Cleveland Guardians Offseason Prospect Report 12/16-22/25

Jaison Chourio finds success in Venezuela; Juan Brito continues to play 1B

Matthew Kennell and Arthur Kinney

Dec 23, 2025

Guardians Prospects:

Juan Brito (1B, Toros - G2 Tuesday): 2-4, 1 R, 2 2B, 1 RBI, 1 BB, 1 K - Tuesday was by far Brito’s best day of the Dominican season so far as his first multi-hit game of the LIDOM campaign saw him continue to exclusively hit doubles in the DR.

Jaison Chourio (CF, Zulia - Tuesday): 1-5, 2 R, 2 K - While Chourio couldn’t replicate his multi-hit Monday, he did score twice for the second consecutive contest - his first multi-run streak of the current Venezuelan campaign.

Gabriel Arias (SS, La Guaira - Tuesday): 0-3, 1 R, 1 RBI, 2 BB, 2 K - Arias scored for the second straight game on Tuesday despite going hitless for the third time in his last four games played.

Carlos Hernandez (RP, Caracas - Tuesday): H (4), 1 IP, 1 BB - Hernandez bounced back from a rough performance on the 13th for his fourth hold of the season.

Johnathan Rodriguez (LF, Carolina - Tuesday): 0-3, 1 BB - Rodriguez’s week didn’t get off to the greatest start but he still reached base.

Milan Tolentino (2B, Hermosillo - Tuesday): 1-3, 1 BB (intentional), 1 K - Tolentino’s base hit was his first since taking nearly a week off between the prior two Sundays.

Dayan Frias (SS, Cartagena - Tuesday): 0-3, 1 R, 1 RBI, 2 BB - Frias had a productive Tuesday night at the plate despite going hitless against his former team.

Gabriel Arias (3B, La Guaira - Wednesday): 0-for-3 - Not only was it a tough day at the plate for Arias, but also for the entire Tiburones team who was shutout on Wednesday with only four hits in total, none from the Guardians infielder.

Juan Brito (1B, Toros - Wednesday): 1-for-4, CS - Brito singled up the middle in the bottom of the fourth but was caught stealing on a potential hit-and-run to thwart the scoring attempt. He was also unlucky on a lineout double play after making hard contact and recorded a pair of groundouts.

Milan Tolentino (2B, Hermosillo - Wednesday): 0-for-1 - Tolentino entered in the bottom of the sixth as a defensive replacement and struck out in his lone plate appearance.

Johnathan Rodriguez (LF, Carolina - Wednesday): 2-for-5, R, RBI - Rodriguez put together a multi-hit day that featured a game-tying single in the sixth inning. His base knock helped spark a four-run inning for the Carolina squad and he came around to score as well in the frame. Rodriguez also had a two-out single in the first but nothing came of it.

Dayan Frias (SS, Cartagena - Wednesday): 1-for-3, 2 R, BB, SB, HBP - A leadoff walk in the first and a stolen base by Frias helped put him in scoring position to score the game’s first run right off the bat. He reached base three times after being hit by a pitch in the fifth and scored after a leadoff single in the seventh.

Jaison Chourio (DH, Zulia - Thursday): 0-4, 1 R, 1 BB, 2 K - Thursday saw Chourio extend his hit streak to a quartet of contests.

Gabriel Arias (Starting DH, La Guaira - Thursday):1-4, 1 R, 1 BB, 2 K - Thursday saw Arias pick up a much-needed base hit.

Milan Tolentino (2B, Hermosillo - Thursday): 1-4, 1 K - Tolentino returned to both the starting lineup and basepaths on Thursday night.

Jaison Chourio (CF, Zulia - Friday): 5-6, 2 R, 1 2B, 1 3B, 7 RBI, 1 K - Chourio’s winter season had been impressive even before Friday’s eight-base tour de force that was easily the best performance in the Guardians org this offseason, but this certainly took it to another level.

Carlos Hernandez (RP, Caracas - Friday): 0 IP, 4 H, 4 R (all earned) - This was Hernandez’s worst performance of the Venezuelan season so far. If you recall his early season…um…efforts, you’ll realize just how bad that is.

Gabriel Arias (3B, La Guaira - Friday): 2-4, 1 R, 1 2B, 1 BB, 1 K - Arias’ first multi-hit performance in five days would’ve been the highlight of many days in the org this winter.

Johnathan Rodriguez (LF, Carolina - Friday): 1-4, 1 R, 1 2B, 1 RBI, 1 SF - Rodriguez’s on-base streak reached eight games with Friday’s first-inning double.

Milan Tolentino (2B, Hermosillo - Friday): 0-3, 1 K - A rare return to early season form for Tolentino on Friday.

Dayan Frias (SS, Cartagena - Friday): 1-4, 1 R - Frias continued his consistent, if not flashy, Colombian campaign in the Tigres’ shutout of Monteria.

Juan Brito (2B, Toros - Saturday): 0-4 - After posting his first hitting streak of the season earlier in the week, Brito’s offensive struggles returned in what may be his last outing of the regular season, which ends tonight (12/23).

Jaison Chourio (CF, Zulia - Saturday): 2-3, 2 R, 1 RBI, 2 BB - Another day, another two runs, another four trips to the basepaths. Jaison is playing his best baseball right as the Aguilas need him to keep them in the top four in the standings and avoid the Wild Card round.

Gabriel Arias (3B, La Guaira - Saturday): 2-3, 1 R, 1 HR, 1 RBI, 1 BB, 1 K - Saturday saw Arias post his first multi-hit streak of the LVBP season.

Johnathan Rodriguez (LF-RF, Carolina - Saturday): 1-3, 2 BB - Rodriguez reached thrice on Saturday to extend his hot streak.

Milan Tolentino (2B, Hermosillo - Saturday): 1-3, 1 BB - Tolentino proved his Friday offensive impotence to be short-lived by reaching safely twice on Saturday.

Dayan Frias (SS, Cartagena - Saturday): 1-5, 3 K - Frias was one of only four Tigres to get a hit on a rough Saturday for the Cartagena nine.

Jaison Chourio (RF, Zulia - Sunday): 1-3, 1 R, 1 BB, 1 K - Chourio still reached twice and scored once on a relatively quiet day compared to his recent offensive output. I wonder how much the presence of his brother Jackson, who just joined him on the Aguilas roster, has been psychologically beneficial for Jaison.

Gabriel Arias (3B, La Guaira - Sunday): 2-4, 1 2B - Much like Chourio, Arias is playing some of his best baseball of the winter in crucial late-season contests - in his case, for a Tiburones squad just trying to make the Wild Card.

Johnathan Rodriguez (LF, Carolina - Sunday): 0-3, 1 R, 1 BB, 1 K - Even on a hitless day, J-Rod extended his on-base streak to double digits.

Milan Tolentino (SS-2B, Hermosillo - Sunday): 1-3, 1 R, 1 RBI, 1 BB, 1 K - Milan’s upward trajectory continued with this solid Sunday.

Dayan Frias (SS, Cartagena - Sunday): 2-5, 1 R, 1 2B - Frias had a big Sunday from the leadoff spot to help the Tigres to a series finale win.

Carlos Hernandez (RP, Caracas - Monday): 0.2 IP, 3 H, 2 R (both earned), 1 BB, 1 K - Unlike the Guardians’ hitters in the LVBP, Hernandez is getting worse as the season winds down, with this performance bringing his ERA back into double digits for the first time since the morning of November 21. To be fair, the Leones would need a Christmas miracle to reach any stage of the Postseason.

Johnathan Rodriguez (LF, Carolina - Monday): 1-5, 1 R, 2 K, 1 E - Rodriguez’s throwing miscue was his first error of the LVBP campaign.

Milan Tolentino (2B, Hermosillo - Monday): 1-3, 1 RBI, 2 K, 1 CS - Tolentino’s caught stealing was also his first such miscue of the Caribbean campaign.

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Hawke had that great start with Lynchburg, got promoted to Lake County and almost immediately got hurt and shut down. I
I remember a kid about 20 years ago with stole a phenomenal number of bases in the Rookie League for us; at Burlington I guess. And never got behind Class A and never go on base enough to steal the next base. This time I'm stumped for a name

The Nexty's: Cleveland Guardians 2025 Prospect of the Year

Which Guardians prospect stood alone at the top this year?

Justin Lada

Dec 27

The Nexty’s are my personal awards for Cleveland Guardians prospects each year at Next Year in Cleveland.

The categories are:

All-Prospect Team

Rookie Prospect of the Year

Relief Prospect of the Year

Breakout Prospect of the Year

Pitching Prospect of the Year

Prospect of the Year

C Cooper Ingle - .260/.389/.419, 36 2B, 10 HR, 16.7 K%/16.9 BB%, 139 wRC+

A slow start in Double-A for Ingle was quickly corrected by getting back to his usual approach and numbers, drawing walks and finding modest power. The jump to Triple-A was also a tough transition for him at first. He didn’t find as many hits, but he did draw his walks. However, the one thing to note about Ingle is his swing rate minus his chase rate lead to what looks like a passive approach (15.7% - you want swing rage-chase rate to be 20% or higher). There is a wonder about how that approach will translate, but so far he’s been able to make it work the same as he’s moved up the ladder and has performed and maybe shown that the floor is solid for his offense as he improves as a defender.

1B/OF CJ Kayfus (minors) - .300/.390/.539, 18 2B, 14 HR, 25.2 K%/11.9 BB%, 151 wRC+

It’s not often Cleveland sees hitters jump two levels to the majors in a single season, but Kayfus would not be denied. He surged in Double-A after a brief slow down at the end of 2024 and carried that production into Triple-A. There

1B Ralphy Velazquez - 122 G, 544 PA, .265/.342/.497, 28 2B, 9 3B, 22 HR, 135 wRC+, 19.1 K%/9.6 BB%

After hitting .199/.287/.404 through June 1 with a 94 wRC+ thanks to a .222 BABIP (and a .173 BABIP from April 1 to May 1 with a .690 OPS), it was a true breakout season for Ralphy Velazquez. From May 1 through the end of the season, the former first round pick hit .281/.351/.512 with a 143 wRC+ on a .315 BABIP that finally normalized.

Even more exciting, his K% was down to 18.3% and his BB% down to 8.8%. He did carry an unsustainable .364 BABIP at Double-A in his 28 games (126 PAs) but in the low and mid-minors, high BABIPs can be a sign of hitting the ball hard and having good skills (launch angle, etc). His K/BB% ratios at Double-A were 15.1%/9.5%, even better. He pulled the ball slightly less at Double-A but maintained a strong fly ball rate.

He finished just 3 points behind Cooper Ingle and Wuilfredo Antunez for highest wRC+ in the minors for Cleveland (not that is it translatable, but still good), fifth best K% and second best OPS (.839) among Guardians prospects with at least 400 plate appearances. He showed the ability to adjust to offspeed, lift the ball and pull it when he struggled with that at the end of 2024. It was a true breakout.

2025 Cleveland Guardians Prospect of the Year

1B Ralphy Velazquez

Unlike the end of 2024 when he wore down due to his first full season of pro ball, Velazquez got better later in the year. In addition to his improved performance and consistency from May 1-on, his August and September saw him with a 197 wRC+ and an OPS over 1.000, finishing the year with a 13 K% and 11.2 BB%.

Double-A pitchers may have more of a book on him to start 2026 and perhaps the early season and cold weather may get him off to another slow start, but we have seen the real upside of the true Ralphy Velazquez and he is making his case to be the organization’s top prospect, which is a big deal here for a corner infield prospect. The kind of hitter Cleveland hasn’t developed in some time.






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Prospect Guardians fleeced from Cubs highlighted as team’s top breakout prospect

By Henry Palattella

2 hours ago

While so much of the discourse around the Guardians this offseason has been based around the moves they haven’t made, they’ve made plenty of moves in recent years that have been clear wins.

Perhaps none of those are beginning to age better than their trade last offseason that netted them outfield prospect Alfonsin Rosario from the Chicago Cubs in exchange for reliever Eli Morgan.

It looked like a win at the time given Morgan’s history of arm injuries and it’s gotten better by the day considering the Cubs cut Morgan this offseason after one disastrous year while Rosario is currently ranked as the Guardians’ No. 12 prospect by MLB Pipeline.

The Pipeline team gave even more love to Rosario last week when they named the 21-year-old as the Guardians' top breakout prospect for the 2025 season.

Alfonsin Rosario is one of the Guardians' top prospects

It’s easy to see why Rosario was the Guardians’ selection for the honor given how his 2025 season went.

After putting together a solid 2024 campaign at Single-A for the Cubs, Rosario hit .251 across 115 games in High-A and Double-A for the Guardians with 21 home runs and 64 RBI. And perhaps most importantly, he cut his strikeout rate down from 32% in 2024 to 27% in 2025 despite going up two minor league levels.

Alfonsin Rosario homer #11 homer

https://x.com/i/status/1934054062644670844

Rosario still has the kind of power that made him stand out to the Guardians as a trade return, but he’s cutting down on the strikeouts that have been a huge bugaboo for him throughout his career.

All of this sets up a future where Rosario could slide into the Guardians’ outfield picture potentially as early as 2027. As mentioned above, he finished the year at Double-A, where he posted a .303 on-base percentage in 33 games.

Even though Guardians outfielders combined for a wRC+ of 79 last season (the second-worst mark in baseball), their lone outfield addition so far this offseason has been Stuart Fairchild, who the Guardians signed as a minor league free agent after a rough 2025.

The Guardians outfield situation could be worse thanks to Steven Kwan being a mainstay in left field, but he gets closer to free agency with every passing day.

Even though the Guardians have plenty of intriguing internal options to man center field and right field (we need to see as much of Chase DeLauter and George Valera as possible), Rosario stands out as one of the top internal options for the future alongside Khalil Watson, who was just added to the 40-man roster.

The Guardians have been on a never-ending quest to find a way to get power out of their outfield, and Roasrio stands out as one the top internal options to fix that problem.

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He generally ranks in the 13-20 range but he is a possibliity.

Cleveland Guardians Offseason Prospect Report 12/23-30/25

Jaison Chourio has another solid week in Venezuela

Matthew Kennell and Arthur Kinney

Jan 1

Guardians Prospects:

Juan Brito (1B, Toros - Tuesday 12/23): 2-5, 1 2B, 1 K - Brito finished his regular season with a multi-hit effort that included an extra-base knock.

Jaison Chourio (RF-LF, Zulia - Tuesday 12/23): 0-2, 2 BB, 1 SB - Chourio stole his ninth base of the Venezuelan campaign on the same night his brother opened his winter ball theft account.

Johnathan Rodriguez (LF, Carolina - Tuesday 12/23): 0-4, 1 K - Hopefully, this rough pre-Christmas break effort didn’t affect his enjoyment of the Holidays.

Milan Tolentino (2B, Hermosillo - both games Tuesday 12/23): combined 0-5, 3 K - No Christmas miracle at the plate for the struggling Tolentino.

Dayan Frias (starting SS, Cartagena - Tuesday 12/23): 3-3, 2 R, 1 3B, 5 RBI, 1 BB, 1 CS - Frias broke out in a big way with a perfect night at the plate that saw him drive in a third of the Tigres’ prodigious run total and hit his first three-bagger of 2025 (inclusive of MLB Spring Training, the MiLB regular season, and LPB regular season - MiLB spring stats aren’t public).

Jaison Chourio (RF, Zulia - Friday): 2-4 - Chourio’s multi-hit Friday made him the star of a rough night for the Aguilas lineup.

Gabriel Arias (3B, La Guaira - Friday): 1-4, 1 R, 1 HR, 2 RBI, 3 K, 1 E - It was feast-or-famine Friday for Arias as his two run blast in the eighth was preceded by a hat trick of strikeouts. It was also not a banner night for Gabriel in the field as a fielding miscue brought his LVBP season error total into double digits.

Johnathan Rodriguez (LF, Carolina - Friday): 0-2, 1 K, 2 HBP - Rodriguez did see the basepaths on Friday night, albeit in the most painful way possible.

Milan Tolentino (2B, Hermosillo - Friday): 1-4, 1 R, 1 3B - Tolentino scored the Narnajeros’ regulation tally after tripling in the top of the fifth in his home ballpark (The nameless Tucson nine is playing the 25-26 campaign south of the border due to visa issues.).

Dayan Frias (SS, Cartagena - Friday): 0-4, 1 BB, 1 K, 2 SB - Frias made the most of his lone trip to the basepaths, stealing both second and third.

Gabriel Arias (3B, La Guaira - Saturday): 1-for-5, R, 2B - Arias has remained steady despite a 1-for-5 day, but it featured an extra-base hit in the sixth that led to a run scored. Arias is batting .282 with an .880 OPS across 41 games played.

Jaison Chourio (RF, Zulia - Saturday): 1-for-5, R, BB, GIDP - Chourio has had similar success to Arias with a .323 batting average and .829 OPS over the course of 45 contests. Chourio had just one hit on the day and reached base again via the walk, but he has been a highly productive member of a team offense that put up 14 runs despite being one of the worst offensive teams in the LVBP.

Juan Brito (PH-DH, Toros - Saturday): 0-for-1 - Brito flew out to right in his pinch-hitting appearance on Saturday.

Milan Tolentino (2B, Hermosillo - Saturday): 0-for-2, RBI, SF - Tolentino’s sacrifice fly in the fifth ended up being the difference in the seven-inning affair even though the score at that time was 5-1.

Johnathan Rodriguez (LF, Carolina - Saturday): 1-for-3, R, RBI, BB, OF assist, DP - A walk with the bases loaded scored a run for Carolina and Rodriguez added a base hit to begin the fifth inning. The highlight of his day, however, may have come in the field with an outfield assist for a double play.

Dayan Frias (SS, Cartagena - Saturday): 2-for-4, R, 3B, 2 RBIs, BB - As the leadoff man, Frias has been on a tear to begin the Colombian League and had a two-hit day that featured an RBI triple in the sixth. His hit delivered the first run of the game and the Tigres would put together a massive come-from-behind effort to win 10-9. He walked in the eighth and singled in the ninth to score the first of four runs in the final inning.

Milan Tolentino (2B, Hermosillo - Sunday): 0-for-1 - Tolentino entered as a defensive replacement at second base and lined out to center field in his only plate appearance, an unlucky out with a pair of runners on and a chance to increase their lead in the eighth.

Johnathan Rodriguez (DH, Carolina - Sunday): 0-for-2 - Rodriguez struck out and grounded out to the pitcher before being replaced by a pinch hitter.

Dayan Frias (SS, Cartagena - Sunday): 0-for-5, R, 2 DPs - It was a hitless day for Frias, but he was involved in a pair of double plays.

Dayan Frias (SS, Cartagena - Tuesday 12/30): 1-4, 1 R, 1 K - Frias scored the eventual game-winning run in the bottom of the eighth after singling to lead off the half-frame.

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Exciting Guardians Prospect Could Make Debut In 2026

January 1, 2026

By Ernesto Cova

The Cleveland Guardians turned plenty of heads with their first-round selection in the 2025 MLB Draft. They went away from what they usually do with their pick.

Taking Jace LaViolette was a clear shift in direction. He’s an impressive physical player, a lite version of Aaron Judge who might be just what they need to put an end to their offensive struggles. With that in mind, Ben Weinrib expects him to make his debut soon.

In his latest column, he gushed about LaViolette’s potential:

“LaViolette was an early favorite to go first overall in the Draft but fell in the first round when contact issues — particularly in the strike zone — flared up. Everyone will be watching how much he whiffs in pro ball, especially coming off a broken left hand, because he has as much raw power as anyone in his class and is an athletic defender at 6-foot-6,” Weinrib wrote.

LaViolette was projected to be a superstar, and for very good reasons. He has all the physical tools to thrive at the next level.

Unfortunately, an injury prevented him from making his minor league debut late last season, and the fans would have to wait a little longer before he takes the field. He would’ve benefited from the additional reps and at-bats.

LaViolette’s raw power and physicality are more than enough to take a risk with him. He still needs to work on his approach at the plate and clean up plenty of things in his game, but the potential is just too big to ignore. The Guardians have struggled to get much offensive production from their outfielders for quite a while now.

And even though it will be some time before the rookie out of Texas A&M takes the field in the majors, he might be this team’s savior.

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Jace LaViolette, a massive 6'6" left-handed hitting outfielder drafted by the Guardians in 2025, is known for his elite raw power (70-grade) and impressive strength, making him an upside swing-and-miss prospect with excellent walk rates and strike zone recognition. While concerns exist about his swing-and-miss tendencies and contact ability (especially on the outer half), his plus power potential, athleticism for his size (played center field), and quick left-handed swing position him as a high-upside corner outfield/power bat, with potential to be an impact player if he refines his contact skills.

Strengths

Elite Raw Power: Possesses double-plus raw power, generating huge exit velocities, with the ability to hit for power to all fields.

Exceptional Plate Discipline: Career-best walk rate at Texas A&M, showing strong swing decisions and strike zone recognition.

Physicality & Athleticism: Towering frame (6'6") combined with surprising athleticism, allowing him to play center field in college, though likely a corner outfielder in pro ball.

Quick, Strong Swing: Fast hands and strength allow him to launch pitches with a quick left-handed stroke.

Areas for Improvement

Contact & Swing-and-Miss: The biggest concern is his whiff rate and ability to consistently make contact within the strike zone, especially on the outer half.

Rhythm in Swing: Some scouts question the rhythm and consistency of his swing, noting a potentially stiff look with minimal pre-pitch hand movement.

Guardians Context

Upside Play: The Guardians viewed him as a high-upside, power-hitting talent, taking him late in the first round (27th pick) of the 2025 draft.

Power Need: Fills a need for power in the system, with the potential to be a significant offensive force at Progressive Field.

Overall

LaViolette is a classic high-risk, high-reward prospect; if he can significantly improve his contact rates and reduce strikeouts, his elite power and plate discipline could make him a star. He's a project for the Guardians' player development, but the raw tools are undeniable.

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He is classically not the kind of player Guardians have drafted and when they have, have not succeeded with developing.
However, the progress of Ralphy Velazquez perhaps is a sign of new organizational skills, or simply of good hard work by the player.

Good hard work by player. Teams do not develop power unless you have Charlie Manuel handing out steroids to Manny Ramirez, Jim Thome, Sandy Alomar and every other player on the teams he coached or managed.

Coaches do help with working on launch angle and other approaches to hitting.
And guided strength training.
And selcetivity at the plate.

But none of that did any good for Zimmer among many others.

Basically because teams do not develop power. Players are born with it or grow into it.

I guess it's not just the power that I'm talking about but the ability to use it against good pitching.
Noel was born with power. But he's not selective enough to havae the opportunity to exploit it.
It's clear that LaViolette and Schubert have "natural power" but we won't know for a couple years if they can take advantage of that ability

Jace LaViolette might come quicker than expected !

My friends at Baseball America have now posted their full top 30 for each team. Here are their rankings for the Guardians:

1. Bazzana 2B
2. DeLauter OF
3. Velazquez 1B
4. Genao SS
5. Messick LHP
6. Doughty RHP
7. LaViolette OF
8. Khai Stephan RHP
9. Chourio OF
10. Ingle C
11. Caceres OF
12. Oakie RHP
13. Dean Curley 3B
14. Cozart C
15. Brito 2B
16. W. Frencisca SS
17. Espino RHP
18. Walters RHP
19. Kahlie Watson OF
20. Yorman Gomez RHP
21. Nolan Schubert OF
22. Aaron Walton OF
23. Petey Halpin OF
24. Rosario OF
25. Harlte LHP
26. Dauri Fernandez SS
27. Gabriel Rodriguez SS
28. Nikhazy LHP
29. Rafe Schlesinger LHP
30. Will Haynes RHP

Some notable absences:
George Valera-- he's not on the current MLB.com list either
Austin Peterson No. 30 at MLB.com
Peyton Pallette No. 19 at MLB.com
Not sure if MLB.com current list is the "official" pre-2026 ranking. Their biggest difference is Ingle at No. 4 Messick 11.