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3 Guardians Minor Leaguers Who Could Get Another MLB Chance
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- 3 Guardians Minor Leaguers Who Could Get Another MLB Chance
Life without Angel Martinez, Chase DeLauter , and Jose Ramirez has been difficult for the Cleveland Guardians . The lineup's weaknesses have been severely exposed, and the team searches for offense.
With the Guardians' need for some more offense, there is a group of Minor League players who could help if given another MLB opportunity.
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CJ Kayfus
The Guardians asked a lot of CJ Kayfus when he made the Opening Day roster early this season by playing a position he'd never been in before, and not being in the everyday lineup. This didn't translate to success, and then Kayfus was placed on the injured list after being optioned back down to Triple-A.
Still, Kayfus isn't too far removed from being a key piece and playing hero on multiple occasions for the Guardians last September, and there are still some encouraging signs he could contribute on a big-league roster.
Kayfus is still seeing the ball really well at the plate in the Minors with a .339 OBP; it's been the power that hasn't quite come around yet. Perhaps the oblique injury he suffered has something to do with that, too.
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But as long as Cleveland's lineup is struggling, why not see if Kayfus can provide a spark in some capacity?
Sep 17, 2025; Detroit, Michigan, USA; Cleveland Guardians first baseman CJKayfus(63) celebrates with teammates after scoring in the third inning against the Detroit Tigers at Comerica Park. Mandatory Credit: Brian Bradshaw Sevald-Imagn Images
Bo Naylor
Bo Naylor has spent his entire career gameplanning for his own pitchers while also trying to figure out how to beat the opposing arm.
What if the Gardians gave Naylor one more big-league opportunity, but this time only had him focus on producing at the plate.
Bo spent time in Arizona making adjustments to his swing immediately after being optioned. Ever since he returned to competitive action at Triple-A, there's been a lot to like about what he's done at the plate.
Naylor owns a .851 OPS in his 83 plate appearances at Triple-A. That number includes four home runs and three doubles. The strikeout rate is high (30.7 percent), but now might be the best time to give Naylor one last look.
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Perhaps if the Guardians recall him and tell him to solely focus on hitting, Bo could find some more success and help Cleveland's lineup.
Juan Brito
Juan Brito's first big-league stint earlier this season didn't go great, primarily because of the lackluster defense, which came back to bite the Guardians in a couple of contests.
However, Brito has always been more of a bat-first type of player; he's never been known for his run prevention. If the Guardians recalled him for a second time with a different role than earlier this season, Cleveland might be able to get a little more out of the 24-year-old.
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Brito had a nice month of May where he logged a .789 OPS, but he's still had some struggles at the plate, too. Still, the Guardians could call him back up to take on a platoon role, perhaps as a designated hitter. Brito owns a .283/.377/.609 slash line against left-handed pitchers this season.
The Guardians have put a lot of faith and stock in Brito over the last few seasons. If there's ever a time to give him one more big-league opportunity before moving on, it's right now.
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