C.J. Kayfus is in line to have a very productive season with the Cleveland Guardians.
With the Cleveland Guardians having a quiet offseason on the position-player transaction front, the team is clearly relying on the young core to take a jump next season and help the lineup improve after being one of the worst offenses in baseball a year ago.
One of those key, young players is C.J. Kyafus, who made his MLB debut last July and was a critical piece to Cleveland’s improbable push to the playoffs last September.
The big question is, how will Kayfus look over a 162-game season, and can he really establish himself as an impactful presence in the middle of Cleveland’s lineup?
FanGraphs’ ZiPS projection model is confident that he can do just that. The forecast model predicts Kayfus to finish the 2026 season with a .249/.328/.418 slash line over 504 plate appearances. His projected OPS+ of 106 is also the third-highest on the Guardians, just behind Kyle Manzardo (111 OPS+) and Jose Ramirez (125 OPS+).
In terms of traditional counting stats, ZiPS predicts Kayfus to hit 24 doubles and 13 home runs. These numbers feel fair for the rookie. Kayfus certainly has some pop in his swing, but it’s more of the type of power that will help him find gaps in the outfield rather than become solely a home run hitter.
Sep 13, 2025; Cleveland, Ohio, USA; Cleveland Guardians first baseman C.J. Kayfus (63) rounds the bases after hitting a home run against the Chicago White Sox during the second inning at Progressive Field. Mandatory Credit: Ken Blaze-Imagn ImagesThese numbers might seem a little high for a player with only 101 big-league plate appearances, but Kayufs’ finish to the 2025 season should really give the Guardians hope and back up ZiPS’ projection.
In September of last year, Kayfus logged a .888 OPS with two home runs and six doubles in 49 at-bats.
The most encouraging piece of these numbers is that ZiPS doesn’t view Kayfus as just a platoon bat. Even though he is a left-handed hitter, Kayfus is projected to have pretty balanced stats no matter who’s on the mound. The model is predicting that Kayfus will have a .241/.315/.397 slash line against southpaws.
Cleveland needs more production against left-handed pitching, and Kayfus is in line to be in the starting lineup whenever the Guardians are facing a southpaw starter.
Of course, as with any rookie hitter, there are going to be ups and downs, learning curves, and the occasional growing pains. However, considering how Kayfus ended 2025 and what ZiPS foresees in him, the 24-year-old is in line to have a really solid and productive season with the Guardians in 2026.