3 Guardians prospects who could make their MLB debut before the end of 2026

The Guardians are no stranger to calling up rookies late in the season.

From Will Brennan and Andrew Walters making their big league debuts in September 2022 and ‘24, respectively, to CJ Kayfus, Parker Messick and George Valera making their debuts in the second half of last season, the Guardians have no problem giving chances to young players late in the season. 

And, with the Guardians having so many holes on their roster, there are some clear avenues for ways that rookies could make their big league debuts at some point in the second half of the 2026 season. 

The Guardians have some promising rookies waiting in Triple-A

SS Angel Genao 

Now, Genao’s inclusion on this comes with the obvious caveat that he could be traded at this year’s deadline. 

But if that doesn’t happen and he’s still on Cleveland's roster after Aug. 3, chances are he’ll make his big league debut at some point in 2026. 

Along with being ranked as the Guardians’ No. 2 prospect by MLB Pipeline, Genao also ranks as the No. 41 prospect in all of baseball. 

Genao started the season at Double-A Akron before earning a promotion to Triple-A Columbus after just 24 games, and he’s slashed .308/.389/.498 with seven home runs and 28 RBI to go along with 27 walks and 35 strikeouts. 

He’d probably be manning second base for the Guardians right now if Travis Bazzana didn't exist. 

Genao’s a talented switch-hitter who can play anywhere up the middle, and would be the prize of pretty much every other farm system.

But for a Guardians team that loves contact-orientated middle infielders, he’s another prospect on a conveyor belt that’s produced plenty of players that look like him. 

RHP Yorman Gómez

Although Gómez’s 5.47 ERA doesn’t jump off the page, he could be called upon at a moment’s notice if there’s any kind of injury to a member of Cleveland’s rotation. 

The Guardians are the only team in MLB that’s used the same five starters all season, and it seems like a matter of time until they have something happen that requires them to dip into their starting pitching depth. 

And either of those things could result in Gómez making his debut. The Guardian added him to their 40-man roster in the offseason, and he’s made four starts at Triple-A Columbus this year since missing two months of action due to a shoulder strain. 

He’s topped out at 4 1/3 innings his longest appearances this season, but could obviously be able to give Cleveland even more length a month from now when the Guardians need to make their post-trade deadline adjustments. 

1B/LF Ralphy Velazquez

This is where things could get fun. 

Velazquez has had a meteoric rise through Cleveland’s farm system this year, and the 21-year-old is now ranked as the Guardians’ top prospect and the No. 36 prospect in all of baseball per MLB Pipeline. 

He tore through Double-A pitching at the beginning of the year, and has been able to hold his own since getting promoted to Triple-A (.271/.358/.419 in 40 games). 

While he could have easily fit into the Guardians’ roster picture while playing his native position of first base, his MLB pathway got a little clearer at the beginning of June when the Guardians started giving him more time in left field. 

He played in 11 games in left field so far this season, and could easily play that position after a big league promotion in the same way that Cooper Ingle did after he got promoted. 

Velazquez may be young, but he could easily help solve the Guardians’ offensive problems. 

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