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Top AL Central Prospects Who Could Make Opening Day Rosters

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​Continuing our trip around the minors and majors begun in a previous article , several of the AL Central’s top prospects have a chance of making the big leagues out of Spring Training for Opening Day. The Cleveland Guardians lead the list with five players, while all other teams in the AL Central only have one prospect each.

AL Central Prospects Who Could Make Their Team’s Opening Day Roster

​Something to Prove

Kevin McGonigle – INF (Detroit Tigers)

Kevin McGonigle will return to action, coming off an Arizona Fall League MVP when he arrives in Lakeland, Florida. McGonigle has shown the ability to play wherever needed within the infield during his time in the minors. He is currently ranked second on MLB.com’s Top 100 Prospects list , and his bat is the main factor. The infielder profiles as a perennial batting champ with above-average power and speed. While he has played second, shortstop, and third base in the minors, he is likely to settle into a long-term role at second base due to his range.
Tigers prospect Kevin McGonigle could eventually become a mainstay in the Detroit infield.
Tigers prospect Kevin McGonigle during spring training at TigerTown in Lakeland, Florida, on Thursday, Feb. 22, 2024. Credit: © Junfu Han / USA TODAY NETWORK
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Kevin McGonigle may be the least likely to make his team’s big league roster out of Spring Training. There is no doubt that he will be in Detroit at some point next season, but Opening Day seems like a stretch. Last season’s Tigers roster had All-Stars at all three infield positions. McGonigle has seen time. Additionally, if McGonigle were to break camp with the big league club, he would do so without playing in a Triple-A game. McGonigle would have to be a dominant force in Florida to make the team out of Spring Training.
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Noah Schultz – LHP (Chicago White Sox)

Noah Schultz is the highest-ranked pitcher on the list, coming in ranked 49th. Schultz, from a physical standpoint, is every team’s dream. He comes in at 6’10″ and 240 pounds. Even at his size, he has great body control and is able to repeat his delivery with ease. He’s a heavy user of his fastball and slider, with his slider potentially being a plus-plus pitch at the next level.
​Schultz has the clearest way of playing out of this group of players who have yet to debut. The White Sox are a rebuilding team with a young rotation that would allow him to slot right in. The lanky lefty, however, has only pitched in five Triple-A games and struggled while doing so. An injury bug has also taken time away from Schultz on the mound, both as an amateur and a professional. While there is a clear path to pitching in Chicago, Schultz will have to perform well during Spring Training and fend off injuries to make the big league roster.
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Walker Jenkins – OF (Minnesota Twins)

The Twins made a big swing last trade deadline, committing to a rebuild by trading away multiple players. These moves helped to make room for their top prospect, Walker Jenkins . Jenkins is a very athletic outfielder who’s hit at every level since being drafted by the Twins. He runs well and has a strong arm that will allow him to play center fielder. The outfielder might end up in right to take some strain off of his body and allow for his bat to play up to its highest potential. Jenkins has a smooth and strong swing from the left side that allows him to hit for power and minimize strikeouts.
​The injury bug has also taken significant time away from Jenkins. He’s managed to play 192 games across two full seasons of minor league action. Currently, the only outfield spot completely locked down for the Twins is center field with Byron Buxton . However, Jenkins is only a few weeks away from turning 21 and may benefit from more time in the minors to get more reps. Even though the Twins are rebuilding, there is no rush to get Jenkins to the big leagues. Nonetheless, if he were to rip the cover off the ball in Florida this spring, he could make the Twins Opening Day roster.
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Travis Bazzana – 2B/OF (Cleveland Guardians)

The Guardians have one of the best farm systems in baseball, and their strength lies up the middle. The Guardians currently have six prospects in the Top 100, with five of the six playing in the upper levels or having debuted in Cleveland. The top of these prospects is former number one overall pick Travis Bazzana . The Guardians traded Gold Glover Andrés Giménez to free up second base for Bazzana. Since debuting for the Guardians’ farm teams, he has won a championship and shown some promise at the plate. Bazzana is limited defensively and will likely only play second base at the next level. However, he has above-average speed and should have an impact on the base paths.
​The Guardians are in need of offense and are hoping Bazzana can fill that. He finished last season with their Triple-A team and could make the jump to Cleveland thanks to a successful spring. Bazzana’s likelihood to make the Cleveland roster is about as close to a coin flip as something could be. Between the lack of hitting in Cleveland and Bazzana’s bat being his best tool, Bazzana could debut on Opening Day.
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Angel Genao – INF (Cleveland Guardians)

Angel Genao and Travis Bazzana have played next to each other almost every step of the way since Bazzana was drafted. Genao is a switch-hitting shortstop who is able to play any position in the infield. Before an injury last season, Genao had also been a successful base stealer. His production on the bases should return to normal with a healthy 2026 season. He has some of the best bat-to-ball skills in the minors and does so from both sides of the plate. In the field, he is sure-handed and has a strong arm that could see him being a potential Gold Glove winner. The biggest weakness for Genao is his power. He has a very flat swing, both right-handed and left-handed. However, he still hits for extra base hits thanks to hard contact and his ability to put the ball in play.
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Genao, similar to Bazzana, will see some time in Cleveland this season. Between the two middle infielders, he is the least likely to make the team out of Spring Training. He missed a big chunk of the beginning of the 2025 season with an injury and has yet to appear in a Triple-A game. Though the Guardians are in need of offense, Genao is highly unlikely to make the Opening Day roster.

Cooper Ingle – C (Cleveland Guardians)

The Guardians have yet another top-tier hitting prospect in catcher Cooper Ingle . Ingle is a hit-first catcher who has shown some athleticism behind the plate. This athleticism has allowed him to improve defensively behind the plate, where he is likely to be an average defender. Ingle is more known for his bat, where he has walked more than he’s struck out so far during his pro career. On the base paths, Ingle will steal the occasional base and make the smart play when advancing.
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Outside of José Ramírez at third base, catcher might be the deepest position for the Guardians. With three players able to catch on the roster, Ingle may have trouble finding playing time. Additionally, a slow start in Triple-A last season could result in Ingle spending the beginning of his season down in the minors after not making the roster.
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Players Who Debuted in 2025

Carter Jensen – C (Kansas City Royals)

The Royals have had one of the best catchers in baseball for the last 15 years in Salvador Perez , and have a bright future ahead with Carter Jensen . Jensen is a hit-first catcher who has discovered more power this last season. This power surge is in large part thanks to his top-end exit velocities that are in the 90th percentile. Defensively, there is room for improvement for Jensen. His pop times are elite, but he has room to improve receiving.
​Jensen is the biggest lock on this list to make the Opening Day Roster. He appeared in 20 games last season and batted .300 with three home runs. Due to Salvador Perez’s age and the ability for Jensen’s defense to improve with reps, there could be a 50/50 split behind the plate. Even if Jensen isn’t behind the plate, he should get plenty of opportunities as the Royals’ designated hitter.
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Parker Messick – LHP (Cleveland Guardians)

Currently, the Guardians’ system is loaded with hitting, but Parker Messick is the lone pitching standout for the club. Messick got the nod seven times last season and impressed. Messick pitched to a 2.72 ERA and earned three wins. From a pitch standpoint, Messick mixes in four pitches, with his changeup being his best. More pitcher than thrower, Messick hides the ball well and has a great feel for all of his pitches.
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In Cleveland, Messick has shown the ability to throw all four of his pitches for strikes. Due to the lack of a great breaking ball, he has been seen as a high-floor player who could slot in at the back of a rotation. With this in mind, the lefty looks to slot into the back of the rotation and make the Opening Day roster for the Guardians.
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Chase DeLauter – OF (Cleveland Guardians)

Chase DeLauter has the most interesting case on this list. DeLauter is one of six Major League Players to debut during the postseason. Prior to his debut, he was even supposed to play in the Arizona Fall League. DeLauter is a left-handed hitter who profiles to slug at an above-average level while also hitting well. While he may not have the smoothest swing, he controls the barrel well and makes solid contact. Luckily for Cleveland, DeLauter can play all three outfield positions due to above-average speed and a good arm. He will likely spend most of his time in right or center field for the Guardians.
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The Guardians need more offense, and DeLauter can provide that for them. DeLauter looks to improve the offense of a brutal outfield. Injuries have been a mitigating factor in delaying DeLauter’s Cleveland debut. Across three seasons in the minors, he has played 138 games. This was a major factor in why the Guardians had originally planned on sending him to the Arizona Fall League for the second time. DeLauter should make the Opening Day roster to give the Guardians more offense, but his health could be the only thing that holds him back from Cleveland.
Main Photo Credit: © Phil Masturzo / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images