The Cleveland Guardians’ offense is one of the worst in baseball. With a team OPS only ahead of the Pittsburgh Pirates and the Chicago White Sox, the Guardians could use a spark to improve their offense down the stretch.
While they have some intriguing prospects they could call up, like Chase DeLauter and Cooper Ingle, the Guardians could look to another player who might’ve been forgotten due to how his initial stint with Cleveland ended.
Quincy Wheeler of Coveringthecorner.com wrote an article for SB Nation recently, which called for the Guardians to call up a former top 10 prospect. That player has fallen out of the Guardians’ top 30 prospects, but could be an intriguing call-up option. That player is George Valera.
Guardians Could Use a Spark on Offense
Cleveland has a rough offense this season, and could use a spark to try and finish the year out strong. C.J. Kafus was already called up, and he’s looked good in his initial stint with the team. Valera, who has been battling injuries, could be an interesting option to bring such a spark to the offense.
“The Guardians should strike while the iron is hot and reward Valera for his organization loyalty by calling him up.” Wheeler writes.
This decision would provide a spark to the Guardians team. Valera had a major knee injury in 2024, which he’s been rehabbing from all year. But, since returning to the lineup this season, Valera has been hitting the ball well.
Across 125 at-bats between Rookie Ball and Triple-A, Valera has a .325 batting average with six home runs, 30 RBIs, and a .949 OPS. His Triple-A numbers aren’t as eye-catching, but they’re still a strong .242 batting average with a .768 OPS.
With only four Guardians sitting above a .700 OPS in the Majors this season, Valera’s offensive production would be a huge upgrade for the Guardians if he were to get the call-up in 2025.
MORE: Guardians predicted to call up John Means in September after seven years with Orioles
The 24-year-old was once a top-10 prospect in the Guardians system, even being ranked as the top prospect in 2022. But his injuries and his exhausted options led the Guardians to designate him for assignment in mid-November.
He returned to the organization, and while he’s been working his way back, he’s showcased solid potential worth exploring in the Majors. With how poorly the offense has played this season, with the league’s worst batting average, taking a chance on Valera down the stretch is not a terrible idea.
At worst, he could provide a spark and a feel-good story for a former top prospect who has been dealing with injuries in his minor league career.
With September around the corner with expanded rosters, Valera could be a candidate to earn the call-up for the final stretch of the 2025 season. He’s worth taking a chance on. At worst, he’s a fun story from a bleak 2025 season for the Guardians.
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