The offseason is full of tough decisions for MLB front offices, and the Cleveland Guardians aren’t immune to that reality. Their first set of hard choices will come in the next day, as the Guardians must decide which prospects they want to add to their 40-man roster and protect them in MLB’s Rule 5 Draft.

There is a group of minor leaguers that makes plenty of sense to protect, and then there are a few prospects on the fence. 

Here’s a look at three prospects that could be intriguing Rule 5 Draft targets for other teams, if the Guardians don’t put them on their 40-man roster. 

Joe Lampe

A 24-year-old former third-round pick is the perfect example of the type of player that another organization could be willing to take a risk on and select in the Rule 5 Draft, and Joe Lampe falls right into the category.

The Guardians selected Lampe in the third round of the 2022 MLB Draft, but he’s had an underwhelming career since then. The outfielder has a .237/.324./359 slash line during his four-year minor league career.

However, Lampe looked great during his Arizona Fall League appearances, registering an OPS of 1.108 over his 15 games in the desert. 

It wouldn’t be surprising to see the Guardians leave Lampe off the 40-man roster after Tuesday’s deadline, but it wouldn’t be a total shock to see him on the roster either.

Juan Benjamin

Juan Benjamin hasn’t made it past High-A and is already 22 years old. At first glance, that’s probably the type of player that isn’t worth giving a 40-man roster spot this early in the offseason.

At second glance at the numbers, though, Benjamin has performed at every level he’s played at, which could incentivize the Guardians to give him a roster spot. During Benjamin’s five-year minor league career, he has a .276/.365/.385 slash line.

Considering Benjamin spent two full seasons in Lynchburg (Low-A), he should be in a position to start flying through the organization. 

Austin Peterson

MLB teams search all offseason and up to the trade deadline for more pitching depth. That said, it’d be tough to watch a big-league-ready arm walk out of the building.

Austin Peterson has put together a solid minor league career and was more than serviceable at the big-league level. The 26-year-old recorded a 3.21 ERA and a 1.17 WHIP in 28 games (26 starts) in 2025.

With his age and skillset, a team desperate for starting pitching could absolutely take a chance on Peterson.