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This Guardians Prospect May Be Flying Too Far Under The Radar

Ryan Cesarini Ranks No. 29 on the Guardians’ MLB Pipeline List, but He Has the Skills to Round Out the Guardians Upon Arrival
Dave Takacs|
Hillcats' Ryan Cesarini (8) makes the catch against the Shorebirds Thursday, July 24, 2025, at Perdue Stadium in Salisbury, Maryland.
Hillcats' Ryan Cesarini (8) makes the catch against the Shorebirds Thursday, July 24, 2025, at Perdue Stadium in Salisbury, Maryland. | USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect

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Cleveland Guardians

This story includes quotes from an exclusive interview for OnSI with Guardians prospect Ryan Cesarini.

The Guardians' minor league system is filled with high-level, MLB-ready talent. Ralphy Velazquez, Cooper Ingle, and Jason Chourio are among the top 10 prospects in the Guardians' system, according to MLB Pipeline.

One of those talented players is Ryan Cesarini, ranked No. 29 on the list, Cleveland's 2024 14th-round pick. The former St. Joseph's University outfielder excelled in his senior season, posting a 1.093 OPS. Two other statistics immediately stand out for Cesarini.

In just 32 games in his senior season, he stole 16 bases and posted a .628 SLG, cementing himself as a power-speed combination who can round out the outfield. With a 2028 arrival ETA, Cesarini can fit into the Guardians' outfield and provide an offensive boost.

Throughout his three seasons in Cleveland's minor league system, Cesarini has steadily improved and has praised the development system Cleveland has in place.

"[The Guardians] do an amazing job of not only attacking players' weaknesses, but also building on their strengths," said Cesarini. "Developing their players is something I believe they take a lot of pride in, and it definitely shows with the success they have year in and year out."

In mid-July, Cesarini was called up to the Double-A Akron Rubber Ducks despite recently recovering from an injury while with the Lake County Captains. "I can't lie, when I got promoted, it was kind of a shock," he said. "However, like any promotion, it boosts your self-esteem and morale."

That boost appeared to translate directly onto the field for Cesarini. In 41 games with Akron, he slashed .316/.388/. 627, a big jump from his .472 slugging percentage with Lake County.

"That's something the Guardians and I attacked all last offseason, and are still continuing to attack," he said. "It was good timing, as everything started to click when I got promoted."

Power was not the only thing that stood out for Cesarini in Akron. In 41 games, he stole a staggering 14 bases, showcasing the speed that makes him such an intriguing young talent in Cleveland's organization.

His aggressiveness aligns with the brand of baseball that the Guardians strive to play. As a team in 2026, the Guardians stole 146 bases, with José Ramírez accounting for 37 in his 125 games this past season.

As for Cesarini's future, the path seems well paved for him to keep developing within the Guardians system. With an MLB arrival estimated for 2028, the 23-year-old is only scratching the surface of what he can do, giving the Guardians another prospect to closely monitor.

Cesarini has a clear idea of what he personally wants to accomplish heading into next season.

"The goals for the 2027 season are pretty simple. Be the best player that I can possibly be," Cesarini stated. "That entails continuing to work on launch angles, hammering my throwing program and defensive work, improving my base-running game, and other little things."

If Cesarini continues to develop and thrive both offensively and defensively, he could become yet another example of the effectiveness of the Guardians' ability to home-grow their MLB talent.

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Dave Takacs
DAVE TAKACS

Dave Takacs is a recent graduate of Saint Ignatius High School and a current sports media student at Hofstra University's Lawrence Herbert School of Communications. During his time at Saint Ignatius, he covered a wide range of sports and served as the president, lead play-by-play broadcaster, sideline reporter, and writer for the Saint Ignatius Broadcast Network. Takacs is a lifelong Cleveland sports fan and is passionate about telling stories and providing his insight in various areas.

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