Stephen Vogt Shares Update on Cleveland Guardians Outfield Roles for the 2026 Season

The Cleveland Guardians are ready to shake things up.

After an offseason that saw no upgrades to the outfield, outside the signing of journeyman Stuart Fairchild, the Guardians' coaching staff has begun moving the group around in hopes of finding the best fits for the 2026 campaign.

On Friday, Feb. 20, manager Stephen Vogt sat down with the media and discussed the expectations for the team's current outfielders for the spring. While he did leave out Fairchild, he mentioned plenty of the team's youngsters.

"[Chase] DeLauter is gonna get some reps in left, [George] Valera, [Johnathan] Rodriguez, Angel [Martinez], Jonsey [Nolan Jones]," Vogt said. "I think if you are an outfielder in camp, you'll probably get a little time at multiple spots.

"I don't think we will have anyone in camp that's only going to play one spot in the outfield."

This update comes just a day following the release of information that Guardians' four-time Golden Glove winner Steven Kwan would be transitioning to a center fielder, at least somewhat. He's been a staple for the team in left, but following a strugglesome 2025 by the outfielding group as a whole, the coaching staff is well aware that changes need to be made.

Vogt mentions Chase DeLauter, George Valera, Johnathan Rodríguez, Angel Martinez and Nolan Jones are just some of the #Guardians that will get reps in left field during Spring. #GuardsBall x @WEWS https://t.co/ryECt5YILz
— Mason Horodyski (@MasonHorodyski) February 20, 2026

The Benefits of Changes

At first, when the news broke, concerns began to arise about why the team was thinking of changing positions for Kwan. Was it due to a potential trade down the line? A chance to increase his value? Or just simply the need for more versatility?

Well, it's probably all of the above.

Moving Kwan to center field allows the team to get more comfort from prospects who might thrive there better. After all, playing in center field is one of the most difficult positions, especially for prospects getting their first ounce of major league action.

With the 28-year-old Kwan having so much success in left, the hope is that his adaptation to center will come with very few humps in the road. Playing guys like Valera, DeLauter and Martinez, three of the team's most promising outfielding prospects from late 2025, in left and right field puts way less pressure on them than center would.

In the minors, Kwan played over 150 games in center field, so it also wouldn't be that unfamiliar of a situation for him to be in.

As he looks towards a contract extension in the next calendar year, Kwan's ability to wear many hats for a team like the Guardians will allow the front office to justify giving him a sizeable contract. Yes, he's one of the best left fielders in the sport, but Cleveland's never thrown all of their eggs in one basket due to being a "small market team".

If he's able to become a more consistent hitter and an adaptable outfielder able to play anywhere asked, an extension should end up not being a question for one of the league's best fielding talents.

For now, though, it's obvious Vogt and the coaching staff want to see what they have and which players are set to be staples for the future.

The Guardians' first dance in spring training will be on Saturday, Feb. 21, against the Cincinnati Reds at 3:05 p.m. EST and the Milwaukee Brewers at 3:10 p.m. EST.