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.

Konnor Pilkington

The Guardians acquired Pilkington from the White Sox at the trade deadline last season for second baseman Cesar Hernandez. Pilkington fits right in with the incredible depth of pitching in the Guardians’ system, as the 24-year-old had a combined 3.04 ERA in 100 2/3 innings between Akron and Double-A Birmingham.

If last season proved anything, it’s that you can simply never have enough pitching. And should the Guardians need to dig deep again for rotation help in 2022, Pilkington will likely be there to help fill in, ultimately projecting out as a potential back-of-the-rotation starter in the long run.

Gabriel Arias

Arias has to eventually get his shot in the Guardians infield, right? The 21-year-old was a key piece in the Mike Clevinger trade with the Padres, and put up a very solid .284/.348/.454 line with 13 home runs, 29 doubles and 55 RBIs at Triple-A Columbus last season. Defensively, he’s a dynamo, and if he’s willing to start out at second base, there’s likely an immediate role for him on this team.

Barring any blockbuster trades that might occur once the work stoppage is over, Arias might have the best chance of anyone on this list to make an immediate impact.

Nolan Jones

Jones is a name known well to Guardians fans; he was at one point the organization’s top prospect, that supposed savior-esque player who could put the team back in contention the moment he got up to the majors. While those kinds of expectations are never fair to put on a player, Jones could still certainly make an impact on this team as early as this year, especially if the Guardians can find a position other than third base for him.

Though his overall numbers last season at Columbus aren’t especially notable, Jones was heating up in August, batting .280/.382/.452 with four home runs, four doubles, and 13 RBIs. A high ankle sprain ultimately derailed the final stretch of his season, but it was encouraging to see Jones put up those solid numbers on the cusp of the majors. There is still much for him to work on at the Triple-A level, but he’ll only be 24 this season.

Steven Kwan

Steven Kwan is not necessarily a name many Guardians fans knew going into last season, but the former fifth-round pick put himself in a position to contribute at the major-league level this season by hitting a combined .328/.407/.527 with 12 home runs, 15 doubles, and 44 RBIs between Akron and Columbus in 2021.

Kwan might be on the 40-man roster in part because he was Rule 5-eligible, but make no mistake, his knowledge of the strike zone and contact skills are among the best in the organization. He’s done nothing but hit at every minor-league level, and he’s beginning to add more power to his arsenal. With the current state of the Guardians’ outfield, he could make a play for the Opening Day roster.

Richie Palacios

The versatility of Palacios in the infield and outfield will be one of his greatest strengths, but he also wields an impressive bat, as he hit a combined .297/.404/.471 with 7 home runs, 33 doubles, 20 steals, and 48 RBIs between Akron and Columbus last year (he’s also a great follow on social media). His ability to make excellent contact and hit for a high average (not to mention his elite eye at the plate) puts him right in line with Cleveland’s organizational philosophy and could make him a dark horse candidate to make the team right out of spring training.