Guardians Prospect Analysis: Kayfus, Save Us

Taking a look at the newest Columbus Clipper

Guardians’ Insider announced today that CJ Kayfus and Trenton Denholm are being promoted to Triple-A, joining the Columbus Clippers for their game tomorrow:

Denholm has some interesting relief potential, but Kayfus is the exciting name so let’s take a little further look at the 23 year-old left-handed hitting prospect for Cleveland.

Since being promoted to Double-A Akron on June 3rd, 2024, this 2023 third-round pick out of University of Miami has put up a 156 wRC+ with 25.9/12.4 K/BB%, 11 homers, 8 triples and 18 doubles. He’s played 64 games at first base in Akron, 13 in left field and 2 in right field. Perhaps most excitingly, his splits over the past two season have been very even, in the mid .900’s for OPS against both right-handed and left-handed pitchers.

Kayfus hasn’t put many in the seats yet this season (one homer so far), but he’s been hustling on the bases with four triples and four doubles:

He’s also dramatically decreased his strikeout rate from the 28.2% he showed in Akron last season to 17.5% while also increasing his walk-rate by about 2%. There are still some significant contact concerns with Kayfus, as illustrated by his current swinging strike rate in Double-A of 15.8% and his overall contact rate of just 66.4%. But, if he can continue to do damage on pitches in the zone and lay off of enough pitches out of the zone to get to a double-digit strikeout rate that starts with a 1 and not a 2, he’ll find his way to Cleveland sooner rather than later.

This move is likely a function of Columbus not really having much in the way of interesting hitting prospects right now than an indication that the Guardians are tiring of their Carlos Santana situation as Kyle Manzardo’s partner in the 1B/DH role. I wouldn’t expect Kayfus to be put on the major league roster until after the July trade deadline (if at all). However, if Kayfus continues to put up monster numbers at Columbus, I think the team would give him a shot as a 13th position player taking some AB’s at 1B and DH and RF should Santana and Jhonkensy Noel, and Nolan Jones continue to struggle. It’s always good to assume the team will give Kayfus about forty games to show his stuff in Columbus before considering that promotion, so look for something mid-June at the very earliest if Kayfus continues to impress.