Kahlil

Watson

Watson finds himself batting in the premium lineup spot for the second straight contest. The 23-year-old former first-round pick got off to a frosty start, but he’s now hitting .246 (14-for-57) with one homer and six steals in 17 games since arriving in the majors last month.

In a game that featured a nearly two-hour-long rain delay and an extra frame to decide the winner, Watson finally sent fans home happy in the bottom of the 10th inning when he slapped an RBI single up the middle to drive in Steven Kwan for the game-winning run. Watson came on as a pinch hitter for David Fry in the bottom of the eighth inning and is slashing a respectable .271/.300/.396 over his first 15 big league games.

Watson has been functioning as the Guardians’ primary cleanup hitter since arriving from Triple-A and has provided a much-needed boost to the team’s offense. He’ll get a breather with left-hander Anthony Kay on the mound on Friday night though. David Fry will start in left field and bat second for the Guardians.

Watson was recalled from Triple-A on June 17 and has started all but two games since then. The playing time primarily stems from Angel Martínez’s placement on the injured list. Watson was a first-round selection by the Marlins in the 2021 draft, but his prospect shine faded once he got closer to the majors. He’s enjoyed some nice moments since being called up, but his strikeout rate remains over 30%, and he’s drawn just one walk so far.

Watson opened the scoring in the ballgame as he plated Kyle Manzardo with an RBI double off of Luis Castillo in the third inning. That would wind up being the extent of the Guardians’ offense in the contest. The 23-year-old outfielder is now off to a 6-for-25 (.240) start to his big league career with one homer, seven RBI and one stolen base over 26 plate appearances in his first eight games.

Watson’s go-ahead hit was just an 88-mph grounder to the left side, but the White Sox infield was in with the runner at third and no one had a shot at it. Watson entered the series against the White Sox 0-for-12 with eight strikeouts as a major leaguer, but he’s 5-for-9 with a homer and six RBI the last three days. He’s probably just a stopgap for an injury-riddled Guardians lineup, but he’ll keep starting against righties for now.

The Guardians maxed out their three platoon spots against LHP Shane Drohan, leaving Watson to handle right field over fellow prospect Petey Halpin. Watson probably won’t get a huge runway with Chase DeLauter due back soon, but he will get a chance to show his talents and the 12 homers and 15 stolen bases in 56 games at Triple-A Columbus point to someone who could have fantasy value if he hits.

Watson earns his first opportunity in the big leagues with fellow rookie Chase DeLauter (rib) requiring a trip to the injured list. The 23-year-old former first-round pick came over from the Marlins in the Josh Bell trade back in 2023. He was hitting a respectable .255/.370/.491 with 12 homers and 15 steals in 56 games at the Triple-A level this season. It’s challenging to envision Watson offering sustained fantasy relevance, but he’s certainly talented and has an opportunity to show what he can do for a little bit.

One of the top prospects in Cleveland’s system, Genao possesses strong bat-to-ball skills and is starting to add some over-the-fence pop to his profile. There’s still some work to be done but he’s close to arriving in the big leagues, especially after being added to the Guardians’ 40-man roster during the offseason.

The 43rd-ranked prospect in baseball, per Baseball America, Genao enters next season in the upper minors with a chance to reach Cleveland before the end of the year. The 21-year-old prodigy is protected from next month’s Rule 5 Draft.