The Cleveland Guardians added four prospects to the team’s 40-man roster this past week.
The decision came ahead of the deadline for teams to protect eligible players from the Rule 5 Draft, with the Guardians deciding to select the contracts of infielder Angel Genao, right-handed pitchers Yorman Gómez and Austin Peterson and outfielder Kahlil Watson. Each has performed well in the team’s minor league system.
With the addition of those four prospects, the 40-man roster for the Guardians is now full.
Of the four, one in particular stands out ahead of them all. That’s Genao, the Guardians’ No. 3-ranked prospect according to the MLB Pipeline. He’s also the No. 59th overall prospect in the entire league’s farm system.
In 2025, Genao spent the majority of his time with the Double-A Akron Rubberducks. There, he appeared in 77 games, slashing a line of .259/.323/.359, displaying a good mix of consistency, ability to get on base and power. He also tacked on 17 doubles, four triples and two home runs for a total of 37 RBIs.
He’s also a switch-hitter, providing opposing pitchers with a challenge in that realm.
“Genao is proficient from both sides of the plate but shows more pop as a righty,” his MLB Pipeline profile reads. “He has a quick, compact stroke and commands the strike zone very well, though his ability to make contact easily cuts into his walk totals.”
Defensively, his time was spent well at shortstop, a change up from previous years, where he played at shortstop and third base.
The decision to slide him over more than likely comes with the Guardians already having a cornerstone in Jose Ramirez at third and a potential future star in Travis Bazzana, who would take over the reins of the infield at second.
If he can continue to progress and work his way up the minor league system over the next season or two, he may end up being a legitimate staple for the Guardians’ main roster on the biggest stage.
The other three prospects, Gómez, Peterson and Watson each have high ceilings. Watson is currently ranked as the No. 18 prospect in the Guardians’ system, while the other two are currently unranked.
Watson, a former first-round selection by the Miami Marlins in the 2021 MLB June Amateur Draft, might be the closest to making his major league debut of the bunch. He joined the Guardians after the team dealt first baseman Josh Bell to Miami.
He performed well with the Triple-A Columbus Clippers in 2025, slashing a line of .255/.358/.477 with seven doubles and eight home runs. Across five seasons in the minor league system, including stints in Single-A, High-A, Double-A and Triple-A, he’s averaging a line of .234/.327/.427 for an OPS of .754.
He’s constantly giving each level power and effeciency at the plate, which is something the Guardians’ main roster desperately needs. The only question is where is his ceiling, or if he’s already hit it.
Both Peterson and Gómez, pitching prospects, have been with the organization for just a short bit of time.
Gómez, at the age of 23, has had a mix of starts and reliefs in the minors. He currently has a posted ERA of 4.45 through 434.2 innings, striking out an average of 9.2 batters per nine innings. His skillset might come in handy for a late-season playoff push when the bullpen gets drained.
On the other side, Peterson, who finished 2025 with the Clippers, has primarily started during his time in pro ball. He’s posted a minor league ERA of 3.36 across 422.2 innings pitched.
Currently, Cleveland isn’t in the need of a starting pitcher with their rotation nearly all set for the upcoming campaign, meaning a call-up would more than likely see him enter out of the bullpen, just like Gómez.
As the offseason continues to move forward, the front office may use some of these new 40-man roster additions in trade discussions. It’s obvious the Guardians need to bolster the lineup in certain areas to remain competitive for the upcoming campaign.
At this point, it’s not “if” but more “when” will the front office make a splash.