The Cleveland Guardians have already been fairly active this offseason in terms of adding to their coaching staff. However, things are definitely going to start to pick up on the roster side of Cleveland’s offseason moves, considering Tuesday at 6:00 PM EST is the deadline to protect any player eligible for MLB’s Rule-5 Draft in December.

Here are three prospects the Guardians must add to their 40-man roster so they aren’t eligible to be taken by another organization

Angel Genao

Angel Genao has star potential, not just as a member of the Guardians, but as one of the best overall players in MLB someday. The 21-year-old shortstop entered the organization in January of 2021 and has impressed ever since then.

Genao got off to a hot start at High-A in 2025 and was eventually promoted to Double-A just seven games into the season. Across both levels, he slashed .263/.332/.382 with an OPS of .714, including 17 doubles, four triples, and five home runs.

Even though Genao is still young, and players selected in the Rule 5 Draft must be on an MLB roster to stay with a new organization, the Guardians can’t risk losing one of the top prospects in their organization.

Kahlil Watson

There’s a good chance that Kahlil Watson makes his MLB debut at some point in 2026, and the Guardians must ensure it’s with their big-league team and not a rival by adding him to the 40-man roster in the next few days.

The Guardians acquired Watson from the Miami Marlins in exchange for Josh Bell at the 2023 deadline, and he’s been a bright spot in the organization ever since.

Watson was finally promoted to Triple-A at the end of the 2025 season after a strong year with the RubberDucks. In 43 games in Columbus, Watson registered a .835 OPS, including eight home runs and seven doubles.

Watson is arguably one of Cleveland's most MLB-ready prospects, and he could very well be in the outfield mix sometime next season. Adding him to the 40-man roster now should be a no-brainer for the front office. 

Wuilfredo Antunez

Wilfredo Antunez only played in two games in the Arizona Fall League before exiting with an injury. However, those appearances, combined with strong minor league number might have been enough to show the Guardians he’s good enough for a spot on the 40-man roster.

The outfielder has been consistent at each level he’s played and carries a slash line of .273/.348/.472 through his minor league career. Antunez finished the 2025 regular season at Double-A, but there’s an argument to be made that he should start next year at Triple-A.

The Guardians can leave it up to chance to see whether or not another organization wants to give the 23-year-old an opportunity at the big-league level.