Why catcher Cooper Ingle will make his Guardians debut in 2026

The fourth round pick for the Cleveland Guardians of the 2023 MLB June Amateur Draft is poised to make an appearance with the major league roster next season.

Cooper Ingle, who's just 23 years old, has impressed across his three seasons in the Guardians' minor league system. With a slashing line of .281/.407/.442 through time in High-A, Double-A and Triple-A, Ingle's game has translated across each level he's played at.

And most importantly, his appearance up with the big dawgs on the main roster would help relieve current starting catcher Bo Naylor.

Naylor struggled mightely throughout his time at the plate this season. There's no doubt he's an incredible defender, but his career-low of a .195 batting average needs to be addressed this coming offseason. If he can't hit, he can't take everyday reps from guys who can.

Ingle would not only create an internal competition between the two parties, but he would also provide a fresh new face for the fans to connect with. In 2026, the Guardians' front office will more than likely introduce several prospects to the major league roster with hopes of addressing issues they saw from this past season, and Ingle should be considered to be one of the youngsters brought up.

It seems like the Guardians' minor league system consistently is producing major league players, and only time will tell if they can add more to that growing list in the upcoming campaign.

Ingle's exceptional play in the minor league system

The native of Asheville, N.C., was assigned to the Lake County Captains after being taken in the 2023 draft.

There, he played in just 17 games due to the shorten time with the organization, slashing .288/.464/.385. While many assumed he may have just been riding high off his strong finish college ball, he had to live up to expectations the following season and keep showing growth.

And that he did.

Ingle played in 70 games with the Captains the following campaign, 2024, and was a clear-cut standout. He slashed .313/.433/.500 with an incredible 51 walks drawn to only 40 strikeouts. His power also came out in spurts, smashing 18 doubles and nine home runs.

He finished the 2024 season with the Akron Rubberducks, all while continuing to turn heads.

As expected, he started this past season with the Rubberducks, playing in a career-high 92 games with the organization, all while slashing .273/.391/.440 with 65 walks to 70 strikeouts, maintaining that keen eye across multiple seasons and levels. He also knocked 29 doubles and nine home runs, yet again keeping up with the power he had in seasons prior.

To say Ingle is consistent is almost an understatement.

He finished the 2025 year playing 28 games with the highest level of the minor league system, stepping in for the Columbus Clippers. His numbers took a small hit, but not much. His batting average dropped to just .207, but he kept his on-base percentage up to .383 with 21 walks to 15 strikeouts.

One of the best factors to his game is how calm and poised he is at the plate, which for many is a hard thing to learn at a young age.

More than likely, Ingle will start his 2026 season with the Clippers as he adjusts to the higher level of play a bit further. This chance will allow him to gain a bit more comfortability in his game and prepare for a potential late-season trip up to Cleveland to be with the major league roster.

Unless injuries start to kick up, expect to see Ingle with the Guardians in late-season call-ups as the team potential pushes for a playoff appearance.