Cleveland Guardians Prospect Report: 4/1/26

Stuart Fairchild (DH): 2-3, 2 R, 2 HRs, 2 RBIs, BB – For the first time since August 9, 2024, Fairchild hit a homerun in a game, and he double-dipped for a pair of dingers on Wednesday. He hit a solo homerun in the bottom of the second inning and followed that up with another one in the eighth to provide insurance for the pitching staff. Both homeruns were hit on fastballs low and in the zone.

Khalil Watson (CF): 2-4, R, HR, 2 RBIs, BB – Khalil Watson was the other Clipper to leave the yard in Wednesday’s win and his lead-off blast in the first inning ended up being the hardest-hit ball of the game for Columbus at 106.8 mph. He added an RBI single in the bottom of the eighth to increase the lead and drew a walk to reach base a third time in the contest. He has reached base in all five games thus far in 2026.

Trenton Denholm (SP): W (1-0), 6.0 IP, 2 H, R, 2 BBs, 8 Ks – Denholm put together a tremendous start in his 2026 debut. His eight K’s are the most in a game since 2024 when he was pitching for the Lake County Captains against Fort Wayne, a start where he went eight innings. The diversity of pitches was key for Denholm as he threw 17 changeups and fastballs with 16 sinkers and 13 cutters. He was able to induce seven groundballs, six of them considered soft contact.

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Franco Aleman (RP): H (1), 1.0 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 BBs, K – In his first outing of 2026, Aleman got through the seventh with three consecutive outs. The first batter he faced lined out sharply, but after that it was a foulball out and a strikeout to end the inning.

Daniel Espino (RP): H (1), 1.0 IP, H, 0 R, 0 BBs, K, WP – Espino surrendered a well-hit double to begin the eighth inning and kept the zero with the help of a key strikeout with one down and a runner on third. He hit 97 on the radar gun and threw 15 pitches. The Guardians are keeping him on a five day throwing schedule too, which might indicate there is a possibility they build him up to a starters workload again, but so far it’s just one inning.

Steven Perez (RP): 1.0 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 2 BBs, 2 Ks – The left-hander Perez got the first two outs of the ninth and then lost command a tad with a couple of walks. The biggest upside of the day, however, was eight whiffs in just a single inning of work (six on the fastball).

Juan Brito (3B): 2-4, 2B, RBI – Brito already has FIVE doubles in as many games this season after he recorded a two-out two-base hit in the fifth. He also notched his third multi-hit game of 2026 with an RBI single.

Nolan Jones (LF): 1-4, R – Jones carried his hit streak to five games in a 1-for-4 day but struck out in his other three plate appearances.