The Cleveland Guardians have made a habit of betting on hitters with feel, contact skill, and baseball IQ, and C.J. Kayfus fits that mold about as well as anyone in the system. The left-handed first baseman/outfielder is not just another name on the prospect board anymore. He already got to the big leagues in 2025, and even after opening 2026 back in Triple-A Columbus following an April option, he remains firmly in the conversation as a real piece of Cleveland’s near-future lineup.

Kayfus, whose full name is Collin Joseph Kayfus, was born on October 28, 2001, in Boca Raton, Florida. He played high school ball at Palm Beach Central and then headed to the University of Miami, where he built a reputation as one of the better pure hitters in the ACC. At Miami, Kayfus hit .298 as a freshman in 2021, then followed it with a huge 2022 season in which he batted .366 and earned All-ACC Second Team honors. He hit .348 in 2023, added 13 home runs, and gave scouts a better look at the power that would eventually help push him into the early rounds of the draft.

Cleveland selected Kayfus in the third round of the 2023 MLB Draft with the No. 93 overall pick. That draft slot said plenty about how the Guardians viewed him: polished bat, left-handed stroke, and enough versatility to move around if needed. He signed for a reported $700,000 bonus and got to work fast in the system, moving from Lynchburg to Lake County, then Akron, then Columbus, and finally Cleveland.

His MLB debut came on August 2, 2025, when the Guardians called him up as the offense searched for another reliable bat. Kayfus’ rookie season was not built on massive volume, but it gave Cleveland a useful preview. In 2025, he appeared in 44 games and logged 123 at-bats, collecting 27 hits, 4 home runs, 19 RBI, and 4 stolen bases while batting .220. That kind of line does not scream finished product, but it did show why the organization likes him: he can make contact, he is not limited to one defensive lane, and he does not look overwhelmed by the moment.

Now, early in 2026, Kayfus has already seen time in the majors again before being optioned back to Columbus on April 13. That move does not change the big picture much. He is still one of the more realistic call-up options in the organization, especially because Cleveland values lineup flexibility and left-handed depth. Kayfus has played first base by trade, but the outfield work matters. It gives the Guardians more ways to use him when a roster need opens up.

Fun Facts About C.J. Kayfus

• Underdrafted origin story: Despite strong bat-to-ball skills, he went unselected in the shortened 2020 draft before boosting his stock in college.
• Cape Cod League track record: He also hit with wood bats during his amateur career, which helped reinforce that his offensive game was real.
• College production: He was Miami’s 2022 team MVP and one of the Hurricanes’ most consistent all-around hitters.
• More athletic than the label suggests: Kayfus was drafted as a first baseman, but Cleveland has used him in the outfield to expand his path to playing time.
• Top prospect climb: By 2025, he had worked his way onto MLB Pipeline’s Top 100 radar after adding more pull-side power without losing his contact ability.

That is really the story with Kayfus. He is not some random fill-in. He is a homegrown bat the Guardians identified, developed, and trusted enough to bring to the majors less than two years after drafting him. Whether his next stretch in Cleveland comes in a week or later this season, he is still one of the more relevant young hitters to watch in the organization.

Sources

MLB player profile
MLB Pipeline: What to expect from Kayfus in the big leagues
MLB Draft coverage
University of Miami bio
2025 Guardians team stats