The Guardians needed to protect some of their prospects who would have been eligible for the Rule 5 Draft next month. The players they added to the 40-man roster weren’t surprising, but it was the players they cut to make room for these additions that caught more attention.
As announced on Tuesday night, the Guardians protected four Minor League players, three of whom are ranked among MLB Pipeline’s Top 30 Guardians prospects: LHP Doug Nikhazy (No. 24), OF Petey Halpin (No. 26), RHP Franco Aleman (No. 30), and RHP Nic Enright.
To accommodate these four new additions on the 40-man roster, the Guardians designated three players, who spent most of their time in the Minor Leagues, for assignment: RHP Connor Gillispie, RHP Peter Strzelecki, and OF George Valera (No. 20).
Gillispie and Strzelecki made brief appearances in the Majors this season but spent most of their time in Triple-A Columbus. Both had decent seasons, though neither stood out significantly. The decision to part ways with Valera, however, might be more disappointing for fans.
From 2019 to 2023, George Valera was consistently ranked among Cleveland’s top five prospects, reaching the No. 1 spot in 2022. However, due to ongoing injury issues, his stock began to drop in 2023, and by 2024, he had fallen to No. 20 on the prospect list. Despite this decline, there remained optimism about his future potential.
In August, Valera showed signs of his former promise, hitting .304 with a 1.018 OPS over 24 games. During that stretch, he also launched seven home runs and drove in 17 runs. His impressive production led to speculation that he might be called up in September to make his long-awaited Major League debut. However, that call-up never came. The Guardians were running out of time to evaluate him, especially as he was out of options for the following season. Unfortunately, Valera suffered a significant leg injury that required surgery, sidelining him until at least March, and possibly as late as June. With this uncertainty, committing a roster spot to him next season became a difficult decision.
As a result, the Guardians opted to free up space for other players, like Doug Nikhazy. Nikhazy had a standout season, posting a 3.17 ERA in 11 starts for Double-A Akron before improving further with Triple-A Columbus, where he recorded a 2.87 ERA in 14 appearances (13 starts) and struck out 75 batters in 75 1/3 innings. His progress was evident in his walk rate, which dropped significantly from 79 walks in 102 1/3 innings in 2022 and 73 walks in 102 innings in 2023, to just 53 walks in 123 2/3 innings in 2024.
Petey Halpin has yet to reach Triple-A Columbus and hasn’t had a breakout offensive season, but the Guardians are intrigued by his quick left-handed swing. As a center fielder, a position where Cleveland has some depth concerns, Halpin presents a potential solution. The organization believes he can continue developing and become a viable option down the line. If Steven Kwan stays in left field and Lane Thomas remains in right, Halpin could still have an opportunity to claim the center field spot if he makes the necessary improvements the Guardians are hoping for.
Then there’s Franco Aleman.
It’s easy to wonder how the Guardians could possibly improve a bullpen that was already the best in the Majors by a wide margin, with a remarkable 1.99 ERA. However, before we get too carried away, it’s important to remember that Aleman was limited to just 24 appearances this year due to a right lat strain. Despite that, he still managed to strike out 34 batters in 22 2/3 innings, while walking just 10. His fastball can reach triple digits, and his slider is developing into a devastating pitch when it’s on. If he doesn’t experience a major setback in 2025, his path to the Majors could be a fast one.
Nic Enright, like Aleman, was restricted to just 17 innings this season due to injury. However, he started strong, recording scoreless appearances in his first 13 outings. By the end of the year, he posted a 1.06 ERA in 16 games with Triple-A Columbus, striking out 31 batters in 17 innings. If he maintains this upward trajectory, Enright could also be a candidate for a Major League bullpen spot in the near future.
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