The people have spoken and sweet-swinging catcher Cooper Ingle is our No. 7 Cleveland Guardians prospect. Ingle won in a landslide, earning 46.4% of the vote, beating out Juan Brito (19.6%) and Jaison Chourio (11.9%). He is the No. 7 CTC prospect for the second consecutive year.
Ingle was the Guardians’ fourth-round draft pick in 2023, selected No. 125 overall out of Clemson. He wasted little time, playing 17 games at High-A Lake County the season he was drafted, impressing with a dominant slash of .288/.464/.385, good enough for a 153 wRC+ in a small sample size.
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The backstop began the 2024 season by repeating at Lake County, where he blossomed. Ingle showcased improved power, blasting nine home runs over 68 games, nearly doubling his 2023 ISO from .096 to .187. His contact skills improved as well, slashing .313/.433/.500 with a ridiculous 170 wRC+. He was so impressive that he was named the Midwest League’s MVP while playing just 68 games before being promoted to Double-A Akron.
Upon arriving in Double-A, Ingle’s offense continued to impress, slashing .381/.379/.416 over the season’s final 25 games. He also was interviewed by yours truly, where he discussed building relationships with pitchers, picking Austin Hedges’ brain and much more.
Ingle began the 2025 season repeating at Double-A, where he continued to excel, slashing .272/.391/.441 over 92 games and earning a promotion to Triple-A Columbus. He struggled with making loud contact at Triple-A, but he surprisingly decreased his strikeout rate while increasing his walk rate following the promotion, posting a 105 wRC+ over 28 games played.
Look for Ingle to begin 2026 repeating at Triple-A and for him to likely make his MLB debut at some point this season, although how much playing time he gets will depend on injuries and the continued offensive development of Bo Naylor.
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Now, it’s time to determine who is number five in the Guardians’ loaded farm system! Your options are below:
Juan Brito, 2B (Age 24)
2025 (CPX) 26 PA, .190/.346/.333, 1 HR, 0 SB, 11.5 BB%, 30.8 K%, 93 wRC+
2025 (AAA): 99 PA, .256/.357/.463, 3 HR, 4 SB, 13.1 BB%, 21.2 K%, 115 wRC+
Was lined up to make his MLB debut in 2025, but multiple injuries prevented the switch-hitter from getting his opportunity and it’s possible he could be passed up completely.
Juneiker Caceres, OF (Age 18)
2025 (CPX) 160 PA, .289/.419/.469, 3 HR, 5 SB, 16.9 BB%, 11.3 K%, 139 wRC+
2025 (A): 130 PA, .250/.331/.345, 1 HR, 2 SB, 6.9 BB%, 13.1 K%, 103 wRC+
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Impressed at the complex league, then hit the ground running in a late season promotion to Single-A before running out of steam late in his age-17 season. Loaded with potential.
Jaison Chourio, OF (Age 20)
2025 (CPX) 27 PA, .261/.370/.304, 0 HR, 1 SB, 14.8 BB%, 37.0 K%, 95 wRC+
2025 (A+): 353 PA, .235/.380/.284, 2 HR, 9 SB, 18.7 BB%, 21.8 K%, 103 wRC+
Chourio was lining up to be Cleveland’s top prospect after a sensational 2024, but he was slowed in 2025 by a nagging shoulder injury and had a very average season. He’s looking to bounce back in 2026.
Josh Hartle, LHP (Age 22)
2025 (A+): 22 GS, 103.1 IP, 2.35 ERA, 3.06 FIP, 24.0 K%, 8.9 BB%, 1.05 WHIP
2025 (AA): 2 GS, 10.0 IP, 4.50 ERA, 2.79 FIP, 16.3 K%, 4.7 BB%, 1.50 WHIP
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Acquired from Pittsburgh in the Spencer Horwitz trade, Hartle was one of Cleveland’s most successful starting pitchers in its minor league system in 2025. Stands 6-foot-6, but doesn’t have a ton of velocity.
Jace LaViolette, OF (Age 22)
2025 (NCAA) 262 PA, .258/.427/.576, 18 HR, 7 SB, 21.8 BB%, 25.2K%, 120 wRC+
Cleveland’s first round pick in the 2025 MLB Draft, the 6-foot-6 LaViolette instantly becomes one of the top power hitting prospects in the system. Strikeouts and contact have been an issue, however.
Alfonsin Rosario, OF (Age 21)
2025 (A+) 354 PA, .268/.362/.490, 16 HR, 12 SB, 10.8 BB%, 25.1 K%, 139 wRC+
2025 (AA): 145 PA, .211/.303/.391, 5 HR, 2 SB, 10.3 BB%, 33.1 K%, 105 wRC+
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One of Cleveland’s most impressive hitters in its minor league system during his stint at High-A Lake County as a 20-year-old. Rosario has a unique combination of speed and power, but will need to overcome his strikeouts.
Khal Stephen, RHP (Age 23)
w/ TOR 2025 (A) 7 GS, 39.1 IP, 2.06 ERA, 1.97 FIP, 31.4 K%, 4.6 BB%, 0.92 WHIP
w/ TOR 2025 (A+): 9 GS, 48.1 IP, 1.49 ERA, 2.70 FIP, 26.6 K%, 5.4 BB%, 0.85 WHIP
w/ TOR 2025 (AA): 1 GS, 4.0 IP, 6.35 ERA, 1.88 FIP, 11.1 K%, 5.6 BB%, 1.68 WHIP
2025 (AA): 4 GS, 11.1 IP, 9.00 ERA, 9.54 FIP, 21.9 K%, 3.9 BB%, 1.50 WHIP
Acquired from Toronto in the Shane Bieber trade, Stephen rocketed through the minor league system in 2025 before hitting a wall in Double-A. He instantly became one of Cleveland’s top pitching prospects.