Juan Brito, Gabriel Arias Competing For Second Base Job
According to Mandy Bell of MLB.com, Juan Brito and Gabriel Arias will compete for the second base job during spring training. Earlier in the offseason, the Guardians traded second baseman Andres Gimenez to the Toronto Blue Jays, which opened this position on the depth chart. Bell noted that while Arias may be viewed as the slight frontrunner given his major league experience, the team is expected to give Brito an "extended look" during spring training. Last season, Arias logged 53 starts with the Guardians and posted a .222/.255/.353 line. He held a hefty 32.9 percent strikeout rate but was placed in the 97th percentile in arm strength. Brito is ranked as the eighth-best prospect in the system and spent all of last season with Triple-A Columbus. Across 144 games, Brito held a .256/.365/.443 line with 40 doubles and 21 long balls. Brito is worth monitoring in spring training as he could be a viable target in deeper formats as he flashed solid power upside at Triple-A last summer.
Juan Brito Could Be Given Extended Look At Spring Training
According to Joe Noga of Cleveland.com, Cleveland Guardians infield prospect Juan Brito could get a look to compete for the second base job during spring training. Manager Stephen Vogt told the media that Brito would be in the mix alongside Gabriel Arias, Tyler Freeman, Angel Martinez, and Daniel Schneeman, However, given that Brito has yet to reach the major leagues, he will have a much harder task to make the Opening Day roster. The Guardians have a void at the keystone as they shipped Andres Gimenez to the Toronto Blue Jays. Brito spent the entire 2024 campaign but getting his first extended look at the Triple-A level. The No. 8 ranked prospect in the Cleveland system posted a .256/.365/.443 slash line with 40 doubles, 21 home runs, 13 stolen bases, and an 88:105 BB:K ratio. Fantasy managers should continue to monitor his progression, as he could be worth a look in deeper AL-only formats if he performs well during spring training.
Cleveland Guardians shortstop prospect Juan Brito went 3-for-5 with three doubles and three RBI on Wednesday evening. This performance extended his current hitting streak to three games. This was the second time in this span where Brito tallied three hits. Since June 25, the 22-year-old has been dominant in the batter's box riding a .405/.450/.811 slash line. This is a great sign as Brito was struggling through the early months of the season and has clearly begun to turn a corner. Overall through his first extended look at Triple-A pitching, Brito has posted a .256/.375/.451 line with 13 long balls, 52 RBI, and six swiped bags through 81 games. MLB Pipeline considered Brito the sixth best prospect in the Cleveland system and projects him reach the majors in the second half of the summer.
After a 2-for-4 night at Triple-A Columbus on Wednesday, Cleveland Guardians infield prospect Juan Brito has hit safely in 11 of his last 12 games, going 18-for-52 (.346). Not only that, six of the games have been multi-hit efforts, and 10 of his 18 hits during this stretch have gone for extra bases (six doubles, four homers). Brito is the Guardians' sixth-ranked prospect, according to MLB.com's top prospects list, and they have Brito with a 2024 ETA. The Guardians are winners of six straight and sit atop the American League Central standings, but no thanks to Brayan Rocchio's offense, their current shortstop, which seemingly would be Brito's clearest path to playing time. Brito has played second, third, and short this season, but Andres Gimenez and Jose Ramirez have him blocked at second and third. Brito's hot stretch is nice, but for fantasy, he is probably off the season-long radar, as his power and speed potential aren't impactful enough to warrant a roster spot at this point.
Gabriel Arias
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Guardians
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