Like a phoenix from the ashes, just like Daniel Espino the day before, George Valera returns to the Covering the Corner prospect rankings after not being included last year. Valera dominated the voting yesterday, earning 38.61% of the vote, beating out Jace Laviolette (28.6%) and Joey Oakie (12.7%). Valera had previously been ranked in every CTC top 20 from 2018 all the way to 2024.<\/p>\n
I feel like I\u2019ve been writing about him forever, but Valera\u2019s journey was incredible, debuting at No. 10<\/a> in 2018 before he ever played a game in the Cleveland minor league system. He bumped up to No. 3<\/a> in 2019, dropped to No. 6 <\/a>in 2020, moved up to No. 4<\/a> in 2021, soared all the way to No. 1<\/a> in 2022, dropped back to No. 3<\/a> in 2023, then to No. 6<\/a> in 2024 before being removed from the rankings entirely in 2025 after he\u2019d been DFA\u2019d by the team in the offseason following a major knee injury that required reconstruction.<\/p>\n It felt like everyone had given up on Valera \u2014 myself included \u2014 after he ruptured the patella tendon in his right knee attempting to make a catch on the outfield wall in September 2024. He also missed time due to suspension after making contact with an umpire while fighting an opposing team\u2019s catcher in 2023. It seemed like that was the final nail in the coffin for the oft-injured, but always promising former top prospect.<\/p>\n He had consistently been excellent at almost every level, every year, a 162 wRC+ in 2018, a 165 wRC+ at High-A in 2021, reaching Triple-A in 2022 with a 123 wRC+, but injuries piled up. He broke his hamate bone in his right hand\/wrist in 2018, strained his oblique in 2021, sustained another hamate injury in 2023, then strained his hamstring in 2024 before the knee injury.<\/p>\n It seemed his time with Cleveland was over after he\u2019d been removed from the 40-man roster, but Valera re-signed with Cleveland on a minor league deal, then rehabbed his knee. He returned to Columbus for a whopping two games in early June 2025 before again hitting the injured list with right flank soreness. He returned again in late July and something was different this time. Valera played like a man with nothing to lose.<\/p>\n The talented Dominican crushed baseballs in Columbus, even hitting for the cycle on Aug. 22. Whispers turned into screams from the rooftops for him to be promoted to Cleveland and as soon as September rolled around \u2026 it happened. Valera made his debut Sept. 1, then picked up his first MLB hit by socking a ball off the green monster in his second career game. He blasted his first career home run off Joe Ryan on Sept. 20. In his 48 plate appearances spanning 16 games at the MLB level, he slashed .220\/.333\/.415, good for an above average 113 wRC+.<\/p>\n Valera then had a moment he\u2019ll never forget, crushing a home run in his second ever at bat in the MLB Playoffs, a first-inning solo shot off Casey Mize that helped lead Cleveland to a 6-1 game two victory.<\/p>\n With Cleveland releasing Jhonkensy Noel and Will Brennan and not signing additional outfield help in free agency, a starting outfield job appears to be Valera\u2019s to lose for the upcoming 2026 season.<\/p>\n Now, it\u2019s time to determine who is number 14 in the Guardians\u2019 loaded farm system and you now have a whopping 10 players to choose from! Your options are below:<\/p>\n Juneiker Caceres, OF (Age 18) 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.<\/p>\n Dauri Fernandez, SS (Age 18) One of Cleveland\u2019s top performers in the Arizona Complex League in 2025. Undersized, but makes solid contact and doesn\u2019t strike out often. Earned a small taste of full-season ball at the end of the year.<\/p>\n Franklin Gomez, LHP (Age 20) Acquired from the Mets in a trade for international bonus cash, Gomez lit up Single-A in his age-19 season, then improved his walk and strikeout numbers after being promoted to High-A.<\/p>\n Yorman Gomez, RHP (Age 23) Venezuelan prospect who broke out in with increased velocity in 2025, putting up nearly identical numbers at both High-A Lake County and Double-A Akron. Gomez was added to Cleveland\u2019s 40-man roster.<\/p>\n Josh Hartle, LHP (Age 22) Acquired from Pittsburgh in the Spencer Horwitz trade, Hartle was one of Cleveland\u2019s most successful starting pitchers in its minor league system in 2025. Stands 6-foot-6, but doesn\u2019t have a ton of velocity.<\/p>\n Jace LaViolette, OF (Age 22) Cleveland\u2019s 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.<\/p>\n Joey Oakie, RHP (Age 19) Cleveland\u2019s 3rd round pick in 2024 out of high school, Oakie got off to a rough start in the Complex League, but then absolutely dominated when promoted to Single-A Lynchburg with a pair of 11 strikeout performances.<\/p>\n Austin Peterson, RHP (Age 26) Absolutely dominated Double-A to begin 2025 looking well on his way to repeating his tremendous 2024 season, but then struggled after an early-season promotion to Triple-A. Remains on the 40-man roster.<\/p>\n Gabriel Rodriguez, SS (Age 18) One of Cleveland\u2019s top recent international signings, Rodriguez put up strong offensive numbers in his stateside debut in his age-18 season in 2025. Expected to transition to full-season ball this year.<\/p>\n Alfonsin Rosario, OF (Age 21) One of Cleveland\u2019s 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.<\/p>\n Our list so far:
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+<\/p>\n
2025 (ACL) 176 PA, .333\/.398\/.558, 6 HR, 16 SB, 9.1 BB%, 12.5 K%, 147 wRC+
2025 (A): 24 PA, .273\/.250\/.318, 0 HR, 2 SB, 0 BB%, 12.5 K%, 57 wRC+<\/p>\n
2025 (A): 14 G, 82.0 IP, 1.85 ERA, 3.63 FIP, 21.4 K%, 11.7 BB%, 1.09 WHIP
2025 (A+): 6 GS, 48.2 IP, 1.70 ERA, 3.65 FIP, 23.4 K%, 9.9 BB%, 1.83 WHIP<\/p>\n
2025 (A+): 17 G, 76.0 IP, 2.84 ERA, 2.92 FIP, 27.3 K%, 9.5 BB%, 1.11 WHIP
2025 (AA): 10 G, 45.2 IP, 3.15 ERA, 2.50 FIP, 28.0 K%, 9.5 BB%, 1.25 WHIP<\/p>\n
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<\/p>\n
2025 (NCAA) 262 PA, .258\/.427\/.576, 18 HR, 7 SB, 21.8 BB%, 25.2K%, 120 wRC+<\/p>\n
2025 (ACL): 9 GS, 35.0 IP, 7.46 ERA, 4.67 FIP, 27.6 K%, 13.5 BB%, 1.69 WHIP
2025 (A): 6 GS, 24.1 IP, 2.22 ERA, 4.48 FIP, 30.7 K%, 14.9 BB%, 1.32 WHIP<\/p>\n
2025 (AA): 11 GS, 55.0 IP, 1.47 ERA, 3.29 FIP, 23.9 K%, 4.9 BB%, 0.84 WHIP
2025 (AAA): 15 GS, 90.2 IP, 4.27 ERA, 4.37 FIP, 20.2 K%, 7.8 BB%, 1.37 WHIP<\/p>\n
2025 (ACL) 122 PA, .294\/.393\/.402, 1 HR, 11 SB, 12.3 BB%, 18.9 K%, 116 wRC+<\/p>\n
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+<\/p>\n
1. Chase DeLauter, LHH OF
2. Travis Bazzana, LHH 2B
3. Parker Messick, LHP
4. Ralphy Velazquez, LHH 1B\/RF
5. Angel Genao, SH SS
6. Braylon Doughty, RHP
7. Cooper Ingle, LHH C
8. Khal Stephen, RHP
9. Juan Brito, SH 2B\/1B\/RF\/3B
10. Jaison Chourio, SH OF
11. Kahlil Watson, LHH OF
12. Daniel Espino, RHP
13. George Valera, LHH OF<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"Like a phoenix from the ashes, just like Daniel Espino the day before, George Valera returns to the…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":545978,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[2380],"tags":[5,135,51,38367,2565,538,4],"class_list":{"0":"post-545977","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-cleveland-guardians","8":"tag-baseball","9":"tag-cleveland","10":"tag-cleveland-guardians","11":"tag-cleveland-guardians-prospects-minor-leagues","12":"tag-clevelandguardians","13":"tag-guardians","14":"tag-mlb"},"share_on_mastodon":{"url":"https:\/\/channels.im\/@mlb\/115984647198978599","error":""},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/mlb\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/545977","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/mlb\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/mlb\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/mlb\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/mlb\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=545977"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/mlb\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/545977\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/mlb\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/545978"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/mlb\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=545977"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/mlb\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=545977"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/mlb\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=545977"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}