candidate to go No. 1 overall to the Pirates on a discount deal in 2021, Kahlil Watson lasted 16 picks amid signability and makeup concerns. In his first full year as a pro with the Marlins, he hit .233 with a 35.5 percent strikeout rate and got demoted for a month after making a threatening gesture to an umpire, then joined the Guardians in the Josh Bell trade the following August. He has moved from the infield to the outfield and steadily improved at the plate since changing organizations, batting .250/.346/.467 with 16 homers and 17 steals in 102 games between Double-A and Triple-A last year.
"Last year was Kahlil's first full year of playing center field, and he was making plays based on athleticism," Harris said. "Now he understands positioning and angles, and it's special. He keeps getting better at the plate too. He has a big body, and he impacts the baseball."
Breakout potential: Joey Oakie
Iowa's highest-drafted prep pitcher since Mitch Keller in 2014, right-hander Joey Oakie signed for a well over-slot $2 million as a third-rounder in ‘24. He featured one of the best sliders in his Draft class, as well as a lively fastball that topped out at 97. After battling his control in the Rookie-level Arizona Complex League at the outset of his pro debut last year, he locked back in and posted a 2.22 ERA with a 31 percent strikeout rate in six Single-A starts.
"Joey looks really good," Harris said. "His fastball has been up to 99 mph and his slider always has been good, and it's a little firmer, around 87. We're introducing a changeup. He's focusing more on attacking the zone."
Bounceback candidate: Jaison Chourio
Outfielder Jaison Chourio ranked No. 60 on the Top 100 Prospects list entering last season, but a strained right shoulder sidelined him for a month and led to a disappointing .235/.380/.284 slash line in 79 High-A games. The younger brother of Brewers star Jackson Chourio, he showed the potential for four solid or better tools -- everything but power -- while winning the Single-A Carolina League MVP Award in 2024.
"Jaison is healthy now," Harris said. "He has separated his path from his brother's path. Jackson flew through the Minors and signed a big extension at a young age. Jaison understands he's good but he's on a different path. He might be a better defender and a better pure hitter than his brother."