Cleveland Guardians Sign Former Top Prospect

January 14, 2026 , ,
Los Angeles Angels infielder Carter Kieboom rounds the bases during 2025 game.

The Cleveland Guardians are taking a no risk shot on pedigree, signing former top prospect Carter Kieboom to a minor league deal with a spring training invite. 

It's the kind of move Cleveland loves, cheap depth with a real outcome if the player finally turns the corner, especially after an offseason where the club has leaned heavier toward pitching adds than fixing an offense that struggled to score last year.

Guardians add infield depth with a former top prospect

Kieboom is 28 now, and the resume still grabs your attention. He was a 2016 first round pick of the Washington Nationals and spent years on Top 100 prospect lists because scouts trusted his approach, plate discipline, and ability to use the whole field. 

The big league results never matched the billing in Washington, where he hit .199/.297/.301 across 508 plate appearances, but Cleveland is betting that the hitter who keeps producing in Triple A can still be coaxed into a useful major league role. 

Carter Kieboom’s bat showed life in 2025 with the Angels

After joining the Los Angeles Angels system last season, Kieboom had one of his best offensive years in the minors, batting .319/.368/.449 with nine homers, 57 RBI, and an .817 OPS in 93 games at Triple A Salt Lake. 

He got hot late too, posting a 19 game hitting streak and closing with a .365 average and .904 OPS over his final 29 games, which earned him a September look in the majors. 

He only went 2 for 8 in that brief cameo, but the broader track record in Triple A is hard to ignore: a .288/.380/.439 career line over 1597 plate appearances.

Kieboom has experience at third base and shortstop, plus time at second and even some first base and DH work recently, giving the Guardians a potential bench option who can move around if the roster gets squeezed. 

If the bat translates even a little, this turns into one of those classic Guardians finds that looks small in January and matters a lot by June.

Photo Credit: William Liang-Imagn Images

Go To: NFL Rumors | NBA Rumors | NHL Rumors