Story by
Guardians No. 1 prospect Travis Bazzana, top 10 prospect Juan Brito among options at second
- Story by
- Guardians No. 1 prospect Travis Bazzana, top 10 prospect Juan Brito among options at second
CLEVELAND — A pair of trades addressed a key part of the roster but left some questions at second base. Now the Guardians are left to weigh their many internal options unless another move is made to bring in an infielder from outside the organization.
The Guardians dealt three-time Gold Glove second baseman Andres Gimenez to the Toronto Blue Jays for a package of players that included Spencer Horwitz , who was almost immediately then dealt to the Pittsburgh Pirates for Luis Ortiz and two pitching prospects.
Advertisement
President of baseball operations Chris Antonetti had identified the starting rotation as a target to address this winter, which is unusual the Guardians considering their recent history.
Hall of Fame voice: 'I'm so humbled. I'm so grateful': Tom Hamilton named Frick Award winner by Hall of Fame
Shane Bieber , coming off of Tommy John surgery , was signed to a one-year deal that includes a player option for 2026, and Ortiz will fill a spot in the Opening Day rotation.
Guardians pitcher Shane Bieber is introduced before Game 1 of the ALDS, Oct. 5, 2024, in Cleveland.
"We feel we're in a much better position now than we were a few weeks ago," Antonetti said. "I think we were pretty clear at the outset of the offseason. Our goal was to try to add to our starting pitching staff in particular, and we feel we've been able to add two quality alternatives to that. So now I think we can be a little bit more opportunistic and look at just the variety of different pathways we might have to improve the team, whether that's in the rotation or somewhere else."
Advertisement
How did trading Gold Glover Andres Gimenez help the Guardians long term?
Pittsburgh Pirates relief pitcher Luis Ortiz (48) throws a pitch against the Guardians on Aug. 31, 2024, in Cleveland.
The Guardians also saw a benefit in moving Gimenez's contract, which with his offense declining a bit over the last two seasons was becoming to a look a bit hefty. Gimenez was set to make $23 million a year by the end of his extension.
The trades accomplished those two goals (address the rotation and gain long-term financial flexibility) but they do leave an unanswered question at second base. The Guardians feel they're positioned to address those concerns with how their minor league system is currently constructed.
Advertisement
"We feel that this trade made sense in a lot of fronts," Antonetti said. "One, again, because of the players we were able to get back, specifically in major league starting pitching. And it's also coupled with the fact that the strength of our organization is on the position player side, specifically in the middle infield."
Guardians prospect Juan Brito joins young vets Tyler Freeman , Angel Martinez and Gabriel Arias as second base options
Akron RubberDucks infielder Juan Brito throws to first base between innings during a game against the Bowie Baysox, Aug. 31, 2023, at Canal Park.
Even without any more trades or free agent signings, the Guardians have five internal options who could compete for the starting second base job this spring, a list that includes Tyler Freeman , Angel Martinez , Juan Brito, Daniel Schneemann and Gabriel Arias.
Advertisement
More on Guardians: Cleveland Guardians trade candidates this offseason include first baseman Josh Naylor
Freeman came up through the minor leagues primarily due to his skills at the plate, hitting .313 with a .384 on-base percentage in the minor leagues. But that success hasn't translated to the major leagues, where across three seasons he's put together a .223/.304/.329 line. He's handled shortstop and has experience at second base. He's also still just 25 years old.
Guardians shortstop Tyler Freeman celebrates after scoring during the second inning against the Kansas City Royals, Aug. 26, 2024, in Cleveland.
Martinez is the candidate that might not be given as much of a shot due to his recent positional changes, but he does have plenty of experience in the infield and has had positive stretches at the plate while in the No. 2 spot in the lineup, though they were short-lived. If the Guardians feel they're covered in the outfield, perhaps Martinez can compete for the second base job this spring. Martinez is only 22, so he could still be in the range of outcomes where the Guardians would like him to receive everyday at-bats, possibly in Triple-A.
Advertisement
Brito is perhaps the most intriguing, as he has yet to make his major league debut but is already on the 40-man roster. In Triple-A last season, Brito hit .256 with 21 home runs, 40 doubles and an .807 OPS. He now has more than 650 plate appearances in Triple-A and is likely to make his debut at some point in 2025. If he can have a hot spring, Brito could earn the Opening Day job and never look back.
Schneemann, turning 28 soon, has operated as a utility man. Last year he hit .218 with a .671 OPS in 221 plate appearances. If the Guardians want to ensure other, younger players can receive everyday at-bats, he could fill a short-term gap at second base.
Guardians infielder Gabriel Arias celebrates after hitting a double during the second inning against the Washington Nationals, June. 2, 2024, in Cleveland.
Arias somehow doesn't turn 23 until February even though he seemingly has been an option for the Guardians infield for several years now. Across three seasons, he's hit just .212 with a .624 OPS, though the team loves his defensive ability (even though much of that rests with his above-average arm, which is a bit useless at second base unless it's a relay throw to the plate).
Advertisement
There are several free agent options who could become candidates to take over second base for a year or two, including Jose Iglesias , Josh Rojas , Nicky Lopez , Brendan Rodgers, Enrique Hernandez and Garrett Hampson , among others. But if part of the allure of dealing Gimenez was to free up some pathways for the aforementioned internal options, bringing in a veteran to block them doesn't exactly follow that path.
Could 2024 overall No. 1 pick Travis Bazzana make his Guardians debut at second base in 2025?
Guardians 2024 No. 1 draft pick Travis Bazzana, right, shakes hands with the team's All-Star third baseman Jose Ramirez before the Guardians played the Padres, July. 19, 2024, in Cleveland.
Then there's Travis Bazzana, last year's No. 1 overall draft pick who right now is in line to eventually take over second base for the long haul . The Guardians are known to try to add some defensive flexibility to prospects' profiles as they make their way through the minor leagues, and Bazzana certainly has the athletic ability to do so. But for now, he holds the keys to second base once he makes his major league debut, which potentially could be in 2025. If not, it's a good bet he'll be in the majors by the end of 2026.
Advertisement
Manager of the Year: 'I want it next year': Stephen Vogt reflects on first year as Guardians manager, '25 goals
Bazzana still doesn't have a single at-bat at the Double-A level, but he figures to rocket through the Guardians' minor league system fairly quickly if all goes well. The Gimenez trade cleared a long-term path for him, with the aforementioned options vying for playing time in the mean time. Guardians general manager Mike Chernoff also noted to MLB Network Radio that Bazzana "is a player who is driven like few other players to continue to improve."
"Travis does fall into that group of players that we think can contribute at second base at some point down the road, but right now our focus with him is making sure he has a really good winter, comes into spring training next year and is in position to have a really good 2025. And we think he's got an exciting future and can impact us at some point, but exactly when that'll be, it's hard to say."
The Guardians cleared the path for some of their internal options. Now they have to figure out how all of those Dominos fall.
This article originally appeared on Akron Beacon Journal: Guardians 2025 second base options include Juan Brito, Travis Bazzana
