Contract extension candidates aplenty for the Cleveland Guardians

There are a number of players currently on the Guardians roster who could be in line for a payday. But not all are created equally, nor is there a rush for some. What I'm saying is, there is a presumed pecking order I imagine the Guardians' front office is working on when it come to extensions.

I've broken the likely extension targets into three categories:

1) Maybe they get extended, but I wouldn't bet on it

2) There is a world in which they get an extension, just maybe not right now

3) The top priorities

Now that I got all of that out of the way, let's dive into this.

Maybe these Guardians get extended, but don't bank on it

First up is Shane Bieber, who has turned down extension talks in the past. Could his recent string of injuries make him rethink this stance? Possibly. But with an increase in his velocity thus far this spring and a clean bill of health, Bieber may be starting his final Opening Day for the franchise. One thing to consider next offseason is the sure abundance of top-tier pitching hitting the market. Some won't make it to free agency, but the list of potential top-end pitchers is juicy.

Anytime you are represented by Scott Boras, there's a near-zero percent chance you "give up" some years of free agency, and that's exactly the position Gavin Williams finds himself in. Boras has let his clients sit around even while spring training has gotten underway. Williams won't become a free agent until after the 2029 season - his age 29 season. Could the club back up the Brinks truck for Williams and buy one season of free agency? I suppose, but I wouldn't bank on it.