CLEVELAND -- The Guardians’ roster is annually fueled by homegrown players, and 2026 will be no different. Within its pipeline, Cleveland also has an intriguing collection of prospects who are vying to be part of the club’s next wave of talent this season and beyond.
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In that vein, MLB Pipeline unveiled its Top 100 Prospects list for 2026 on Friday, which includes six Cleveland farmhands. That put the Guardians in a tie with the Mets for the second-most players in the Top 100, behind the Mariners (seven). They are:
No. 20: Travis Bazzana, 2B
No. 46: Chase DeLauter, OF
No. 66: Angel Genao, SS
No. 89: Ralphy Velazquez, 1B/OF
No. 95: Parker Messick, LHP
No. 99: Cooper Ingle, C
This marks the second-most prospects the Guardians have landed on Pipeline’s preseason Top 100 list, behind 2023 (seven). That group included Gavin Williams, Tanner Bibee, Bo Naylor and George Valera.
COMPLETE GUARDIANS PROSPECT COVERAGE
This year’s group is an exciting mix, but let’s start with Bazzana. The No. 1 overall pick in the 2024 MLB Draft will be in big league camp this Spring Training, and he’s set to play for Australia in the upcoming World Baseball Classic. Bazzana is one step from the Majors after he was promoted to Triple-A Columbus on Aug. 10.
Bazzana, 23, slashed .245/.389/.424 in 84 games in the Minors in 2025. He missed nearly two months in the first half with Double-A Akron with a right oblique strain and the final week with the Clippers due to left flank soreness. Before the latter ailment, Bazzana enjoyed one of his best offensive stretches of the season. He hit .290 with four homers and a 1.163 OPS over nine games with Columbus in September.
Bazzana will likely open 2026 in Triple-A, and the Guardians won’t rush anything. But his timeline and readiness to take over second base in Cleveland will be a continued storyline this year.
“He's having a great offseason, and I'm excited just to watch him play,” manager Stephen Vogt said last week. “I'm really excited to see what Travis has done and the growth that he's had. The learning experience from last year alone -- dealing with not being able to play [the full season] -- is going to go a long way for him.
“I continue to believe the sky's the limit for Travis, and he's going to be a big part of our team in the future.”
The Guardians’ belief in DeLauter is also evident. Last year, the 24-year-old became only the sixth player to make his MLB debut in the postseason, which came despite DeLauter missing the final two-and-a-half months of the Minor League season following right wrist surgery for a hamate fracture.
DeLauter (who started in center field in Games 2 and 3 of the American League Wild Card Series) has a special blend of power and plate discipline. He will compete for a spot on Cleveland’s Opening Day roster this spring, and he is set to receive reps in center and right field.
The Guardians will be mindful about DeLauter’s workload in Spring Training given his physical history; various injuries have affected his time in the Minors. But he could be a Day 1 contributor in the Majors this season.
“We’re really excited about the thought of Chase being able to contribute for a full season,” Vogt said.
Messick made a strong impression in 2025 after the Guardians promoted him from Columbus on Aug. 20. Over seven big league starts, the lefty logged a 2.72 ERA with 38 strikeouts and just six walks over 39 2/3 innings.
Messick will be in competition for a spot in the Guardians’ starting rotation this spring, and he has Minor League options remaining. Whether or not he makes the Opening Day starting five, you can expect to see him in the Majors this year.
Genao was limited to 85 games in the Minors in 2025. He opened the season on the injured list with a right shoulder strain and ultimately recorded a .714 OPS. The switch-hitter (whom Cleveland added to its 40-man roster in November) had a stellar ‘24 with Single-A Lynchburg and High-A Lake County, hitting .330 with an .878 OPS over 110 games.
Velazquez had a breakout 2025. The 20-year-old and 2023 first-round Draft pick led Guardians prospects in homers (22) and RBIs (85), and he hit .265 with an .839 OPS between Lake County and Akron. That included a .994 OPS in 28 games after Velazquez was promoted to the RubberDucks on Aug. 10.
Ingle (Cleveland’s fourth-round pick in 2023) slashed .260/.389/.419 over 120 games with Akron and Columbus. The 23-year-old was promoted to the Clippers alongside Bazzana on Aug. 10 and figures to open ‘26 with them.