The Cleveland Guardians have a lot of intriguing outfield prospects who could make an impact at the big-league level, and Kahlil Watson could be one of them.
The theme of the offseason has centered around the Cleveland Guardians’ young outfield core of Chase DeLauter, George Valera, and C.J. Kayufs, and not wanting to block opportunities for them.
There is one other outfield prospect who is, in ways, flying under the radar, who could reach the big-league level during the 2026 season. Considering what he’s done in the minors, he could make some noise once that promotion comes.
The player would be Cleveland’s No. 18-ranked prospect, Kahlil Watson.
The Guardians initially acquired Watson from the Miami Marlins in 2023 as part of a deal centered on Josh Bell. At the time, Watson was still considered more of a middle infielder, but he’s now made the transition to being a full-time outfielder with the Cleveland organization.
Feb 20, 2025; Goodyear, AZ, USA; Cleveland Guardians player Kahlil Watson poses for a photo during MLB Media Day at Cleveland Guardians Spring Training Facility. Mandatory Credit: Joe Camporeale-Imagn ImagesWatson is coming off a very strong 2025 campaign, in which he split time between both Double-A and Triple-A. In total, the left-handed hitter slashed .250/.346/.467, including 42 extra base hits.
Even with his five-foot-nine, 178-pound frame, Watson has some pop in his swing, and he showed that after a mid-summer promotion.
After being elevated to Triple-A in July, Watson continued to show power potential, logging a .834 OPS, including eight home runs and seven doubles in 43 games.
Watson is more than likely to start the season with the Columbus Clippers, but there’s no guarantee that’s where he ends the year, in the best way possible.
Cleveland clearly sees a future for Watson with the organization. If it didn’t, the Guardians wouldn’t have made room for him on the 40-man roster to protect him from the Rule 5 Draft earlier in the winter.
Of course, DeLauter and Valera will get the first opportunities to claim an outfield spot as their own, with Kayfus bouncing between right field and first base, but after that, Watson is likely the next prospect up.
If the outfield is still underperforming or injuries plague the position group, Watson could certainly be an option for the Guardians come the summer months.
Plus, if the Guardians are that hesitant to add external bats so they don’t block opportunities for the young hitters, and Watson continues to hit at a high level in the minors, he should earn an opportunity with the big-league team.
So, as the season plays out, keep an eye on what Watson is doing down in the minors because he could be the next key piece to Cleveland's outfield.
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