Can Angel Martinez become a regular in center field for the Guardians in 2026?
What are the five hottest spring-training battles for the Guardians? The week in baseball
Updated: Jan. 31, 2026, 10:00 a.m.|Published: Jan. 31, 2026, 7:47 a.m.
By Paul Hoynes, cleveland.com
CLEVELAND, Ohio — The Guardians have not sold a lot of tickets for the 2026 season based on the work they’ve done to improve an offense that last season hit .226 and barely averaged four runs per game.
In fact, they came right out and said as much on Thursday when they signed Jose Ramirez to a record-setting seven-year, $175 million contract extension. It was a feel-good moment for the franchise and one of the best players to wear a Cleveland uniform, but in reality, the move signals the franchise will rely on Ramirez to carry the offensive load again.
To be fair, the Guardians have won the AL Central in three of the last four years and six of the last 10. They’re doing something right, but it would be so much easier if they added a proven hitter or two.
[ Not going to be easy with all of the affordable options off the board. $5mill/year appears to be out of the question. All affordable "impact" players signed elsewhere. When it comes time to adding players, most likely, it would be too late. I think that train has already left the station]
Instead, they’re sticking with developing players such as Kyle Manzardo, Angel Martinez, Bo Naylor, Brayan Rocchio, Gabriel Arias and Daniel Schneemann to support Ramirez and All-Star left fielder Steven Kwan. They’re also committed to giving prospects Chase DeLauter, George Valera, C.J. Kayfus, Petey Halpin and Kahlil Watson an opportunity.
They are so open-minded that last year they let DeLauter make his big-league debut in Game 2 of the wild card series against Detroit. It was a first for a Cleveland player and he lost the first ball hit to him in center field.
Things are more settled on the pitching side of the roster. The starting rotation boasted six solid starters at the end of last season, while the bullpen has been the one area where the front office has been busy fortifying this winter.
Still, it is going to be another young team on what could be one of the franchise’s lowest payrolls in recent history. With youth comes opportunity and competition. With spring training starting on Feb. 10, here are five positions where the competition should be at its highest:
Guardians' center fielder Chase Delauter.J
Center field
Kwan, the four-time Gold Glove winning left fielder, is the only everyday outfielder on the roster. DeLauter, Martinez, Halpin, Schneemann, Watson and spring-training invitee Stuart Fairchild will compete for playing time in center.
Last year Martinez appeared in 114 games, including 87 starts, in center. The switch-hitting Martinez shouldn’t take too much comfort in those numbers. In 2024, Tyler Freeman appeared in 97 games in center, but was still traded right before the start of the 2025 season.
Right field
DeLauter, Valera, Kayfus and Nolan Jones are the leading candidates for playing time. They all hit left-handed.
Jones made 72 starts and 101 appearances in right field last year, but hit only .211 (75 for 355) with five homers and 34 RBI. DeLauter and Valera have shown flashes of offense in the minors, but have failed to stay healthy. Kayfus, a first baseman by trade, is still learning to play right field.
Guardians' first baseman C.J. Kayfus.
First base, DH
Manzardo, Kayfus and David Fry are the candidates for playing time. The Guardians want Manzardo to be a fixture in the lineup either at first base or DH. He finished last season with 27 homers and 70 RBI in 142 games. Kayfus, who hit .300 (95 for 317) with 14 homers, 54 RBI and a .930 OPS (on-base percentage + slugging percentage) at Double-A Akron and Triple-A Columbus last year, played 44 games for the Guards last year. The right-handed hitting Fry, if he’s fully recovered from Tommy John surgery on his right elbow, would give balance to both positions.
Fry, depending on his arm strength this spring, will also spend time at catcher.
Starting rotation
The Guardians started Tanner Bibee, Gavin Williams and Slade Cecconi in the three-game wild card series against Detroit last year. That may be an indication of who the favorites are for the top three spots, but there’s going to be plenty of pushing and shoving this spring. Joey Cantillo, Logan Allen and rookie Parker Messick, all left-handers, pitched well last year.
Guardians' Cade Smith
Bullpen
Outside of closer Cade Smith and set-up man Hunter Gaddis, there’s mystery attached to the next six spots in the bullpen. Matt Festa (63 appearances) did a nice job last season. Lefty Tim Herrin (54 appearances) had an up and down season, while lefty Erik Sabrowski struck out 42 batters in 29 1/3 innings.
Meanwhile, the Guardians spent the offseason signing free agents Shawn Armstrong, Connor Brogdon and Colin Holderman. They added Rule 5 pick Payton Pallette and brought veterans Pedro Avila and Codi Heuer to camp on minor league deals. Whoever claims one of those six open spots will have earned it.
One more thing
Closer Emmanuel Clase and Luis Ortiz are still on the restricted list awaiting trial in May for conspiring with gamblers to throw rigged pitches. Andrew Walters (right lat) and Carlos Hernandez (auto accident) will not be ready to pitch in spring training. Trevor Stephan, still under contract, was invited to camp as a non-roster player as he completes his recovery from Tommy John surgery.
Former Guardians' right-hander Cal Quantrill.
Names to remember
RHP Cal Quantrill, 27-15 in four seasons with Cleveland, will be in big-league camp with Texas on a minor league deal.
RHP Eli Morgan, 18-12 in four years with the Guardians, will be in big-league camp with Kansas City this spring.
OF Daniel Johnson, who played 35 games for Cleveland in 2020 and 2021, will be in big-league camp with the Marlins on a minor league deal.
RHP Darren McCaughan, who pitched two games for the Guardians in 2024, will be in camp with the Reds on a minor league deal.
INF Will Wilson, who made his big league debut with the Guardians last year, will be in camp with Seattle on a minor league deal.
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