Guardians Lose George Valera, 9 Others to Free Agency

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TORONTO, ON - APRIL 24: George Valera #7 of the Cleveland Guardians hits a 2-run home run in the first inning during a game against the Toronto Blue Jays at Rogers Centre on April 24, 2025 in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. (Photo by Vaughn Ridley/Getty Images)

George Valera, once upon a time, was supposed to be a star in Cleveland.

Instead, he’s leaving the Guardians’ organization entirely, one of 10 players to elect free agency from the Guards on Wednesday.

Valera is the most eye-catching name of the group, a former high-ranking prospect who even had a clutch playoff home run on his MLB ledger in Cleveland before falling off and not making it back.

The Guardians clearly have moved on, as it doesn’t seem like they did anything to keep Valera around.

If Valera is going to make it back to MLB, it won’t be with Cleveland — at least it doesn’t seem that way right now.

George Valera Decision

Valera was at the point of his contract where he could choose to “elect free agency,” and that’s what he did.

Minor league ballplayers will rarely turn that choice down. After being under one organization’s control for half a decade or more, they want the chance to pursue new opportunities.

It doesn’t preclude Valera from re-signing with the Guardians, but it does allow every other team who hasn’t had a crack to have Valera before to go after him if they’d like.

Given Valera’s prospect pedigree and raw power, it seems possible he’ll get a look from another ballclub.

Guardians Part With 9 Others

Valera wasn’t the only minor league Cleveland ballplayer to elect free agency on Wednesday. Nine others made the same move.

The veteran catcher Dom Nunez was one of the other notable names on the list.

Also included were infielders Juan Benjamin, Maick Collado, Dayan Frias, Luis Rodriguez and Kevin Rivas. Esteban Gonzalez was on the list as an outfielder. And two lefty pitchers, Steven Perez and Joe Borucki, made the move.

The following Cleveland #Guardians minor league players have elected free agency.

C Dom Nunez
OF George Valera
OF Esteban Gonzalez
INF Juan Benjamin
INF Maick Collado
INF Dayan Frias
INF Luis Rodriguez
INF/C Kevin Rivas

LHP Steven Perez
LHP Joe Borucki

— Guardians Prospective (@CleGuardPro) November 4, 2026

Most of those players are unlikely to reach the major leagues, although there’s still some potential on the list.

Valera is the one who will be most painful for Cleveland if he ends up finding his way in a new uniform.