The Cleveland Guardians have promoted one of their top prospects, Angel Genao, to the big leagues. As the corresponding roster move, the club announced they designated infielder Gabriel Arias for assignment.
Arias, 26, was once a top prospect in the Guardians’ minor league system. He was considered a consensus Top 100 prospect before his debut season in 2022. However, he’s struggled to hit in his time in the big leagues.
In 362 games, spanning 1168 plate appearances, Arias holds a .219/.275/.359 slash with Cleveland. FanGraphs estimates his offense to be 23% below the average player, with a 77 wRC+. Much of that has to do with a 34.3% strikeout rate, as a result of a high chase rate and low contact ratings.
With Arias out of minor league options, the Guardians had no choice but to designate the fifth-year infielder for assignment.
The Guardians will have five days to either release or outright Arias to the minor leagues. Cleveland will likely try to pass the 26-year-old through waivers, then assign him to Triple-A Columbus as infield depth.
Guardians Shake Up Infield with Angel Genao and Gabriel Arias Moves
The decision to promote Angel Genao and DFA Gabriel Arias signals a major shift in the Guardians’ infield. The club has Jose Ramirez (third base), Bryan Rocchio (shortstop), and Travis Bazzana (second base) entrenched in three of their four infield spots.
The Guardians were aggressive buyers at the trade deadline. As part of their infield shift, they added first baseman Nathaniel Lowe. Lowe replaced Kyle Manzardo, who was optioned to Columbus on August 3.
Cleveland would certainly hope that Arias passes through waivers, so they can outright him. While his bat has yet to come around, his defensive value makes him a valuable player. He has extensive experience playing on the left side of the infield and has held up well.
Using Outs Above Average, Arias is +8 in 1484 innings at shortstop and +0 in 572 innings at third base. He’s also seen time at first base, second base, and all three outfield positions.
With Cleveland chasing down the Chicago White Sox, they’re hoping to get a spark out of Genao. The 22-year-old carries a .300/.401/.474 slash between Double-A and Triple-A this season, good for a 133 wRC+. He’s played primarily at shortstop for his career, but has a handful of starts at both second base and third base.
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