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Watch: Guardians Elite Prospect Hits Home Run Off Max Scherzer
Apr 15, 2022; Cleveland, Ohio, USA; A detail of the uniform of Cleveland Guardians left fielder Steven Kwan during the game between the Cleveland Guardians and the San Francisco Giants at Progressive Field. Mandatory Credit: Ken Blaze-Imagn Images Ken Blaze-Imagn Images

Watch: Guardians Elite Prospect Hits Home Run Off Max Scherzer

Originally posted on Cleveland Guardians on SI
By Tommy Wild  |  Last updated Jun 13, 2025 9:15 PM ET

The calls for the Cleveland Guardians to call up CJ Kayfus to the big leagues have been loud over the past few weeks.

Those cries are only going to get louder after what Cleveland's fifth-ranked prospect did during the Columbus Clippers' game on Friday night.

Max Scherzer, former Cy Young winner and future Hall of Famer, was making a rehab start for the Buffalo Bison (Triple-A affiliate of the Toronto Blue Jays).

In the second inning, Kayfus smoked a solo home run off Scherzer. The ball traveled 425 feet and came off the bat at 105.9 mph, an absolute moonshot.

If there was going to be anybody on Columbus' roster that was going to Scherzer deep, it was going to be Kayfus, given how locked in at the plate he's been all season.

After this homer, Kayfus is now hitting .325/.410/.557 with an OPS of .967, including 12 doubles, seven triples, and seven home runs.

Sure, Scherzer is pitching in a rehab game, which means he's still working back up to 100 percent. But for Kayfus to hit a no-doubt home run off of someone of his caliber proves that the prospect is ready to face stronger competition.

Given that Cleveland's offense has been slumping overall during the last few series, the front office must take a strong look at Kayfus and weigh the pros and cons of keeping him in the minors.

At some point, the Guardians will have to allow Kayfus to see big-league pitching and call him up.

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This article first appeared on Cleveland Guardians on SI and was syndicated with permission.

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