Columbus fans got a taste of former top prospect Daniel Espino at the end of the 2025 season. After pitching in the Arizona Fall League and making a few spring training appearances, the 2019 first-round pick is back and healthy. His role is undetermined when he reports to Columbus. But he\u2019s shown tremendous recovery from a pair of shoulder injuries back to his high-octane fastball and enthusiasm and appreciation for the game. Watch the radar gun closely every time you see an Espino sighting.<\/p>\n
Infielder Juan Brito may move around on the diamond a lot more as he enters a third year as a Clipper. He will cede second base to Bazzana in the short term, but Brito\u2019s best tool is his ability to hit. So playing other positions might be better for him, especially in the long term because second base will be claimed.<\/p>\n
Roaming the outfield next to Petey Halpin for all of 2026 will be the tooled-up Kahlil Watson. Few in the organization can match his combination of power, speed and athleticism. That is what made him a first-rounder out of high school for the Miami Marlins in 2021. Their decision to get him a change of scenery to land Josh Bell in 2023 has benefited Cleveland and Watson. He\u2019s got some work to do with the holes in his swing and swing decisions, but he\u2019s becoming a strong defender in the outfield and can be an offensive highlight reel.<\/p>\n
![\"The](\"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/mlb\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/TNH-L-Guardians-Watson-0324.jpg\")
The Guardians\u2019 Kahlil Watson is safe at third after a wild throw during the fifth inning game against the Reds on Feb. 21 in Goodyear, Ariz. (Chris Carlson \u2013 The Associated Press)<\/p>\n
Behind the dish, Cooper Ingle will get the lion\u2019s share of catching duties in Columbus. The Clemson product has a major-league approach at the plate and will draw plenty of walks. He\u2019s the rare catcher who could hit at the top of the order without power due to his on-base skills. Ingle is a sound defender behind the plate. He\u2019s good, not great, at every defensive aspect, though his release on throws to second base is quick. He could make his Cleveland debut in 2026.<\/p>\n
Clippers fans should be familiar with reliever Franco Aleman. The big right-handed reliever will be in the Columbus bullpen again with his swing and miss stuff, looking for that first call to the Cleveland bullpen.<\/p>\n
Double-A Akron RubberDucks<\/p>\n
The \u2018Ducks are under new ownership and management, but the roster will be familiar and competitive in their beautiful downtown Akron ballpark.<\/p>\n
The buzz is loud on Ralphy Velazquez, who will soon turn 21 and had a strong Double-A debut in 2025 following his High-A breakout earlier in the year. Nobody hits the ball harder in the organization, and he could force his way up to Columbus sometime in the middle of summer.<\/p>\n
![\"Ralphy](\"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/mlb\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/TNH-L-Guardians-Velazquez-0328.jpg\")
Ralphy Velazquez. (Chris Carlson \u2013 The Associated Press)<\/p>\n
Infielder Angel Genao had a breakout 2024 season but missed a good chunk of time in 2025 due to a shoulder injury. He was solid in his first taste of Double-A, but a fully healthy year and being a little older should help him get off to a better start. He\u2019s an athletic defender at short who can field, throw, run, and has some pop as a switch-hitter. Easily a top-five prospect in the system.<\/p>\n
There should be plenty of pitching for the \u2018Ducks to start the season. Khal Stephen threw a few games for Akron in 2025 after the Shane Bieber trade. He will be back and could be the anchor of a good rotation. Josh Hartle showed off an improved sweeper and better velocity in his Spring Breakout game performance and looks to be back on track as a high-floor starter that he was at Wake Forest.<\/p>\n
Yorman Gomez was the starting pitcher in the Spring Breakout game. He\u2019s made some big velocity gains over the last year up to 97 mph, which landed him on the Guardians\u2019 40-man roster and has a deep arsenal. He\u2019ll likely get promoted in the summer if he\u2019s healthy. Matt \u201cTugboat\u201d Wilkinson had a strong World Baseball Classic for Team Canada, and has been an everyman story in his minor-league career so far and should join this staff.<\/p>\n
Catching that staff will be Jacob Cozart, the second-round pick in the 2024 draft out of North Carolina State. He has power and a big arm behind the plate. There are other aspects of his game to work on, including swing and miss, but he has the future of a strong defensive catcher in the majors.<\/p>\n
Outfielders Alfonsin Rosario and Wuilfredo Antunez both saw time in Akron last year. Rosario has loud tools too \u2014 big power, some speed, and a big outfield arm. He has major strikeout issues, too, and will be looking to get better acclimated in Double-A this year. Antunez is a lighter version of Rosario. He has some pop and a big arm, but has a more aggressive offensive approach and needs to work on his overall defense in the outfield.<\/p>\n
High-A Lake County Captains<\/p>\n
The 2024 Midwest League champs should have one of the stronger first-half rosters in the organization.<\/p>\n
They will likely return outfielder Jaison Chourio, who struggled to hit the ball due to some approach issues and a shoulder injury. But the healthy version of Chourio should be a more dynamic hitter.<\/p>\n
He should be joined by some players with the kind of power who should alarm anyone parked on the Vine Street side of Classic Auto Group Park. 2025 first-rounder, outfielder Jace LaViolette could start in Lake County, or will at least get there in 2025 at some point. He\u2019s fast and hits the ball far and hard, and looks the part of a future big-league outfielder. But he\u2019ll need to do some major work in Eastlake on making more contact.<\/p>\n
Fellow 2025 draft pick, 1B\/DH\/OF Nolan Schubart, is about as tall as a light tower and can hit them with his homers, too. He\u2019ll probably get some outfield reps, but belongs at 1B\/DH long term. He\u2019ll also have serious stretches this summer where he racks up strikeouts.<\/p>\n
Infielder Dean Curley was on track to be a much higher pick in the 2025 draft than where Cleveland took him (second round). He has power, a better approach than LaViolette and Schubart, but struggled at the end of the season. He also struggles with his throwing accuracy from shortstop. He\u2019ll see mostly time at third and some short, but is an intriguing talent with a good college pedigree.<\/p>\n
Fellow infielder and 2025 draft pick Luke Hill is more of Cleveland\u2019s typical contact-oriented hitters with speed and will play around the infield, with his best fit being second base.<\/p>\n
There should be no lack of pitching to watch in Lake County. 2024 Comp B rounder Braylon Doughty is as polished a high school pitching prospect as Cleveland has had in some time. There is some comparison to Triston McKenzie. Doughty is better built, but is shorter. But he\u2019s mature, poised and has a really good arsenal, throwing in the low-mid 90s. He\u2019s a better strike thrower now than McKenzie is and got the ball on opening day in 2025 at Low-A.<\/p>\n
You\u2019ll be forgiven if you missed it, but Cleveland acquired LHP Franklin Gomez this winter from the New York Mets for international singing bonus slot money. Gomez is smaller (5-10) but saw increased velocity in 2025 (89-91 to more 92-94 now) and has a good changeup and slider. He\u2019s athletic and can miss bats. His command needs to improve, but at only 20 years old, he\u2019ll look fun in the rotation developing alongside Doughty.<\/p>\n
2021 first-rounder Justin Campbell is finally set to debut in 2026. The Oklahoma State product has had numerous arm surgeries over the last four years and has yet to throw a pitch in an official minor league game. It\u2019s hard to say what to expect from him, but Cleveland has been patient, as has Campbell, and we\u2019ll see what he looks like. He\u2019s had a longer layoff than Espino.<\/p>\n
Single-A Hill City Howlers<\/p>\n
The Lynchburg Hillcats rebranded late this offseason to the Hill City Howlers and should be filled with a lot of young talent. Young pitching will be of most interest in Virginia.<\/p>\n
2024 third-rounder, RHP Joey Oakie got to Lynchburg late in 2025, throwing 97-100 mph with a wicked slider. There\u2019s a lot to like about his arm but will need a more consistent delivery to throw more strikes.<\/p>\n
2024 10th-rounder, RHP Chase Mobley, who got the signing bonus of a second-rounder, made it to Lynchburg late last year, too. Cleveland has smoothed out his delivery some, but the 96-99 fastball is there and the size to be an exciting starter.<\/p>\n
2025 second-rounder, RHP Will Hynes, spurned his Wake Forest commitment to sign with Cleveland and can really spin a breaking ball.<\/p>\n
Don\u2019t forget RHP Aidan Major (fifth round in the 2024 draft) out of West Virginia. He had Tommy John surgery after the 2024 season and spent all of 2025 rehabbing. But he\u2019s an interesting college arm with a deep arsenal.<\/p>\n
On the offensive side of the ball, a lot of familiar hitters will return to start. INF Welbyn Francsica may return for a third season to try to find health and more consistency. Also on the infield, Dauri Fernandez, is another young, big swinging hitter with an aggressive approach but offensive upside. OF Juneiker Caceres got a late taste of Single-A in 2025 and has some of the best upside in the system at that position. 2025 second-rounder, OF Aaron Walton, may start at Single-A again, with the ability to roam the outfield and has the size for more power, as well as surprisingly good speed.<\/p>\n
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