Story by
Cleveland Guardians top 5 prospects ranking, who to watch in 2025 spring training
- Story by
- Cleveland Guardians top 5 prospects ranking, who to watch in 2025 spring training
It's one of the truths of spring training baseball : every year, somebody is going to raise some eyebrows.
Every spring , a pitcher shows up with a new pitch nobody can hit. Every camp , somebody hits .450 with a handful of home runs and doubles and leaves general managers and fans alike dreaming of what could be.
Advertisement
Last spring, at least in Guardians camp, it was Chase DeLauter , who tore through Cactus League play before struggling with injuries during the regular season. Cade Smith began to show up on the radar a bit more. Brayan Rocchio took control of the shortstop job.
Lewis: 2025 Baseball Hall of Fame ballot explanation and discussion on Vizquel, Ramirez
Even if it's not during spring training games , sometimes that progress is found on the back fields at a team's facility, as some young prospect begins to make his journey through the minor leagues.
Here are the Guardians' top five prospects and where they rank on top-100 lists ( MLB Pipeline ) as spring training camp surges onward in Goodyear, Ariz.
Guardians 2024 No. 1 draft pick Travis Bazzana, right, shakes hands with the team's All-Star third baseman Jose Ramirez before the Guardians played the Padres, July. 19, 2024, in Cleveland.
Guardians top prospects: Travis Bazzana (No. 10 overall)
Travis Bazzana was only the No. 1 overall draft selection last summer, but it might not be much longer until he's digging into the dirt at Progressive Field.
Advertisement
Bazzana begins his first full season in the minor leagues as the 10th-ranked prospect in baseball, according to MLB Pipeline's rankings .
He's a polished hitter who is said to lack any obvious weaknesses at the plate, which could streamline his race to the major leagues. It's possible he makes his debut in 2025 if all goes well. Bazzana has said he's working hard on his defense at second base.
Second base, meanwhile, is the most open position around the Guardians roster when looking at Opening Day. Juan Brito, Tyler Freeman , Gabriel Arias and Daniel Schneemann could all factor into that mix.
But with a long-term view, it's all up to Bazzana. The long-term runway was further cleared with the Guardians trading Gold Glove second baseman Andres Gimenez to the Toronto Blue Jays .
Akron RubberDucks centerfielder Chase DeLauter (22) stands for the anthem before the Akron RubberDucks Opening Day game at Canal Park, Friday, April 5, 2024, in Akron, Ohio.
Guardians top prospects: Chase DeLauter (No. 36)
Chase DeLauter just about set Cactus League play on fire in the desert last spring with some highlight-reel home runs, but once again, injuries derailed any hope at progress.
Advertisement
As he enters 2025, health has become his No. 1 goal by a mile . When he's been on the field, he has the kind of hitting potential that could make him the club's answer in right field. But he has to be in the lineup enough to prove it.
DeLauter has a combination of size, power and athleticism. If he can maintain some health, a promotion to the majors in 2025 seems likely.
Guardians top prospects: Angel Genao (No. 62, No. 33 on FanGraphs)
Angel Genao is a 20-year-old, switch-hitting infielder who hasn't yet reached Double-A, but he does have a high ceiling.
Genao tore through lower-level pitching last year, combining to hit .330 with an .878 OPS in the minors with 10 home runs, 38 doubles and 25 stolen bases.
Advertisement
What is ABS? 'Learning on the fly': Guardians, MLB to test ABS challenge system in spring training 2025
It could be a few years before he hits the major leagues, but the Guardians have yet another top-100 middle infielder making his way through the system. Genao has risen through minor league rankings thanks to his bat-to-ball skills, along with a little extra pop from the right side.
Genao is ranked as the Guardians' No. 4 prospect and No. 62 overall by MLB Pipeline. But FanGraphs' top-100 prospect rankings list Genao at No. 33 overall, even ahead of Bazzana.
Guardians top prospects Jaison Chourio (No. 60)
Jaison Chourio is the younger brother of Jackson, who burst onto the scene last year with the Milwaukee Brewers and signed an $82 million deal while finishing third in National League Rookie of the Year voting.
Advertisement
Chourio was signed out of Venezuela for $1.2 million, the largest bonus in the club's 2022 international class. He then earned Carolina League MVP honors last year while posting a league-high 86 walks in 98 games along with a .414 on-base percentage. He has plus-speed and some extra power from the left side.
Chourio, also a switch-hitter, is still a teenager and won't turn 20 years old until May. He's another name to know for a few years down the line.
Guardians top prospects: Cooper Ingle (No. 53 on FanGraphs)
Cooper Ingle is a 23-year-old catcher who could eventually begin to push Bo Naylor a bit if the latter spins his tires a bit in the major leagues.
Advertisement
Last year, Ingle tore through High-A pitching (.314/.433/.500) before being promoted to Double-A. He's been described as a "count-working nightmare" who can spray line drives to every field.
Ingle is a bit smaller than the typical major league catcher (5-foot-10, 190 pounds), but his offense and athleticism can make up for it. The only knock against him is his arm strength, though his quick release has helped.
This article originally appeared on Akron Beacon Journal: Cleveland Guardians 2025 prospect rankings, including Travis Bazzana
