CLEVELAND -- Angel Genao grew up idolizing Francisco Lindor. Poetically, the Guardians' prospect could make his big league debut with the superstar shortstop in the opposite dugout.
The Guardians are set to promote Genao, a switch-hitting shortstop, from Triple-A Columbus on Wednesday, multiple sources told MLB.com on Tuesday night. It would position the 22-year-old (who’s ranked as Cleveland’s No. 2 prospect and No. 39 overall by MLB Pipeline) to make his big league debut against Lindor at Progressive Field.
The Guardians opened a three-game series against Lindor and the Mets on Tuesday.
While the corresponding move to Genao’s callup was not immediately clear, third baseman José Ramírez did miss Tuesday’s 6-2 loss to New York due to left wrist inflammation. He recently returned from left hamate surgery on July 22.
Genao has followed the path Lindor charted over a decade ago as a highly-regarded shortstop prospect in the Cleveland farm system. Lindor made his big league debut with Cleveland in 2015, and he served as inspiration for Genao as he made his own way up the baseball ladder.
Lindor was Genao’s favorite player growing up. As a kid, he watched highlight videos of the dynamic All-Star, who spent his first six seasons with Cleveland before he was traded to New York on Jan. 7, 2021. Eight days later, Genao signed with Cleveland as an international free agent out of the Dominican Republic.
Genao enjoyed a steady rise up the Cleveland farm system since and progressively put himself on the radar in recent seasons. In 2024, he had an .878 OPS in 110 games between then-Single-A Lynchburg and High-A Lake County.
Expectations were high entering ‘25, when Genao was ticketed for Double-A Akron, but he missed the start of the season due to a right shoulder strain and was limited to 77 games with the RubberDucks. He finished the season with a .714 OPS in the Minors.
The Guardians added Genao to their 40-man roster in November, and he has enjoyed a bounce-back season this year. In 96 games between Akron and Columbus, he’s logged a .300/.401/.474 slash line with 20 doubles, 13 homers, 53 RBIs and 60 walks with 68 strikeouts. Genao’s production with Columbus, particularly, has continued to pop.
The Guardians promoted Genao to the Clippers on May 4. He has a .309/.395/.494 slash line with 17 doubles, 10 home runs, 32 RBIs and 38 walks and 48 strikeouts over 72 games, which included a multihomer performance on Tuesday against Syracuse.
Genao played winter ball this past offseason with the Águilas Cibaeñas in the Dominican Republic. It not only got him reps against higher-level pitching, which features more breaking pitches, but also helped him make a mindset adjustment.
Genao always felt he had a good eye, but he also has an ability to make a lot of contact. He learned to take on more of a patient approach, which his numbers show has translated to the Minors this year.
Genao is primarily a shortstop (318 career starts in the Minors), he also has experience playing third base (58) and second (43) in the Minors. All things equal, Genao’s clearest path to playing time in Cleveland could come at third. Brayan Rocchio is manning shortstop and Travis Bazzana is at second base.
Ramírez has started 10 of the Guardians’ 12 games since he came off the 10-day IL on July 22. He started at third base in eight of those games. Genao could provide extra cover for the Guardians over there; Gabriel Arias is the only other third baseman on the active roster.
Arias, of course, has just a .670 OPS with 57 strikeouts in 134 plate appearances this season. The versatile infielder is out of Minor League options.
The Guardians made a flurry of moves before the Trade Deadline on Monday to bolster their outlook for the stretch run. Genao could offer another reinforcement as he joins the roster at an increasingly crucial time of the season.