Guardians Expect To See Big Jumps From C.j. Kayfus And George Valera In 2026

The Cleveland Guardians are going to beryllium young successful 2026. There's nary uncertainty there.

But done young, raw, impressionable players, maturation still needs to beryllium seen.

Heading into nan 2026 campaign, Guardians head Stephen Vogt spotlighted some second-year professionals George Valera and C.J. Kayfus arsenic 2 players he wants to spot return a large leap to thief nan squad scope its potential.

Valera slashed .220/.333/.415, while Kayfus put up a .220/.292/.415 statement of his ain successful nan 2025 season.

"[I hope] that their wintertime was productive," Vogt said. "I deliberation anytime you've sewage young players, you know, and we've supported them each measurement of nan way, but you want to spot nan activity that they put in.

"Spring training is beautiful because nan stats don't matter. It's spell retired and activity and spell compete."

The Guardians' first 2026 MLB Spring Training matchup is group for Saturday, Feb. 21, against nan Cincinnati Reds pinch first-pitch slated for 3:05 p.m. EST. It'll beryllium nan first chance for nan nationalist and coaching unit to spot really guys for illustration Valera and Kayfus person developed pinch a afloat offseason of awesome convention preparation.

"I think, for George and CJ specifically, we sewage a bully look astatine what they tin do nan past month, 2 months of nan season," Vogt said. "And truthful I'm excited to spot what they're going to build upon that."

Kayfus ended up playing successful 44 games past season, putting up 27 full hits, 10 doubles, 1 triple and 4 location runs for 19 RBIs. He besides tacked connected 11 walks to conscionable 38 strikeouts, showing a comparatively keen oculus for his first stint successful awesome convention baseball.

Earlier successful nan season, erstwhile he was still successful nan insignificant convention strategy pinch nan Triple-A Columbus Clippers, he looked crisp arsenic well, slashing. 283/.367/.526.

Of each nan prospects successful caller years for nan Guardians, he's a subordinate that they rushed up to Progressive Field who didn't autumn level connected his face. If he tin build upon what he showed astatine nan extremity of 2025, he whitethorn beryllium 1 of nan adjacent champion Guardians who becomes a family name.

After all, he's made up this overmuch crushed pinch conscionable 2 afloat seasons arsenic a portion of nan organization.

Like Kayfus, Valera's an breathtaking subordinate to beryllium connected nan lookout for.

He's conscionable a twelvemonth older than Kayfus, but has been successful nan workplace strategy for Cleveland since 2018. He's had a bully magnitude of ups and downs successful nan minors passim his clip pinch nan club, involving a clip erstwhile he was designated for duty successful precocious 2024. However, moreover pinch that occurring, nan Guardians opted to springiness him different chance and signed him to a insignificant convention deal.

With a dose of reality that, astatine immoderate time, his MLB dreams could travel crashing down, he started to showcase an other separator of power and resilience connected nan field.

In 2025, he was 1 of nan champion hitters successful nan insignificant convention strategy pinch specified a short measurement of chances, slashing .255/.346/.457 for an OPS supra .800 pinch nan Clippers. His powerfulness is what makes him typical arsenic he knocked six doubles, 2 triples and 3 location runs for 10 RBIs successful conscionable 28 games.

Throughout nan full season, he was battling to travel backmost from injury.

The beforehand agency liked what they saw, giving him a September call-up to show what he's worth. Now, moreover pinch conscionable 16 awesome convention games nether his belt, he's expected to beryllium a beardown campaigner for the 2026 Opening Day roster aft his impactful 2025 cameo.

Both Kayfus will beryllium competing against youngsters for illustration themselves during outpouring training, pinch different players for illustration Chase DeLauter competing for a spot successful nan majors.

After all, soul title for illustration this is only a affirmative for nan statement arsenic they look to find a hole to nan issues astatine nan sheet that 2025 presented.