The Cleveland Guardians have been running an experiment during Spring Training, and the test has been sliding Steven Kwan over to center field. The one adjustment has the potential to give other players opportunities and playing time at the outfield corners, and could give the Guardians more flexibility in their lineup.

There are still a few weeks before the season begins, and nothing has been finalized yet, but it’s becoming more and more clear that Cleveland’s best plan forward is to have Kwan stay in center field heading into 2026, and there are a couple of reasons why.

Kwan is by far and away the best defensive outfielder on Cleveland’s roster, and his four Gold Glove awards back that up. At this point, it only makes sense to have the best defender play the challenging defensive position in the outfield.

Kwan’s skill set is likely better suited to him playing up the middle, too. Out of all of his tremendous traits, Kwan’s arm stands above them all. In 2025, he ranked in the 100th percentile with an arm value of seven. 

Of course, there’s been some learning curves for Kwan as he reacclimates to the position he spent the majority of his time in at college and in the Minor Leagues, but even manager Stephen Vogt has liked what he’s seen from him defensively. 

“I thought it's been pretty good,” said Cleveland’s skipper. “I think he's had some testers, which is good. 
But again, hasn't had to track those balls down quite a few years. His work with JT on the backfield has been excellent; we just see it. He looks more and more comfortable every day that he's out there.”

Vogt has yet to commit to Kwan as Cleveland’s everyday starting center fielder, and the reality is he likely won’t play every game there. However, the outfielder has certainly proven throughout Spring Training that he is more than capable of spending the majority of time in center this season. 

Kwan moving over to center field undeniably gives Cleveland much more flexibility with its lineup. 

Yes, Chase DeLauter played in center during the playoffs last season, but with his injury history, he’s much more suited for one of the corners long-term. With George Valera, his bat should keep him in the lineup, but the defense is another story. The Guardians likely envision him more as a right-fielder in their future plans.

Assuming CJ Kayfus sees time in the outfield at some point this season, he’s definitely a better fit in right, considering he’s still learning the position. 

In any of those scenarios, Cleveland’s best outfield alignment would be DeLauter in left, Kwan in Center, and either Kayfus or Valera in right. 

Deep down, the Guardians must understand this, too, and realize the four-time Gold Glove winner makes the team as a whole much better when he’s in center field. 

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