Guardians add four players to 40-man roster

CLEVELAND, OH – The Cleveland Guardians announced the following transactions in advance of today’s 40-man roster protection deadline:

Selected the contracts of RHP Franco Aleman, RHP Nic Enright, OF Petey Halpin and LHP Doug Nikhazy from Triple-A Columbus, adding the quartet to the ML 40-man roster and bringing the current total to 40 players.

Designated RHP Connor Gillispie, RHP Peter Strzelecki and OF George Valera for assignment.

Aleman, 24, enjoyed a productive 2024 season, boasting a 1.99 ERA (5ER/22.2IP) across 24 relief appearances despite missing three months (5/9-8/15) with a right lat strain. Upon returning to the active roster on August 16, Franco did not allow a run over his final 11 regular season outings (9.1IP). On the year, he averaged a 13.5 SO/9 and a 5.56 H/9, yielding just one home run. After stints at Florida International, St. John’s River State College and the Univ. of Florida, he was selected in the 10th round pick (306th overall) in the 2021 MLB Draft. The 6-6, Cuban-born, right-hander owns a career Double-A and Triple-A ERA of 0.96 (5ER/46.2IP) since July of 2023.

Enright was very effective over 17.0 innings of work in 2024, sporting a 1.06 ERA (2ER/17.0IP) with a .155 (9-for-58) opponent batting average, a 0.82 WHIP and 16.4 SO/9 rate while navigating a right shoulder strain that kept him on the shelf from April 20-August 29. The Richmond, VA native did not allow a run over his first 13 outings and recorded one-or-more strikeouts in all 15 of his relief appearances. He was originally drafted by Cleveland in the 20th round (610th overall) of the 2019 MLB Draft out of Virginia Tech and later selected by Miami in the 2022 Rule 5 Draft, missing a portion of the 2023 campaign after being diagnosed with Hodgkin’s Lymphoma that offseason. After beginning the season on the 15-day Injured List, he was offered back to the Guardians organization on May 31, recording a 5.45 ERA (21ER/34.2IP) in 23 appearances at Triple-A Columbus to close out 2023.

Halpin, 22, has spent 4 seasons in the Guardians Player Development system, amassing a .254 (358-for-1411) batting average, 38 doubles, 21 home runs and 83 RBI across 3 levels. The San Mateo, CA native spent the 2024 season at Double-A Akron, posting career-highs in home runs (12) and RBI (45) over 90 games. He did not play after August 22 due to a left wrist sprain, missing Akron’s final 21 games and undergoing surgery on the wrist following the campaign. The Manhattan Beach, CA native was named the best defensive outfielder in Cleveland’s system by Baseball America entering the 2023 season. He was Cleveland’s third round pick (95th overall) in the 2020 MLB Draft out of Saint Francis High School (CA).

Nikhazy, 25, excelled in 2024, posting the second-lowest opponent average (.192), sixth-lowest ERA (2.98) and seventh-most strikeouts (124) in the Player Development system across 29 appearances (27 starts) between Double-A Akron and Triple-A Columbus. The Winter Garden, FL native opened the season in Akron, boasting a 3.17 ERA (17ER/48.1IP) in 11 starts for the RubberDucks, including 19.0 consecutive scoreless innings to begin the season. After being promoted to Triple-A Columbus on June 24, he promptly spun 20.0-straight scoreless innings to begin his tenure with the Clippers. Following his promotion, he led the International League pitchers in opponent average (.195), was second in ERA (2.87), third in strikeouts (75) and fourth in innings (75.1IP). He was Cleveland’s second round pick (58th Overall) in the 2021 MLB Draft out of the University of Mississippi. He started the 2024 “Spring Breakout” game vs. the Reds on March 16 in Goodyear, striking out 6 batters over 3.0 innings of work.