Gabriel Arias, a right-handed hitting infielder, is on the Cleveland Guardians’ 40-man roster.
Arias, 24, is an excellent fielder with a cannon-like arm.
Arias will once again compete for a spot on the Guardians’ 26-man major league roster.
Arias has long been a talented but inconsistent player for the Guardians. Arias’ uneven offense has caused anxiety inside the Guardians organization.
The Guardians have long believed Arias possessed the defensive skills necessary to play shortstop on a regular basis for a major league club.
However, following a 2024 spring training competition, Arias’ poor bat caused Cleveland to select 23-year-old Brayan Rocchio as the team’s starting shortstop.
Rocchio spent the whole season as Cleveland’s shortstop, while Arias was optioned to Triple-A Columbus to work on his hitting mechanics.
Arias will have run out of minor league options when the Guardians begin spring training in February. Arias must remain on the Guardians’ 26-man major league roster or risk being placed on waivers.
Indeed, the Guardians must make a judgment regarding Gabriel Arias. Arias’ last game with the parent Guardians was on July 10, 2024.
When he was optioned to Triple-A Columbus, Arias was already hitting.In 161 major league plate appearances, he hit 222/.255/.353/.608, including nine doubles, one home run, and 15 RBIs.
Arias had 53 strikeouts and only six walks.
Something happened when Arias landed in Columbus.
Perhaps this was a “wake up” call.
Arias demonstrated offensive development in Triple-A.
Arias had 161 plate appearances in 53 games with Columbus, hitting 10 doubles, five triples, six home runs, driving in 20 runs, and stealing 11 bases without being caught.
Arias had 40 strikeouts and eight walks. Arias was still not walking enough, and his strikeouts continued to increase, but his total offense appears to be improving.
Arias has now extended his offensive improvement to Winter League Baseball, where he currently plays for La Guaira in the Venezuelan Winter League.
On Monday morning, December 9, Arias is hitting.333/.398/.680/1.078 with eight doubles, six home runs, and 18 RBIs in 83 plate appearances.
La Guaira played 19 games.
Arias has walked six times and struck out just 18 times. Background Information About Gabriel Arias:
The San Diego Padres signed Arias as an international free agent from Venezuela in 2016.
The Padres paid Arias a $1.9 million signing bonus.
Arias was hitting ropes to the gaps early in his career and appeared to be a high-impact hitter.
However, Arias’ offense dwindled as the pitching competition grew stiffer.
Arias was acquired by Cleveland in the major August 31, 2020 transaction that sent pitcher Mike Clevinger, outfielder Greg Allen, and pitcher Matt Waldron to the San Diego Padres in exchange for first baseman Josh Naylor, infielder Owen Miller, catcher Austin Hedges, pitcher Joey Cantillo, and Arias to Cleveland.
The trade was one of the most significant in Cleveland’s history, adding multiple great players in one transaction.
Naylor, Cantillo, and Hedges are on the Guardians’ major league roster.
Arias intends to rejoin the parent Guardians, which include the three players listed above.
Arias appears to be a good fit for the major league club, according to one observer.
That will keep him out of free agency and give him another chance to prove Cleveland’s executive staff that he can hit major league pitching on a consistent basis.
The Guardians face little risk in keeping Arias on the 26-man roster beyond spring training. The rewards might be extraordinary.
Especially if Arias’ newly discovered power and hitting stroke remain as strong as they have been at Triple-A Columbus and La Guaira in the Venezuelan Winter League.
So, moving forward, the Guardians must make a decision regarding the gifted Gabriel Arias.
Keep Arias on the big league roster or lose him to free agency.
Or
And this is a distinct possibility: trade Arias to boost the major league club.
Trading Arias is a viable possibility for the Cleveland Guardians front staff.
That is a very separate story for another day.
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