Cleveland Guardians Farm System: The Guardians system blends elite contact and OBP skills with a deep pool of pitchability-driven arms, offering a compact group of fantasy-impact bats and a wide base of developmental upside
Summary
The Guardians system is built around a small cluster of fantasy-relevant bats and a deep pool of arms with pitchability and developmental upside. Angel Genoa headlines the group with elite contact skills, plus speed, and growing physicality—his post-injury strength gains hint at emerging power that could elevate him into impact territory. Chase DeLauter remains one of the more enigmatic prospects in the org, blending leverage, zone control, and OBP cushion with a frustrating injury history that’s limited his reps. Ralphy Velasquez offers above-average exit velocity and 25+ HR potential, though swing-and-miss risk and defensive limitations narrow his margin for error.
Cleveland’s pitching development pipeline continues to churn out viable starters, with Parker Messick, Khal Stephen, and Austin Peterson all fitting the mold of command-first arms with enough stuff to play up. Messick’s 70-grade changeup gives him a legitimate out pitch, while Stephen’s fastball/changeup combo and strike zone command offer mid-rotation upside. Cooper Ingle and Travis Bazzana bring advanced plate skills and OBP value, though both need swing refinement to unlock their ceilings. The system favors hitters with zone control and pitchers with sequencing ability, and that philosophy is evident across the board.
It’s a system built on polish and projection, with a few cornerstone bats and plenty of developmental depth.
AI-Assisted Fantasy Tiers: Methodology and Observations
AI has made significant strides in all aspects of our lives. Over the past four years, I have compiled 500,000 words of personal scouting narratives, which have formed the foundation for training my own AI assistant. This assistant now evaluates prospects and assigns fantasy tiers exclusively based on the insights and observations contained in my write-ups.
After requesting that my AI assistant generate fantasy tiers using this year’s reports, I found that the AI’s rankings generally align with my own assessments. However, there are some cases where the AI’s evaluations differ from my personal rankings. I am sharing those differences here for your consideration.
🥇 Tier 1: Fantasy Impact Target
- Angel Genoa – Elite contact and plus speed. Added strength suggests power could follow; trending toward impact SS.
- Chase DeLauter – Strong hit tool with leverage and OBP cushion. Injuries cloud the projection, but the everyday OF upside remains.
- Ralphy Velasquez – Above-average EVs with 25+ HR potential. Swing-and-miss risk, but Rhys Hoskins comp fits.
🥈 Tier 2: Everyday-Upside Targets
- Travis Bazzana – OBP machine with timing issues. If swing reworks, middle infielder with 15/15 upside.
- Jace LaViolette – 70-grade power with contact concerns. Spencer Jones comp with less speed; draft-and-trade FYPD profile.
- Parker Messick – 70-grade changeup can dominate. No. 4 starter floor with upside if arsenal sharpens.
- Cooper Ingle – Advanced plate skills and 15+ HR pop. Undersized catcher with a shot to start by 2026.
- Khal Stephen – Fastball/changeup combo with command. Arsenal plays up; maybe a mid-rotation ceiling in Cleveland.
- Dauri Fernandez – Switch-hitter with elite contact and OBP skills; small frame limits ceiling but fits Guardians mold.
- Wuilfredo Antunez – Aggressive approach, plus raw power, speed, and contact skills—tools suggest everyday upside if refined.
🥉 Tier 3: Outside of the Impact/Everyday Targets
To see the reset of the tiers, become a Patreon subscriber at Patreon.com/prospect361.
2026 Player Profiles
1. Angel Genoa (SS)
- Highest Level: Double-A ETA: 2027 Fantasy Ceiling: Top 15 SS
- Last Updated: 10/24/2025
- Tools Summary: – Elite contact and plus speed. Added strength suggests power could follow; trending toward impact SS.
Angel Genao is first and foremost a hitter. He posted a 15.5% strikeout rate and walked at a league-average clip, showing excellent bat-to-ball skills and zone control. A shoulder sprain cost him the first two months of 2025, and while he didn’t run much this year, he’s still a plus runner with 20+ stolen base potential.
Genao was previously labeled a tweener, but the potential to add power—especially as he gets stronger post-injury—nudges him toward impact territory. There’s plus speed and an excellent ability to hit as a foundation, and if he can add double-digit home run power, watch out.
Fantasy managers should treat Genao as an impact prospect with a chance to climb. If the power comes, he could grow into an everyday middle infielder with fantasy relevance across formats.
2. Travis Bazzana (2B)
- Highest Level: Triple-A ETA: 2026 Fantasy Ceiling: Middle Infielder with upside
- Last Updated: 10/24/2025
- Tools Summary: OBP machine with timing issues. If swing reworks, middle infielder with 15/15 upside.
Travis Bazzana was the number one overall pick in the 2024 Draft after obliterating college pitching with a .407/.568/.911 slash line, 28 home runs, and 16 stolen bases for Oregon. He walked twice as much as he struck out and posted just a 12.5% K-rate.
But as a professional, Bazzana has struggled—making inconsistent contact and producing mostly weak air balls. It’s not a launch angle issue; he’s elevating plenty. The problem is a hitch in his swing and timing issues with his front foot. Until that’s resolved, the impact just isn’t there.
Fantasy managers should treat Bazzana as a high-floor OBP asset with muted upside. The plate skills remain intact, but the fantasy juice is on hold. He’s tracking as a middle infielder unless the swing gets cleaned up.
3. Chase DeLauter (OF)
- Highest Level: Triple-A ETA: 2025 Fantasy Ceiling: Top 45 OF with risk
- Last Updated: 10/24/2025
- Tools Summary: Strong hit tool with leverage and OBP cushion. Injuries cloud the projection, but the everyday OF upside remains.
Chase DeLauter has been an enigma since the Guardians selected him 16th overall in 2022. He’s a classic Guardians profile—hit-first with elite zone control and upper-quartile z-contact rates. While he doesn’t have explosive bat speed, he creates leverage and maintains a flyball rate north of 50%, suggesting 20-HR potential.
DeLauter could hit .280 with 70–100 points of OBP cushion, but the issue has been availability. He played just 96 games across 2023 and 2024 due to foot injuries, turf toe, and a sports hernia. In 2025, he fractured his hamate bone in July, ending his season prematurely.
Fantasy managers should treat DeLauter as a speculative hold with everyday upside. The hit tool and approach are strong, but until he stays healthy, projecting his Major League impact remains uncertain.
4. Welbyn Francisca (SS/2B)
- Highest Level: Low-A ETA: 2027 Fantasy Ceiling: Top 15 2B
- Last Updated: 10/24/2025
- Tools Summary: Bat speed and contact skills. BABIP correction and strength gains could unlock Top 15 2B ceiling.
Welbyn Francisca was signed out of the 2023 international class for his bat-to-ball skills, and he’s lived up to that billing. He hit for a high average in 2023 and 2024, but his BABIP corrected in 2025 (.273), dragging his average down to .229. Despite that, he maintained strong zone control with a 17% strikeout rate and 12% walk rate.
The low BABIP ties directly to below-average exit velocities—Francisca just doesn’t hit the ball hard. That said, he has plenty of bat speed, and his swing suggests at least average future power. He stole 45 bases in 2025 (caught 12 times), and while he’s not a burner, 15–20 steals annually feels realistic.
Fantasy managers should treat Francisca as a high-OBP second baseman with rebound potential. Nobody loves a .230 prospect, but the contact and approach should stabilize, and if the power grows to 10–12 HR, he could be a Top 15 fantasy option at the position.
5. Cooper Ingle (C)
- Highest Level: Triple-A ETA: 2026 Fantasy Ceiling: Top 15 Catcher
- Last Updated: 10/24/2025
- Tools Summary: Advanced plate skills and 15+ HR pop. Undersized catcher with a shot to start by 2026.
Cooper Ingle was the Guardians’ fourth-round pick in 2023 and has consistently shown advanced strike zone awareness. He entered 2025 a bit heavier and with more loft in his swing, resulting in increased over-the-fence power. While 25+ home runs feels unlikely, 15+ is realistic, especially paired with his strong hitting ability and OBP foundation.
Ingle is undersized for a catcher but plays taller than his listed 5-foot-8 frame. Defensively, he’s average with a strong arm, throwing out nearly 25% of runners. Bo Naylor hasn’t hit as expected in the majors, and Cooper Ingle looked like a professional hitter when scouted earlier this year. If Naylor doesn’t rebound soon, Ingle could be Cleveland’s starting catcher by 2026.
Fantasy managers should treat Ingle as a rising name in two-catcher formats. The OBP skills and emerging power give him everyday upside, and the path to playing time is opening.
6. Juan Brito (2B)
- Highest Level: Triple-A ETA: 2026 Fantasy Ceiling: Middle Infielder
- Last Updated: 10/24/2025
- Tools Summary: Zone control, solid contact, and enough EV to project 12–15 HR and SB. Injuries derailed 2025, but profile remains intact.
Juan Brito lost most of the 2025 season to injury. He underwent thumb surgery in April and missed two months, then suffered a hamstring avulsion shortly after returning—ending his season at just 31 games played. Despite the setback, the scouting report remains unchanged.
Brito manages the strike zone well, makes solid-average contact, and generates enough exit velocity to project 12–15 home runs with similar stolen base potential. He’s the kind of player Cleveland prefers to roster—versatile, disciplined, and quietly productive. His profile resembles Joey Ortiz’s, with multi-positional utility and a shot to contribute in 2026.
Fantasy managers should treat Brito as a deep-league stash with everyday upside. If healthy, he could carve out value across formats as a steady contributor with OBP and positional flexibility.
7. Parker Messick (LHP)
- Highest Level: Majors ETA: 2026 Fantasy Ceiling: Top 60 SP with upside
- Last Updated: 10/24/2025
- Tools Summary: 70-grade changeup can dominate. No. 4 starter floor with upside if arsenal sharpens.
Parker Messick has long been a polarizing prospect, but his MLB debut on August 20 offered a glimpse of what’s possible. He tossed 6.2 innings of one-run ball with six strikeouts and one walk—an outing that showcased his best weapon: a 70-grade changeup that right-handers struggle to pick up.
His fastball sits around 93 mph (touching 94), and his slider grades out as average. When the changeup is working, Messick can cruise through a lineup. When it’s not, he gets hit hard. He has solid-average control, which helps him stay out of trouble, but the overall arsenal suggests a No. 4 starter ceiling—maybe a bit more, given Cleveland’s track record with pitching development.
Fantasy managers should treat Messick as a back-end starter with streaming appeal. The changeup gives him a path to relevance, but consistency will determine whether he sticks in the rotation or settles into a swingman role.
8. Jaison Chourio (OF)
- Highest Level: High-A ETA: 2027 Fantasy Ceiling: Top 50 OF with extreme risk
- Last Updated: 10/24/2025
- Tools Summary: Passive approach, below-average impact, and fading speed. Needs strength gains and swing intent to rebound.
Jaison Chourio showed promise in 2023 and 2024, but his 2025 season was a major step back. He didn’t hit, his speed disappeared, and he slugged just .286. Although he missed time due to a shoulder injury, the struggles began well before that. The root issues are lack of strength and an overly passive approach.
Chourio hasn’t filled out his 6-foot frame and doesn’t hit the ball hard. He’s walking nearly 20% of the time, but advanced pitchers are exploiting his passivity. He gets on base, but the speed he showed in 2024 has faded—just nine steals with seven caught.
Fantasy managers should treat Chourio as a cautionary hold. He’s still just 20 and one of the younger players in High-A, but until he gets stronger and overhauls his approach, he won’t have meaningful fantasy impact. This was more than just a bad season—it forced a ceiling drop with flashing red lights.
9. Khal Stephen (RHP)
- Highest Level: Double-A ETA: 2027 Fantasy Ceiling: Top 60 SP
- Last Updated: 10/24/2025
- Tools Summary: Fastball/changeup combo with command. Arsenal plays up; maybe a mid-rotation ceiling in Cleveland.
Khal Stephen was the Blue Jays’ second-round pick in 2024 and signed for under-slot money. He opened 2025 in Low-A, earned a quick promotion to High-A, and was traded to Cleveland for Shane Bieber at the deadline. Since then, he’s looked better than expected.
Stephen’s fastball now sits at 94 mph (touching 96) with excellent spin (2375 RPM), and his changeup is his best pitch—thrown often with tremendous fade and bat-missing action. His slider is more average in shape but still generates whiffs thanks to spin and sequencing. He’s walking fewer than two per nine, and his strike zone command helps his stuff play up.
Fantasy managers should treat Stephen as a rising arm in Dynasty formats. In five Double-A starts, he threw strikes but was hittable (22 hits in 15.1 IP), so the next test is how his arsenal holds against advanced bats. Cleveland’s track record with pitching development adds optimism to the profile.
10. Braylon Doughty (RHP)
- Highest Level: Low-A ETA: 2027-28 Fantasy Ceiling: Top 50 SP
- Last Updated: 10/24/2025
- Tools Summary: He throws a ton of different pitches, and while he doesn’t have a big fastball, his secondary pitches look great.
Braylon Doughty debuted in Low-A this season after being selected with the Guardians’ competitive balance pick in 2024. He’s just 6 feet tall and doesn’t have the big fastball you often see—his heater sits 92–94 mph (touching 95), and he mixes a four-seamer and two-seamer effectively. His curveball is the signature pitch, missing bats from both sides of the plate, and his slider is a quality offering with swing-and-miss traits.
The changeup is still developing but shows promise. Doughty hasn’t issued many strikes yet, but his delivery is simple and repeatable, and above-average control feels attainable. He relies more on sequencing and location than raw stuff, and while more velocity would help, Cleveland’s track record with arm development adds optimism.
Fantasy managers should treat Doughty as a long-term starter stash. He’s only 19, and if the command and changeup come together, he has a chance to grow into a mid-rotation arm with fantasy relevance.
