Stephen Vogt Makes Bold Statement on Steven Kwan Playing Center Field

In the 2026 MLB Spring Training window, the Cleveland Guardians have been no strangers to experimentation.

The coaching staff has messed around with different defensive alignments, with one of the more interesting developments being four-time Golden Glove left fielder Steven Kwan getting a good chunk of reps in center field.

Kwan, who's entering his fifth season of major league action, has built up his reputation as one of baseball's best defensive outfielders.

With the coaching staff evaluating different combinations, manager Stephen Vogt was asked about how he believes Kwan has handled center field so far.

"It's been good," Vogt said. "You know, I think every time he's gotten the tester, the next time he gets it, he's making the play.... Playing outfield in Arizona is probably the toughest place to play outfield. But on top of that, this is one of the best outfielders on the planet, and he's going to make the adjustments every time he gets a ball hit over his head.

"He hasn't run back that far for a ball in quite a few years. "

Vogt went on to say that the Guardians won't commit to him playing center field, especially considering the roster still has to shake out a bit more. Over the coming weeks, plenty of prospects will be sent back down to the minors, while others will get a chance to stay up.

"His work with JT has been outstanding," he said. "I think we're just trying to get him as many reps in center field to see how this shakes out. And depending on how the roster shakes out, Kwan could get some looks in center...

"We could also just throw him right back and left tomorrow, and he's going to be right back."

"Playing outfield in Arizona is probably the toughest place to play outfield. But on top of that, this is one of the best outfielders on the planet."#Guardians Stephen Vogt on Steven Kwan in CF. Also says its still too early to commit on him in center more perminantly. @WEWS pic.twitter.com/YhuR3r4qUk
— Mason Horodyski (@MasonHorodyski) March 9, 2026

Vogt’s comments are really accurate. After all, Kwan is one of the best defensive outfielders in baseball, and no matter where he plays, he’s going to be incredibly effective.

Because of that, and just the general trust the coaching staff has in him, where Kwan ultimately lines up in the outfield on Opening Day may depend more on where the Guardians’ younger outfielders feel most comfortable defensively, rather than Kwan’s own preference.

His versatility makes him such a valuable piece to Cleveland's defensive lineup.

Offensively, this spring training has been kind to him. He's currently slashing .286/.400/.667 for an OPS of 1.067. He has six hits, one triple and two home runs for four RBI. He's also only struck out twice while drawing three walks.

Who Will End Up Playing Next to Kwan?

There are plenty of options for who will likely end up being Kwan's mates in the outfield.

But after the recent roster announcements on Monday, March 9, the group has slimmed up a bit.

Following the optioning of Kahlil Watson to the minors, the remaining options for Cleveland to utilize in the outfield are Angel Martinez, Nolan Jones, Petey Halpin, Chase DeLauter, George Valera and CJ Kayfus. That's a large chunk left to evaluate for the Guardians' coaching staff, but there are players who, based on how they concluded the 2025 season and have played so far in spring training, should get the nod come Opening Day.

Valera's the first, who's been excellent to start 2026. He currently has seven hits, two doubles and a home run. Out of the bunch, he's played the most consistently, with his roster spot nearly locked down.

Martinez and DeLauter, as long as he stays healthy, should be the next two who get to play the nod. They both have been great over the last couple of months and seemingly took big steps in the offseason to get better.

If the Guardians run a six-man crew, the final two spots should go to Halpin and Kayfus.

They are young and could spend a bit more time in the minors, but they seem ready for a jump in importance playing in MLB action.

No matter who the coaching staff and front office decide to play alongside Kwan, they'll sleep easy knowing they've got one of the most reliable outfielders in baseball anchoring them out in the open grass.