Guardians expect to see big jumps from C.J. Kayfus and George Valera in 2026

The Cleveland Guardians are going to be young in 2026. There's no doubt there.

But through young, raw, impressionable players, growth still needs to be seen.

Heading into the 2026 campaign, Guardians manager Stephen Vogt spotlighted both second-year professionals George Valera and C.J. Kayfus as two players he wants to see take a big leap to help the team reach its potential.

Valera slashed .220/.333/.415, while Kayfus put up a .220/.292/.415 line of his own in the 2025 season.

"[I hope] that their winter was productive," Vogt said. "I think anytime you've got young players, you know, and we've supported them every step of the way, but you want to see the work that they put in.

"Spring training is beautiful because the stats don't matter. It's go out and work and go compete."

The Guardians' first 2026 MLB Spring Training matchup is set for Saturday, Feb. 21, against the Cincinnati Reds with first-pitch slated for 3:05 p.m. EST. It'll be the first chance for the public and coaching staff to see how guys like Valera and Kayfus have developed with a full offseason of major league preparation.

"I'm excited to see what they build upon"#Guardians manager Stephen Vogt on the leaps he wants out of George Valera and CJ Kayfus#GuardsBall @WEWS pic.twitter.com/YBax2Ml2v5
— Mason Horodyski (@MasonHorodyski) January 15, 2026

"I think, for George and CJ specifically, we got a good look at what they can do the last month, two months of the season," Vogt said. "And so I'm excited to see what they're going to build upon that."

Kayfus ended up playing in 44 games last season, putting up 27 total hits, 10 doubles, one triple and four home runs for 19 RBIs. He also tacked on 11 walks to just 38 strikeouts, showing a relatively keen eye for his first stint in major league baseball.

Earlier in the season, when he was still in the minor league system with the Triple-A Columbus Clippers, he looked sharp as well, slashing. 283/.367/.526.

Of all the prospects in recent years for the Guardians, he's a player that they rushed up to Progressive Field who didn't fall flat on his face. If he can build upon what he showed at the end of 2025, he may be one of the next best Guardians who becomes a household name.

After all, he's made up this much ground with just two full seasons as a part of the organization.

Like Kayfus, Valera's an exciting player to be on the lookout for.

He's just a year older than Kayfus, but has been in the farm system for Cleveland since 2018. He's had a good amount of ups and downs in the minors throughout his time with the club, involving a time when he was designated for assignment in late 2024. However, even with that occurring, the Guardians opted to give him another chance and signed him to a minor league deal.

With a dose of reality that, at any time, his MLB dreams could come crashing down, he started to showcase an extra edge of energy and resilience on the field.

In 2025, he was one of the best hitters in the minor league system with such a short volume of chances, slashing .255/.346/.457 for an OPS above .800 with the Clippers. His power is what makes him special as he knocked six doubles, two triples and three home runs for 10 RBIs in just 28 games.

Throughout the entire season, he was battling to come back from injury.

The front office liked what they saw, giving him a September call-up to show what he's worth. Now, even with just 16 major league games under his belt, he's expected to be a strong candidate for the 2026 Opening Day roster after his impactful 2025 cameo.

Both Kayfus will be competing against youngsters like themselves during spring training, with other players like Chase DeLauter competing for a spot in the majors.

After all, internal competition like this is only a positive for the organization as they look to find a fix to the issues at the plate that 2025 presented.