Cleveland Guardians' 3 Realistic Options for September Call-Ups

September is nearly upon us, and for the Cleveland Guardians and the rest of the teams in MLB, that means they’ll have more options for their big league rosters as their set to expand from 26 players to 28 players.

While it would be great for the Guardians to call up some of their top-ranked prospect with roster expansion, that probably isn’t the most practical option. Here are three realistic September call-up options for the Guardians.

George Valera

The Guardians should be calling up George Valera, whether the roster expands or not. The former top prospect has battled injuries over the last few seasons, hurting some of his prospect value, but Valera is finally returning to form after a slew of injuries.

Since making his 2025 Triple-A debut on July 24, Valera has recorded a slash line of .326/.395/.569, including seven home runs and 10 doubles in 42 games.

If Valear isn’t back on the 40-man roster before the end of the year, Cleveland could risk losing him as a minor league free agent. September 1 is the perfect time to call up Valera for his MLB debut.

Joey Cantillo

On Saturday, the Guardians started a stretch of 17 straight games in 16 days. That’s a brutal way to open up the final month of the season, especially for a team on the outside looking in in the wild-card race.

With the upcoming schedule, the Guardians are going to need some extra depth from their pitching staff, and one realistic option to add to the MLB roster is Joey Cantillo.

May 21, 2025; Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA; Cleveland Guardians relief pitcher Joey Cantillo (54) delivers a pitch against the Minnesota Twins in the sixth inning during game one of a doubleheader at Target Field. Mandatory Credit: Matt Krohn-Imagn Images | Matt Krohn-Imagn Images

Cantillo could be an option for the Guardians as both a starter and a reliever during the final month of the season. He’s made appearances in both roles at the big-league level this season.

The 25-year-old has been a little inconsistent with his command during the 2025 season, but in terms of versatility and previous big league experience, Cantillo could be Cleveland’s best pitching option to add with an extra roster spot.

Jhonkensy Noel

The Guardians still need more outfield production out of their outfield, and outside of Valera, the Guardians don’t have any other prospect banging on the door for an MLB debut.

Jhonkensy Noel didn’t have a great start to the season with the big-league club, but he’s seemingly found his swing in the minors. In 61 games at Triple-A, Noel has recorded a .273/.337/.493 slash line, including 12 home runs.

Seeing if Noel’s hot bat can translate to the big leagues over the final month of the season could give the Guardians the offensive boost they’ve been looking for.

Columbus Clippers Jhonkensy Noel (50) looks to the dugout during the game against the Buffalo Bisons at Huntington Park on Tuesday, July 22, 2025 in Columbus, Ohio. | Samantha Madar/Columbus Dispatch / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Honorable Mention: John Means

A 32-year-old pitcher coming off his second Tommy John surgery may not be the most conventional candidate to be added to the big-league team when rosters expand in September, but John Means is inching closer to a return.

Means is listed as an honorable mention here because he isn’t quite ready and built up to make an MLB return. He’s making his third rehab start on Sunday afternoon.

The left-hander is inching closer to being an option for the Guardians, and that’ll likely come at some point in September, but Means won’t quite be ready the day rosters expand.

George Valera

Joey Cantillo

Jhonkensy Noel

Honorable Mention: John Means

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