Guardians 2025 Draft Class Bats Continue To Impress As 2026 Season Concludes

Led by outfielder Jace LaViolette and infielder Dean Curley, the Cleveland Guardians' 2025 Draft Class has put it's stamp on the farm system already.

Tennessee's Dean Curley (1) runs the bases after hitting a two-run home run during game one of the NCAA baseball tournament Fayetteville Super Regional between Tennessee and Arkansas held at Baum-Walker Stadium on Saturday, June 7, 2025. | USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect

The Cleveland Guardians have an incredibly deep farm system.

And it doesn't look like the reputation of the organization possessing some of the league's most talented youngsters will end anytime soon.

While the 2026 Draft Class has taken many of the headlines over the last few weeks, especially as many settle into Low-A and High-A teams, the Class of 2025 has routinely delivered on the diamond. From lengthy on-base streaks to raw power being flashed with the swing of a bat, the Guardians' future looks bright with these players rapidly climbing the minor league ladder.

Here are four players from last year's draft class who are excelling:

1. Luke Hill - Fourth Rounder, No. 132

To begin the 2026 season, the Guardians' fourth-rounder Hill played with the High-A Lake County Captains.

And after just 38 games, the front office had seen enough.

He was promoted to Double-A Akron, the first of his class to make the jump, and has continued to be consistent at the plate for the organization. Across the last 29 games and 117 plate appearances, Hill's comfort level offensively has been obvious. He is slashing .250./.333/.433 for an OPS of .766, all while bashing 10 doubles and three home runs.

While he is obviously still learning and growing, his quick rise at just 22 years old has put him in a perfect spot to see Triple-A time at some point in the 2027 season.

2. Aaron Walton - Competitive Balance B, No. 66

Like Hill and much of the class, Walton is just 22 years old.

Walton's bat, though, has tremendous power behind it and has put him on the map as one of the organization's best prospect power-hitters. Across his first 132 games in the minor league system, he has smacked 35 doubles, three triples and 22 home runs for 85 RBI.

He does strike out a good bit, but his ability to bash the baseball makes up for it. He is currently slugging .472 in the minors and .500 across all levels.

Chase DeLauter really brought the organization power from the outfield during his time in the system, and being a righty, Walton has a chance to continue ushering in a new era of Cleveland baseball.

3. Nolan Schubart - Third Rounder, No. 101

Schubart's power at the plate is following side-by-side with Walton's.

Ranked as the No. 24 prospect in the system, Schubart has posted the most home runs of any player with 32 across 497 plate appearances. He has also slashed a career mark of .250/.398/.543, balancing that power with patience and consistency as well.

Back on Saturday, July 18, Schubart, playing with the Double-A Akron Rubberducks, extended his then organization-leading on-base streak to 45 games, beginning an outing against the Binghamton Rumble Ponies with an RBI triple. Later in the outing, he also smashed his leading 21st home run of the campaign, which was a bases-clearing grand slam.

Striking out 170 total times this season, he has also drawn 97 walks, which ranks just behind Dean Curley for the most in the 2025 class.

No matter which pitcher he is going up against, lefty or righty, his consistency remains as he has posted a 1.032 OPS against right-handers and a 1.092 against left-handers this season.

As long as he starts to cut down on how many times he swings and misses, he has a real chance of starting 2027 in Triple-A.

4. Dean Curley - Second Rounder, No. 64

Curley is the highest-ranked prospect from his class, coming in at No. 8 on the Guardians' pipeline.

At 6-foot-3 and 218 pounds, Curley has a good mix of raw power and arm strength that can help him out on both sides of his game. Primarily playing shortstop, Curley has posted a 93.6% fielding rate this season with 94 putouts and 228 assists. At the plate, he has contributed 26 extra-base hits and has also posted a season batting average of .259.

He also has the most walks of the class with 102 through 487 plate appearances, all while striking out just 146 times. He owns a 20.9% walk rate. That, combined with his high slugging percentage, makes him one of the most intriguing batters of the bunch.