Guardians’ C.J. Kayfus Emerges As Possible First Base Solution
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Josh Naylor is the Guardians’ first baseman, but nothing lasts forever.
In fact, the situation could change after the 2025 season, when Naylor becomes a free agent.
Cleveland’s next first baseman is likely already a member of the organization. Rookies Jhonkensy Noel and Kyle Manzardo started building their cases this season.
On the horizon is another candidate: C.J. Kayfus, the Guardians’ 2023 third-round pick out of Miami.
The 6-foot, 192-pound lefthanded-hitting Kayfus made his pro debut at Low-A Lynchburg after the draft and popped four home runs in 17 games.
Kayfus really started to emerge and speed up his timeline this year at High-A Lake County and Double-A Akron. The 22-year-old batted .291/.393/.511 with 17 homers and 92 RBIs in 107 games.
His RBI total ranked 10th in the minor leagues, while his .904 OPS was 14th.
“He entered pro ball with a history of making contact,” Guardians assistant general manager James Harris said, “but worked hard with hitting coaches Jordan Becker and Amanda Kamekona on his lower-half load in an attempt to tap into his power.”
Defensively, Kayfus’ future is still to be determined. This year, between Akron and Lake County, he played 80% of his games at first base and the other 20% in left field.
His ultimate defensive position is yet to be determined, but “his versatility will be an asset for him,” according to Harris.
Though Kayfus has the ability to play both infield and outfield, he is not overly athletic.
Still, being merely playable in an outfield corner helped Noel break into the Cleveland lineup this season, just as it helped Naylor get a foot in the door back in 2020.
