Will Dion Promoted to Big Leagues — A Closer Look at the Guardians' Pitching Prospect

After a long-winded journey through the Cleveland Guardians farm system, left-handed pitching prospect Will Dion has finally made it.

On Tuesday, May 26, the talented lefty was called up to the major league roster, with expectations that he would make his debut at the highest level of the game at some point this week. Dion found out he was going to be called up late Monday night.

"Last night at like 9:15, Andy Tracy and [Nick] Wittgren came to my room, and we were [supposed to be] golfing today, and they, they were like, 'Hey, we need vouchers for everybody, like, we're gonna send some to the hotel, did y'all get any?' and we're like, 'No ', and Tracy asked my roommate if he needed any vouchers, and he said, 'Yeah, I'm gonna golf.' And he asked me, and I was like, 'Yeah, I'm gonna golf too.'

"And he's like, 'No, you're going to Cleveland.' And it just caught me by surprise because I just wasn't expecting that."

"I was like, 'yeah, I'm going golfing too', and he's like, 'no, you're going to Cleveland'"#Guardians Will Dion tells the story of when he found out he was getting called up and his excitement to be on the big league roster#GuardsBall @WEWS https://t.co/Nb9PTib2y9 pic.twitter.com/7Phve2pDUT
— Mason Horodyski (@MasonHorodyski) May 26, 2026

For the average fan, Dion's name doesn't immediately stick out. He's a prospect, though, whose quiet track through the minor leagues has been highlighted by some impressive intangibles and consistent campaigns.

His 2026 Numbers

Starting the season in Triple-A Columbus, Dion has been working his way through different roles in relief. He's thrown through anything from 0.2 innings all the way up to 3.1 innings. In both games that he tossed in over three innings of work, he recorded wins.

His most impressive showing was a 3.1 inning appearance against the Toledo Mud Hens back on May 2, where he produced a one-hit, seven-strikeout performance to lead the Clippers to a win.

On the campaign, Dion had posted a 3-0 record, 4.50 ERA and 1.115 WHIP, sporting a clip of 12.5 strikeouts per nine innings in the process. He also has shown good command, allowing just 1.7 walks per nine innings.

With all of those numbers in mind, combined with the fact that Cleveland needed a new lefty due to injury to high-leverage arm Erik Sabrowski, it just made sense to give Dion a chance to show what he's worth.

And Everything That Came Before

But even though 2026 has been a pretty strong season, those in the past have been good as well.

He was drafted by the organization back in the 2021 MLB June Amateur Draft with a ninth-round selection. In his first year with the club, he participated in Rookie Ball action before being promoted to Low-A. Across five total games, he posted a 0.00 ERA with 21 strikeouts.

Cleveland Guardians, Will Dio — Columbus Clippers Will Dion (23) pitches the ball during the game against the St. Paul Saints at Huntington Park on Tuesday, April 1, 2025 in Columbus, Ohio. | Samantha Madar/Columbus Dispatch / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Immediately, he looked like the real deal.

He then went on to produce strong outings in 2022, jumping from Low-A to High-A. Tossing in over 125 innings, he posted a remarkable 2.11 ERA with a 1.008 WHIP. Those numbers displayed not only a knack for command but also an ability to avoid letting anyone on the base paths.

Dion would go on to repeat that type of trajectory in 2023, earning a promotion up to Double-A by the end of the season.

In 2024 and 2025, he played solely in Triple-A.

Those were the seasons when he began to shift out of the starting role, appearing in 60 contests, starting in 40. With a switch coming so recently, it was surprising to see him settle in and keep his efficiency.

He averaged nearly nine strikeouts per nine innings in both campaigns, eclipsing 100 in total once and coming just short at 96 in the other.

It hasn't always been a straightforward road for Dion, as the 26-year-old has gone through countless changes to his game over the years. And somehow, his productivity on the mound has rarely wavered.

Each challenge he was presented with, he faced head-on and adapted to whatever the organization wanted from him.

"You know, Will's been a very dynamic pitcher the whole time through the minor leagues, starter, bullpen, short stints, long, just gives us a variety of options and abilities to use him," Vogt said. "And what a great story, developed from within, and he gets to make his major league debut this week, so really excited for him."

#Guardians manager Stephen Vogt pregame today on prospect left-handed pitcher Will Dion's promotion to the big leagues:

"You know, Will's been a very dynamic pitcher the whole time through the minor leagues, starter, bullpen, short stints, long, just gives us a variety of…
— Cade Cracas (@CracasCade) May 26, 2026

The Guardians are currently playing host to the Nationals for a three-game set, before receiving an off day on Thursday. Then, this weekend, they'll host the Boston Red Sox for the same number of games.

At some point, Dion will get a chance to show the league what he has to offer, and he is going to make sure to take it all in.

"At first, I saw everybody like in here at once. It's definitely like so real, and I think I'll probably have another wind when I step out on the field," Dion said to the media on Tuesday about when he thinks this opportunity will set in for him.

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