Guardians' Rhys Hoskins signing stands out as one of the top moves of offseason

After a mostly quiet offseason, the Cleveland Guardians finally made a free agent move that may move the needle by signing Rhys Hoskins to a minor league contract. Okay, maybe it won't move the needle a whole lot, but it's still a needle-mover nonetheless.

While everyone knew the Guardians needed a right-handed bat, does signing Hoskins check off some boxes ahead of the 2026 season?

Signing Rhys Hoskins is the best free agent move the Guardians made all offseason

News of Hoskins' signing first leaked out early on Sunday when member sof the team's beat saw him in the team's clubhouse. We later found out that he was signed to a minor league deal and will make $1.5 million if he makes the Guardians' big league roster.

Despite only playing in 90 games last season for the Brewers last season, Hoskins could bring some pop from the right side for the Guardians in 2026. While there are some clear problems with his game, he's recorded five seasons of 20+ home runs in his career and was a bonafide power threat for the Phillies early in his career.

Hoskins' best seasons came in 2021, 2022 and '24, which was his first season in Milwaukee. In those seasons, Hoskins mashed 83 home runs across those three seasons to go along with 232 RBI and 337 hits.

Hoskins also emerged as a postseason slugger for the Phillies in 2022, though he never got a chance to build on that slugging thanks to a torn ACL that he suffered in spring training the following season. He ended up inking a two-year deal with the Brewers in 2024 and finished his time in Milwaukee with 38 home runs in 221 games.

If Hoskins makes the Guardians big league roster then the right-handed hitter will be a great platoon option at first alongside the left-handed hitting Kyle Manzardo.

If Hoskins can manage to hit 20+ home runs and drive in 60+ runs, it would go a long way toward helping the Guardians' turn things around after their offensive struggles last season. Anything else from Hoskins would be house money for Chris Antonetti and the Guardians' front office.

But even if Hoskins doesn't end up setting the world on fire during his time in Cleveland, this is clearly the best move of the Guardians' offseason outside of signing José Ramírez to his long-term extension.

Now we'll be playing a game of wait and see to find out if Hoskins is able to do enough during the spring to earn a big league contract with the Guardians. All hope is that he's able to do enough to be on the roster when the Guardians head to seattle to take on the Mariners on Opening Day.