Stephen Vogt Says Guardians' Top Prospect Will Get Extended Look in Spring Training

The Cleveland Guardians have plenty of prospects set to make their spring training debuts in 2026.

Following a fairly quiet offseason, the front office has made it known that this year, the Guardians are going to be prioritizing the youngsters and their timelines of development. With the team's first spring training game just under a week away, manager Stephen Vogt was asked about which players are expected to be seen the most.

He highlighted infielder Travis Bazzana and outfielder Stuart Fairchild as two players who will get a good chunk of time on the diamond.

"Stuart obviously has a track record in this league of really hitting lefties well," Vogt said. "Very good defense in all three outfield spots. He's someone who has worked tremendously hard and knows who he is as a player and could be a really good compliment for us at some point this year...

"He and Bazzana are going to play quite a bit before they leave. We need to get their innings ramped up."

Both Bazzana and Fairchild are exciting additions to this spring training group, as Bazzana, a former No. 1 overall selection, is viewed as one of the most intriguing prospects, while Fairchild is looking to solidify a long-term role with a ball club.

Another reason why they'll get an increased look from the coaching staff is because of their involvement in the World Baseball Classic. Both players will be competing for their home countries in the international tournament.

#Guardians Stephen Vogt says the team "expects to see a lot" of Stuart Fairchild before he leaves for the World Baseball Classic. Says the same for top prospect Travis Bazzana. #GuardsBall @WEWS pic.twitter.com/Afbj1qzC1c
— Mason Horodyski (@MasonHorodyski) February 17, 2026

Expectations for Bazzana and Fairchild in 2026

Of the two, Bazzana's the most eye-grabbing, mainly due to how good a player he could potentially become. He still hasn't even played a full season of minor league ball yet, and people across the world are calling for him to get a chance in the big leagues.

Last season, while battling two different injuries, Bazzana looked sharp, slashing .245/.389/.424 for an OPS of .813 across three different levels of ball. He suited up for rookie action, and Double-A and Triple-A ball, with very little difference in productivity at each.

In spring training, the hope is that he'll end up getting more comfortable at the plate and biting less on pitches on the outside. That was an issue for him last year. Another aspect of his game that the Guardians will hope to see improve is his consistency with power.

Fortunately, these are all things to easily work on in spring training. If he looks good, there's a chance that he gets a call-up at some point in 2026.

Fairchild on the other hand, Vogt's really fond of.

"We identified him very early in the offseason as somebody that we wanted to bring in," he said about Fairchild. "He's a great teammate, great human."

Back on Saturday, Dec. 20, the Guardians' front office signed outfielder Fairchild to a minor league deal. The decision comes as the team designated Jhonkensy Noel for assignment, freeing up a spot in the minor league system for an outfielder to join the mix.

Fairchild's not a bad batter with a slash line of .223/.305/.384 across five major league seasons, but he's just never been able to find a solid roster spot anywhere. The hope with Cleveland is that he can actually stick somewhere for longer than a singular campaign.

"You know, we're going to see a lot of him early before he takes off, and to try and get him built up to go play," Vogt said.

After all, the Guardians certainly need more consistency from the team's outfielders, and Fairchild will compete against Nolan Jones, Chase DeLauter and George Valera for a job on Opening Day.

The Guardians' first dance of spring training will come on Saturday, Feb. 21, against the Cincinnati Reds at 3:05 p.m. EST, with a game against the Milwaukee Brewers occurring just five minutes later at 3:10 p.m. EST.