Cleveland Guardians prospects who will make a difference in 2024

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If the Cleveland Guardians are going to contend for the AL Central in 2024, they will once again have to rely on an influx of young talent. The team will be asking plenty of rookies to once again learn on the fly, and if things are to go well, here are some of the players that could shine.

Five Prospects Who Will Make a Difference for the Cleveland Guardians in 2024

Joey Cantillo

It's rare for a starting rotation to emerge from a season unscathed. Luckily for the Guardians, the pitching development pipelie remains as strong as ever, and Joey Cantillo is likely the next name to emerge from the list should anyone miss time.

Cantillo, 24, ascended to Triple-A Columbus in 2023, pitching in 20 games (18 starts) to a 4.64 ERA, with 111 strikeouts in 95 innings (Cantillo owns a 2.94 ERA across his six seasons of minor-league ball). The left-hander has gone from being a soft-tosser to really bringing the heat, with a fastball that now sits in the low-to-mid 90s, complemented by a curveball, cutter, and changeup - the full arsenal. Cantillo should settle in as a middle-of-the-rotation arm, bringing more depth to Cleveland's one true area of strength.

Kyle Manzardo

By this point, much has been written about Kyle Manzardo, the first baseman acquired from the Tampa Bay Rays in the Aaron Civale deal last summer. It doesn't seem all that likely he breaks camp with the team, but it won't be long before the 23-year-old is up in Cleveland.

Manzardo is routinely touted as one of the game's top first base prospects, especially after a promising Fall League performance in which he hit .272/.340/.565 with six home runs, seven doubles, and 19 RBI in 103 plate appearances. He's also been known to hit for average, but scouts are starting to see a future in which Manzardo is a true middle-of-the-order thumper, too, something the Guardians desperately need.

Brayan Rocchio

Maybe it's not entirely fair to call Brayan Rocchio a true "prospect," but that's still technically what he is. He should finally get regular playing time at the major-league level in 2024, and there's a good chance he could run away with the starting shortstop job, possibly right out of spring training.

Rocchio is coming off a productive season in the Venezuelan Winter League, slashing .377/.457/.541 with a home run, seven doubles, eight RBI, and two stolen bases in 71 plate appearances while routinely making highlight-reel plays at shortstop. Oh yeah, and he helped lead his team to the LVBP championship. Rocchio is going to be a difference-maker in Cleveland.

Johnathan Rodriguez

The Guardians' outfield situation remains a nightmare any self-respecting baseball fan should avert their eyes from, for fear of vomiting. But if you look hard enough, you can at least see some light at the end of the tunnel. One possibility is Johnathan Rodriguez, 24, who has a ton of pop, hitting 29 home runs across Double-A and Triple-A last season. His impressive run in Columbus - a .280/.376/.560 line with 11 home runs in 202 plate appearances - and getting added to the 40-man roster suggests the Guardians feel Rodriguez's power might just translate to the majors. Some comparisons liken him to Oscar Gonzalez, just with much better swing decisions. If that's the case, the team will certainly take it.

Deyvison De Los Santos

There's no guarantee De Los Santos breaks camp with the Guardians, which would send the Rule 5 pick back to the Arizona Diamondbacks. But if he does, De Los Santos, who would have to stay on the 26-man roster, could very well be a difference-maker for the sheer fact that he's just already there. The 20-year-old has tantalizing power, hitting 20 home runs in Double-A ball last season. He strikes out plenty and making the leap to the majors will be massive, but clearly the Guardians see something in him, at least enough to bring him into spring training. Why not, right?

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5 Cleveland Guardians prospects who will make a difference in 2024