Why Parker Messick could be even better for the Guardians in 2026

While Parker Messick was only with the Guardians for a month and a half in 2025, he still found a way to make an impression. In seven starts with the Guardians, the 25-year-old left-hander posted a 2.72 ERA in 39 2/3 innings while Cleveland sprinted toward an American League Central title. 

But even though Messick finished the season as the ninth-most valuable Guardian by terms of bWAR, he kept his rookie status intact for 2026 and should be a favorite for the AL’s Rookie of the Year award next season.

Parker Messick has a legitimate shot at winning Rookie of the Year in 2026

Messick’s strong showing with the Guardians last season was the final step in Messick’s gradual ascent through organized baseball. The Guardians drafted him in the second round of the 2022 MLB Draft after he put together two impressive seasons at Florida State. 

He spent the 2023 season with Single-A and High-A before finishing the 2024 season at Double-A. 

He opened the 2025 season at Triple-A Columbus and had a 3.47 ERA in 98 2/3 innings before getting called up to the minors. He also earned a nod to the Futures Game, where he started for the American League, and was eventually named the Guardians’ minor leaguer of the year by Baseball America. 

But his time in the majors is what truly stands out. Messick made his debut against the Diamondbacks in the middle of August in what became one of the worst losses of the year after Messick’s strong start was ruined by a bullpen meltdown.

The next time out, Messick picked up his first MLB win when he threw seven shutout innings against the Rays. In total, Messick went at least five innings in six of his seven starts and allowed less than two runs in five of those seven starts. 

He didn’t make a start in the Guardians’ Wild Card Series loss to the Tigers, but likely would have fit into their pitching plans if they had made it to the ALDS. 

Although the Guardians finished the year with a six-man rotation, they’ll likely open the 2026 season with a traditional five-man rotation, and Messick is a lock to hold one of the spots. 

The biggest adjustment will come from all of baseball having a full year to scout how his stuff plays at the Major League level.

The biggest thing going in his favor is his incredible command, as he finished the year with a walk rate of 3.8% and a hard-hit rate of 29.8%, which would have been among the top of the Baseball Savant leaderboards if he had enough innings to qualify. 

His fastball isn’t overpowering (92.4 miles per hour), but his command of the strike zone is unrivaled and he never seemed scared of the moment at any point in his debut season. 

The Guardians’ pitching factory has long been the envy of countless organizations across Major League Baseball, and Messick’s strong debut season is a tangible example of why that’s the case.

If he’s able to build on that all for next season, his sophomore season has a chance at being even better.