The Cleveland Guardians Grapple with a Complex Issue Surrounding Gabriel Arias
The Cleveland Guardians Grapple with a Complex Issue Surrounding Gabriel Arias
Right-handed batter, Gabriel Arias, is part of the Cleveland Guardians' 40-man squad.
At 24, Arias is a standout defender with a powerful arm.
Once more, Arias will be vying for a place in the Guardians' 26-man, top-tier squad during their major league season.
Throughout his time with the Guardians, Arias has been a gifted yet inconsistent player.
Inconsistency Plagues Arias' Offense:
Arias' hit-or-miss offense and gaps in his batting strategy have raised concerns within the Guardians organization.
The Guardians have long believed in Arias' defensive skills, believing he could take up the shortstop position regularly in the major leagues.
However, following a 2024 spring training competition, Arias' unreliable bat prompted Cleveland to select 23-year-old Brayan Rocchio as their primary shortstop.
Rocchio went on to excel as Cleveland's shortstop that season, while Arias was reassigned to Triple-A Columbus to fine-tune his batting techniques.
With the 2025 spring training approaching, Arias will no longer have minor league options available to him.
The Guardians will be compelled to retain Arias on their roster, or he will become eligible for the waiver process.
The Guardians now face a decision related to Gabriel Arias.
Arias' final appearance with the Guardians was on July 10, 2024.
At that time, he was batting .222/.255/.353/.608, with nine doubles, one home run, and 15 RBIs in 161 major league plate appearances.
Arias notched 53 strikeouts while just earning six walks.
Upon arriving at Columbus, something changed for Arias.
Perhaps it was a wake-up call.
From a statistical perspective, Arias demonstrated offensive growth at Triple-A.
In 161 plate appearances spanning 53 games at Columbus, Arias hit 10 doubles, five triples, six home runs, drove in 20 runs, and stole 11 bases without being caught.
Arias struck out 40 times while securing eight walks.
While his walking still needed improvement and strikeouts still piled up, his overall offense displayed an improvement.
Arias has since translated this offensive improvement to Winter League Baseball, playing for La Guaira in the Venezuelan Winter League.
As of December 9, 2024, Arias was hitting .333/.398/.680/1.078 with eight doubles, six homers, and 18 RBIs in 83 plate appearances, covering 19 games for La Guaira.
Notably, Arias had walked six times and struck out only 18 times.
Background Information on Gabriel Arias:
Arias was a free agent from Venezuela, signing with the San Diego Padres in 2016.
The Padres invested $1.9 million in his signing bonus.
In the early stages of his career, Arias was battering balls to the outfield corners, showing promise as a high-impact hitter.
However, as competition intensified, Arias' offense began to lag.
Arias was acquired by the Cleveland Guardians in the significant August 31, 2020 trade that also delivered 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 Cleveland's most influential in their history, bringing several valuable players to the team in a single deal.
Naylor, Cantillo, and Hedges are currently on the Guardians' major league squad.
Arias aspires to join this trio on the parent Guardians squad again.
In my opinion, Arias will secure a place on the major league team.
By doing so, he can avoid free agency and present another opportunity to prove he can consistently handle major league pitching.
There is minimal risk for the Guardians keeping Arias on their 26-man roster following spring training. Potential rewards are substantial.
Especially if Arias' new-found power, and his hitting prowess continue to flourish both at Triple-A Columbus, and at La Guaira in the Venezuelan Winter League.
As a result, the Guardians face a decision regarding budding prospect, Gabriel Arias.
Must they keep Arias on the major league roster, or risk losing him to free agency?
Or
Alternatively, trade Arias to further strengthen their major league team.
Trading Arias is a viable possibility for the Cleveland Guardians' front office.
However, that is a matter for a different day and a different discussion.
In light of Arias' impressive performance in the Venezuelan Winter League, there's a growing interest in his potential value in the sports business market.
If Arias can maintain his improved batting stats and minimize strikeouts in the major league season, he could significantly increase his earning potential through sports endorsements and sponsorships.