5 prospects the Cleveland Guardians could see by the summer

By Chad Porto | Apr 13, 2023

PITTSBURGH, PA - SEPTEMBER 27: Zack Collins #6 of the Pittsburgh Pirates walks back to the dugout after being called out on strikes in the second inning during the game against the Cincinnati Reds at PNC Park on September 27, 2022 in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Justin Berl/Getty Images) /

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LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA – JUNE 19: Richie Palacios #9 of the Cleveland Guardians reacts after hitting a rbi double against the Los Angeles Dodgers in the eighth inning at Dodger Stadium on June 19, 2022 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Ronald Martinez/Getty Images) /

OF Richie Palacios

With Oscar Gonzalez struggling, it may not be long before the Cleveland Guardians call up Richie Palacios. Will Brennan will likely not be moved, even if he’s struggling, as he does provide a lot of base-path speed which is a nice feature to have in the majors this year.

Palacios, however, would likely be a regular starter for the Cleveland Guardians, especially if his numbers remained concurrent or near what he’s currently putting up in Triple-A Columbus. In 11 games, Palacios has posted the following splits, .333/.455/.571 and an OPS of 1.026.

He’s hit four doubles, and two home runs and has knocked in 11 RBIs. He’s also doing damage when he doesn’t swing. He has 10 base-on-balls (walks) on the year and has already stolen two bases.

Gonzalez on the other hand, has the following splits, .147/.194/.206 and an OPS of .400. He has one extra-base-hit, a triple, no RBIs, no stolen bases, and six strikeouts to just two walks. It’s still too early to give up on Gonzalez, nor does a strong Triple-A start mean that Palacios is ready to replace Gonzalez as an everyday starter.

However, should things keep going the way for both young men, it’s very possible that a change will be made sooner rather than later.

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