Trending Up, Trending Down: Cleveland Guardians Top Prospects

The Guardians No. 5 prospect is projected to make his MLB debut this season, according to MLB.com. Kayfus could be a much-needed bat for Cleveland, especially in the later months of the season.

Trending Down: Travis Bazzana, 2B

If it weren't for an injury he recently sustained, the Guardians No. 1 prospect could have very much been a player trending up for Cleveland.

Bazzana suffered an internal oblique strain on May 14, which has a typical recovery time of 8-10 weeks. Before the setback, however, the former No. 1 pick in the 2024 MLB Draft batted .252 while also recording eight steals in 33 games with the RubberDucks this season.

There's no doubt that Bazzana will recover and still remain as the organization's top prospect, but the injury could derail his ETA to the big leagues, as he was projected to be called up at some point this year.

Trending Up: Parker Messick, LHP

The Guardians' farm system was known for producing tons of talented pitchers, but the team's recent pitching slump has caused panic within the fanbase. Luckily, Parker Messick could break this trend.

Messick has dominated so far this season in Triple-A Columbus, posting a 3-1 record with sub-three ERA in 2025. Through the month of May, the 24-year-old has collected two wins while giving up a total of six runs through 20.1 innings of work. With starting pitcher Ben Lively out for the rest of the season, Messick could see some time in the majors towards the end of the season.

Trending Down: Joey Oakie, RHP

The Guardians' 2024 third-round pick is not off to a hot start through his first three professional starts.

Oakie is 0-3 in the month of May, while also holding a 16.88 ERA in eight innings of work. Coming straight out of high school, the Cleveland's No. 14 prospect still has plenty of time to develop in Rookie Ball, but it's clear that this project will take a while to see his full potential as a pitcher in the MLB.

Trending Up: Josh Hartle, LHP

Cleveland's front office may have struck gold in LHP Josh Hartle.

The 22-year-old from Wake Forest was part of the deal that sent Spencer Horwitz to the Pittsburgh Pirates. And while Luis Ortiz has not lived up to expectations, Hartle has been quite the surprise. In eight starts with the High-A Lake County Captains, the No. 22 prospect is 4-1 with a 2.55 ERA and 36 strikeouts.

Hartle has all the potential to become a quality starting pitcher at the next level. He's a 6-foot-5, left-handed pitcher with a low-to-mid 90s fastball. If the Guardians' farm system can properly develop the young talent, he will surely be a high-impact player in the majors one day.

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