Ralphy Velazquez had a rough start to his minor league career after being selected by the Cleveland Guardians in the first round of the 2023 MLB Draft, but that’s all in the past as the 20-year-old is now considered one of the top prospects in the organization.
Velazquez has really turned a corner in his development and is not considered one of the top prospects not only in Cleveland’s farm system, but one of the top minor leaguers on the rise at his position.
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MLB.com released its top first base prospect list on Friday, and Cleveland’s own Ralphy Velazquez made their list at No. 4. The players ranked ahead of him are Colorado Rockies’ Charlie Condon, San Francisco Giants’ Bryce Eldridge, and Cincinnati Reds’ Sal Stewart.
One reason it’s so impressive for Velazquez to even make it on this ranking is that he recently made the transition to first base. When he was drafted, Velaquez was considered a catcher, but started his transition to the corner infield after being assigned to Cleveland’s Single-A affiliate, the Lynchburg Hillcats.
Now, it’s his primary position, along with a little bit of outfield, and Cleveland probably envisions Velaquez being more of a first baseman at the big-league level.
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Aug 28, 2022; Phoenix, Arizona, US; West infielder/catcher Ralphy Velazquez (24) during the Perfect Game All-American Classic high school baseball game at Chase Field. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images
Velazquez is more than deserving of a spot on this list, especially for the way he finished off last season. Between the High-A and Double-A levels, the left-handed hitter slashed .265/.342/.497, including 22 home runs and 28 doubles. Velazquez was even better after his mid-season promotion, recording a .994 OPS with five home runs in his 28 games with the Akron RubberDucks.
This strong finish should give the Guardians a ton of excitement about the player Velazquez can continue to develop into next season.
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Even with Velazquez’s stock rising, it’s hard to envision a 2026 MLB debut in the cards for the 20-year-old.
He only reached Double-A at the end of the 2025 season and will still need to prove himself at the Triple-A level, too. Plus, the Guardians have plenty of options at first base at the big league level already, including Kyle Manzardo, C.J. Kayfus, and David Fry.
Assuming Velázquez spends another year in the minor leagues, there’s a very good chance that he’s the top-ranked first base prospect this time next year.