Here's the Guardians' player pool for their Spring Breakout game

GOODYEAR, Ariz. -- Kyle Manzardo started at first base for the Guardians in the inaugural Spring Breakout in 2024. Last year, CJ Kayfus followed in his footsteps, while lefty Parker Messick was Cleveland’s starting pitcher.

For the third straight year, Guardians fans will get an up-close look at the organization’s rising talent via Spring Breakout. Cleveland’s future stars will face off against top prospects from the Angels organization later this month in the annual prospect showcase game.

Here is everything you need to know about the Guardians’ 2026 Spring Breakout game.

What is Spring Breakout?

In 2026, MLB Spring Breakout will again be a four-day event showcasing baseball’s future -- the current stars of Minor League Baseball – in 16 exhibition games played between teams composed of each MLB organization’s top prospects. The third edition will be held from March 19-22 at Grapefruit and Cactus League stadiums during Spring Training.

In 2027, Spring Breakout will be expanded into a single-elimination tournament format, with champions being crowned in both the Grapefruit and Cactus leagues.

When is the Guardians’ game?

The Guardians and Angels’ prospects will square off on March 19 at Tempe Diablo Stadium. First pitch is slated for 4:10 p.m. ET/1:10 p.m. PT.

How can I tune in?

MLB.TV, MLB.com, MLB App, Gameday

Notable position players

This year each team is releasing a preliminary 40-man roster and will trim it to 27-30 players closer to the game. The Guardians’ pool includes each of their five position players ranked on MLB Pipeline’s Top 100 Prospects list.

• 2B Travis Bazzana (Cleveland’s No. 1 prospect, No. 20 overall)
• OF Chase DeLauter (No. 2, No. 46)
• SS Angel Genao (No. 3, No. 66)
• 1B Ralphy Velazquez (No. 4, No. 89)
• C Cooper Ingle (No. 6, No. 99).

Cleveland’s pool also includes outfielders Kahlil Watson (No. 15) and George Valera (No. 29), and infielder Juan Brito (No. 17). Given that DeLauter, Valera, Watson and Brito are in the Opening Day roster mix, they would seem to be unlikely to be Spring Breakout participants, to varying degrees. However, we could see Bazzana (following his return from playing for Australia in the World Baseball Classic), Genao, Velazquez and Ingle.

Other names to watch for are outfielders Jace LaViolette (No. 9), Juneiker Caceres (No. 11) and Jaison Chourio (No. 12). LaViolette was Cleveland’s first-round Draft pick in 2025.

Notable pitchers

Messick (the Guardians’ No. 5 prospect, No. 95 overall) headlines pitchers within Cleveland’s preliminary pool. He also seems unlikely to be part of the final roster given he is vying to make the Opening Day rotation. But pitchers we could see include Khal Stephen (No. 7), Braylon Doughty (No. 8), Joey Oakie (No. 10) and Daniel Espino (No. 18).

The Guardians acquired Stephen from the Blue Jays in the July 31 Shane Bieber trade. Doughty and Oakie pitched for Single-A Hill City (formerly Lynchburg) last season. Doughty recorded a 3.48 ERA and 99 strikeouts in 85 1/3 innings over 22 starts, while Oakie had a 2.22 ERA with 31 strikeouts in 24 1/3 innings over six starts.

Espino is vying to make his big league debut in 2026. He missed most of the past four seasons due to injuries, and the Guardians are being strategic with his ramp-up this spring. That could play into his Spring Breakout status.

Roster details

To accommodate the player movement involved with the World Baseball Classic and to create greater flexibility for clubs and farm directors, Spring Breakout rosters are being constructed in two phases in 2026. Clubs initially submit a preliminary 40-man player pool on Thursday, March 5, which will then be pared down to the official 23-27 man rosters on March 18.

The preliminary 40-man player pools consist of the team’s Top 30 prospects, as determined by MLB Pipeline, minus any injured players, players on a Dominican Summer League roster or players on the 40-man roster who have elected not to participate. The pools also include 10 or more additional unranked prospects submitted by the club to replace the above ranked prospects who are not participating.

Preliminary 40-man player pool (Guardians Top 30 Prospects list):

PITCHERS (15)
Braylon Doughty, RHP, No. 8
Daniel Espino, RHP, No. 18
Caden Favors, LHP, NR
Jogly Garcia, RHP, NR
Yorman Gomez, RHP, NR
Josh Hartle, LHP, No. 27
Jackson Humphries, LHP, NR
Will Hynes, RHP, No. 24
Parker Messick, LHP, No. 5/MLB No. 95
Joey Oakie, RHP, No. 10
Peyton Pallette, RHP, No. 30
Rafe Schlesinger, LHP, NR
Khal Stephen, RHP, No. 7
Andrew Walters, RHP, No. 26
Matt Wilkinson, LHP, NR

CATCHERS (2)
Cooper Ingle, C, No. 6/MLB No. 99
Jacob Cozart, C, No. 20

INFIELDERS (11)
Travis Bazzana, 2B, No. 1/MLB No. 20
Juan Brito, 2B, No. 17
Dean Curley, INF, No. 14
Jose Devers, SS, NR
Dauri Fernandez, INF, No. 23
Welbyn Francisca, SS, No. 13
Angel Genao, SS, No. 3/MLB No. 66
Alex Mooney, INF, NR
Gabriel Rodriguez, SS/3B, No. 21
Milan Tolentino, SS, NR
Ralphy Velazquez, 1B/OF, No. 4/MLB No. 89

OUTFIELDERS (12)
Wuilfredo Antunez, OF, NR
Robert Arias, OF, No. 22
Juneiker Caceres, OF, No. 11
Jaison Chourio, OF, No. 12
Chase DeLauter, OF, No. 2/MLB No. 46
Jace LaViolette, OF, No. 9
Nick Mitchell, OF, NR
Alfonsin Rosario, OF, No. 16
Nolan Schubart, OF/1B, No. 28
George Valera, OF, No. 29
Aaron Walton, OF, No. 19
Kahlil Watson, OF, No. 15