3 Guardians prospects who could find their way to the bigs in '26
CLEVELAND -- We’re only a few weeks away from the Guardians’ first full-squad Spring Training workout on Feb. 17, which will officially open a camp that will feature plenty of up-and-coming players competing for a spot on Cleveland’s Opening Day roster.
Chase DeLauter, George Valera, C.J. Kayfus and Parker Messick (all of whom got a taste of the Majors in 2025) headline the youngsters who will be vying for a big league job this spring. But you’ll also hear plenty about intriguing prospects beyond that quartet, some of whom could impact the Guardians’ big league roster this season.
Here are a few other names to keep an eye on once camp opens.
INF Juan Brito (Guardians' No. 14 prospect, per MLB Pipeline)
Brito, 24, was optioned to Triple-A Columbus amid one of the Guardians’ final rounds of roster cuts in 2025 Spring Training. He was poised to make his MLB debut at some point last year, but tough injury luck scuttled those plans.
Brito underwent right thumb surgery on April 25 for a high-grade ligament sprain, and he did not return to Triple-A Columbus’ lineup until June 25. He later suffered a left hamstring strain in July, and ultimately underwent season-ending surgery in September. All said, he was limited to 31 games.
Brito has long been one of the Guardians' most intriguing position-player prospects. The switch-hitter has a career .273/.382/.449 slash line over six seasons in Cleveland’s organization, and he can play around the diamond. He played at second, first and right field in the Minors last season, while also playing at second and first in winter ball this offseason with Toros del Este in the Dominican Republic.
The Guardians gained a fourth Minor League option on Brito due to his injuries last year. If he doesn’t make the Opening Day roster, he’ll be one of the top initial candidates for a callup from Columbus.
RHP Khal Stephen (No. 6 prospect)
It’s hard, if not foolish, to try to directly compare one prospect’s timeline with another. But if things go well, could Stephen (whom Cleveland acquired from Toronto in the July 31 Shane Bieber trade) follow a similar trajectory in 2026 as Messick did in ‘25?
The Guardians have good starting rotation depth, and they must sort through six viable guys for five rotation spots this spring. But Cleveland almost assuredly will need to tap into its depth this summer, and Stephen could be ready to contribute, as Messick was this past season.
Messick opened 2025 with Triple-A Columbus. He made seven big league starts down the stretch, including his Aug. 20 MLB debut.
Stephen is ranked as the Guardians’ top pitching prospect by Pipeline. The 23-year-old is 6-foot-4 and wields a five-pitch mix, led by his four-seamer, slider and changeup. He opened 2025 with Toronto's Single-A affiliate and was promoted to Double-A on July 20.
Stephen reported to Akron after the Guardians landed him, though a right shoulder impingement limited him to four starts. Nonetheless, he showed a lot of promise in his first professional season that could serve as a springboard in 2026. In 103 innings over 22 games (21 starts), he logged a 2.53 ERA and a 0.99 WHIP with 110 strikeouts compared to only 20 walks.
OF Kahlil Watson (No. 18 prospect)
Watson has followed a path taken by many Guardians prospects before him. Drafted 16th overall by the Marlins in 2021 as a middle infielder, he fully transitioned to the outfield this past season. Watson played all three spots with both Akron and Columbus.
Watson (whom Cleveland acquired in the Aug. 1, 2023, trade for Josh Bell) made his outfield debut in ‘24. Cleveland was pleased with his progress in ‘25, and the club added him to its 40-man roster on Nov. 18.
“He worked tremendously hard,” manager Stephen Vogt said last week. “To see his progression from where he was last Spring Training, where he was still fairly new, and then to see video and to hear from our [player development] staff on his development in the outfield over the course of the season in 2025, has us very excited about Kahlil in the future for us.”
Watson will be among a long list of outfielders whom the Guardians will get a look at in camp. There is some swing and miss in his game, but he has an interesting skill set between his power and baserunning.
In 102 games between Akron and Columbus this past season, Watson slashed .250/.346/.467 with 20 doubles, six triples, 16 home runs, 61 RBIs, 17 stolen bases and 48 walks with 119 strikeouts.
Tim Stebbins covers the Guardians for MLB.com.
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