Jose Ramirez is doing his usual thing in the heart of Cleveland’s lineup, and Chase DeLauter has gotten off to a solid start.
But let’s be honest – this Guardians team could use more pop in the bat. While Cleveland doesn’t typically make splashy deadline moves, they might need to consider it if they’re hanging around the playoff race but still lacking offensive punch.
So who might be on the trade block? ESPN’s David Schoenfield floated an interesting name Monday: Jaison Chourio.
That’s right – the younger brother of Milwaukee’s rising star Jackson Chourio. The 21-year-old outfielder is still working his way through the minors, but he’s got a solid reputation as a prospect.
“The Cleveland philosophy is to venture very carefully when trading away prospects for short-term acquisitions, so a couple of lower-rated guys would likely get traded. Chourio — yes, the younger brother of Jackson — has plenty of tools and good plate discipline, but he didn’t have any power last season in High-A after suffering a season-ending wrist injury in August 2024. The 21-year-old is back in High-A ball again and looking better at the plate.”
That wrist injury obviously set him back last year. Power’s been the missing piece, but he’s showing improvement early this season.
Now, Schoenfield does point out that Cleveland’s track record suggests they won’t necessarily make any big moves at all.
“Just because the Guardians might be in a playoff race doesn’t mean they’ll make a big move. In fact, they traded Shane Bieber last year and made the postseason anyway. In 2024, they made a couple of minor additions, acquiring outfielder Lane Thomas and pitcher Alex Cobb, so they won’t necessarily do nothing.”
That’s the Guardians way – measured, calculated moves rather than blockbuster deals. They’re more likely to add a Lane Thomas type than swing for the fences on a rental star.
There’s definitely an argument for keeping Chourio around to see what he develops into. The tools are there, and with his brother’s success in Milwaukee, there’s obviously talent in that family.
But if the right opportunity presents itself – maybe for a controllable bat who can help both this year and beyond – Chourio’s name will probably come up in conversations. The question is whether his current level of development would be enough to land the type of help Cleveland actually needs.
