Cleveland Guardians: 7 prospects on 40-man roster who could make big impact in 2022

With so many young players on the Guardians’ current 40-man roster, who stands the best chance of contributing in Cleveland right away?

The Cleveland Guardians’ 40-man roster is loaded with prospects at different stages of their minor-league careers. Luckily for the organization, a good portion of them are just about ready to break into the majors.

So who could make the biggest impact for the team this coming season?

7 Guardians prospects on 40-man roster who could make big impact in 2022

Tyler Freeman

Baseball America recently named Tyler Freeman the top prospect in the Guardians organization, and the 22-year-old did hit .323/.372/.470 in 164 at-bats at Double-A Akron last season, but there are a few reasons why Freeman might not be able to make much of an impact in Cleveland this season.

For one thing, Freeman is recovering from left shoulder surgery, which prematurely ended his 2021 season. It’s possible he starts the season in Akron before quickly moving up to Triple-A Columbus, but the Guardians might want to bring him along a little slower to ensure his shoulder is fully recovered.

Additionally, the Guardians are in the midst of trying to figure out which young players on the roster can actually contribute at the major-league level, especially at second base. With Jose Ramirez (obviously) and Amed Rosario manning third base and shortstop respectively, that leaves second base up for grabs among guys like Andrés Giménez, Gabriel Arias, Ernie Clement, Owen Miller, and even Yu Chang. So while it might become obvious that Freeman should get his shot by mid-summer, it’s a packed – and unknown – infield right now.