These are our guys
We are about to get our first look at the Cleveland Guardians in 2025 – who are these guys?
Catchers:
Bo Naylor, 25 year-old, left-handed hitter: Naylor had a rough offensive season in his first full year as the Guardians’ starting catcher, but he was incredibly adept at framing pitches (essentially, getting strikes out of pitches that were borderline) and held up well under the rigors of the most demanding position in MLB. He will be playing for the first time in the bigs without his older brother, which may help, and his manager has lauded the changes Bo has shown as a hitter this spring. Naylor finding his hitting stroke from 2023 could be the biggest offensive boost this lineup has to offer if it can happen.
Austin Hedges, 32 year-old, RHH: Hedges remains one of the best defensive catchers in baseball and its worst hitter. He is renowned as a clubhouse magician throughout the game and known for doing anything it takes to keep the team vibes immaculate.
First Basemen:
Kyle Manzardo, 24 year-old, LHH: Manzardo has a very understated personality but quietly hits the ball very hard while exhibiting a patient approach at the plate. The moves the Guardians made this offseason display that they believe in him as a hitter who can anchor the middle of this lineup. I replay a little postgame giggle Manzardo offered a reporter after a big late season homer in my head all the time, and look forward to him and his mustache breakout in the big time this year.
Carlos Santana, 39 year-old, SH: This is Santana’s third tour with the team and he left a two-year deal with the Mariners on the table to return to Cleveland and rejoin one of his good friends, Jose Ramirez. Santana keeps himself in incredible shape and won a Gold Glove as a 38 year-old last year. Expect him to hit left-handed pitching well and put up good, patient at-bats every time. Santana was the harbinger of some great Cleveland teams of the mid-2010’s when he first arrived with his intimidating stare at the plate and penchant for pulling fly balls from both sides of the plate. I’m rooting for one last late career renaissance year for a fan favorite here.
Second Baseman:
Gabriel Arias, 25 year-old, RHH: Arias has been a frustrating player to watch during his time in Cleveland, but he will get one more opportunity to prove that his excellent fielding potential and hard-hitting ability can make him a valuable, everyday piece, as some prospects like Juan Brito and Travis Bazzana warm up in the minors. He absolutely has the tools to be a very good player, if he can reduce his tendencies to whiff, to hit ground balls and to lack focus on the basepaths and with the glove.
Third Baseman:
Jose Ramirez, 32 year-old, SH: What more is there to say about Ramirez who took at the very least a $100 million discount to stay with Cleveland and has established himself as the best third baseman in baseball and an easily top-five player over the past decade of play? He almost put up a 40 homer, 40 double and 40 steal season last year and he has come to camp slimmer, with more muscle and trying to improve his production with the express purpose of leading this franchise to end their 76-year title drought. Perpetually the underdog because of his height and origins, he epitomizes the spirit of Cleveland. Plus, he’s hilarious and a delight in every quote he gives. I love him.
Shortstop:
Brayan Rocchio, 24 year-old, SH: Rocchio spent most of 2024 being disappointing at the plate, and then became of folk hero with an excellent hitting performance in the 2024 postseason. He received a Gold Glove nomination but he had a terrible ALCS in the field. We will see if he can build on his postseason hitting and his regular season fielding to establish shortstop as a position of steady value in Cleveland. Oh, he’s also the player who in January 2024 tweeted the key to surviving a baseball season: “Faith, Balls and Patience.”
Left Field:
Steven Kwan, 27 year-old, LHH: Like Jose Ramirez, Kwan provides value from a small frame in unique ways, refusing to strikeout, opportunistically pulling fly balls, and being the best defensive left fielder in baseball. We’ll see if his hamstring allows him to be more aggressive on the baseball and if his body can hold up to a full season and enable him to compete for a batting title. But, regardless, every day he is in the lineup to bat leadoff and annoy pitchers with his patient and contact-savant approach, he is a joy for Cleveland fans to behold.
Center Field:
Lane Thomas, 29 year-old, RHH: A July trade deadline acquisition, Thomas had a horrific August, a terrific September and then two of the biggest hits of the 2024 postseason with a grand slam off of Tarik Skubal to send the Guardians to the ALCS and a double in front of Jhonkensy Noel to help Cleveland get a game from the Yankees there. He seemed to be adequate in centerfield and “Rocky Top” from his native Tennessee became a locker room anthem for the Guardians in their playoff run. If Thomas can have a great year in his last season before he hits free agency, he can be a huge piece of the team improving their middling offensive production from 2024.
Right Field:
Nolan Jones, 26 year-old, LHH: The last player to be added prior to the season, the Guardians reversed their decision to trade a player they drafted in 2016 by getting him back from the Rockies for Tyler Freeman. Jones had an amazing 2023 with the Rockies and a terrible 2024, but dealt with back trouble and an infant daughter with an illness. He still managed to decrease his whiff rate and increase his hard-hit rate, so there is plenty of reason to hope he can bounce back in 2025, especially as the right-fielder with a cannon for an arm who starts mostly against right-handed pitching.
Jhonkensy Noel, 23 year-old, RHH: The man called “Big Christmas” had a moment for the ages with his game-tying home run in game 3 of the ALCS last year. He was incredible from his debut in June through August, but then disappeared for the month of September. The team hopes he is somewhere in between that performance, especially against left-handed pitching. Two things are for sure – he is going to swing and miss a LOT, but when he hits the ball, it’s going to go a LONG way.
Utility Guy (Infielder and Outfielder)
Daniel Schneemann, 27 year-old, LHH: Schneemann is a player I didn’t think should make the roster, but he displayed a good approach throughout spring training and is defensively solid all over the field. As a former 34th round draft pick, I find it impossible to not root for the Snowman to succeed regardless of my metric-produced doubts.
Outfielder:
Johnathan Rodriguez, 25 year-old, RHH: It’s fun to see a player who won the International League MVP with Columbus get a chance at a lefty-mashing bench role for the Guardians, but Rodriguez has also hit right-handed pitching well. He should be a usefu late-inning pinch-hit option for the Guardians and a great roster placeholder for David Fry (returning from elbow surgery sometime this summer). Call him Johnny Rockets because he’s blasting off all over the ballpark whenever he makes contact.
Some other names to monitor as the season progresses include the aforementioned switch-hitting Brito, likely to debut at second base at some point but potentially also in right field or first base as needed, top prospect LHH outfielder Chase DeLauter, recovering from a sports hernia, and desperate to prove he can stay healthy, LHH outfielder George Valera who chose to return to the team on a minor league deal after tearing his knee late last season, and potentially RHH catcher Cooper Ingle should a catching injury occur above him. Ingle gets some Steven Kwan comparisons as a hitter and has a growing reputation as a defender behind the plate also. As mentioned above, we should also keep in mind that the Guardians 2024 #1 pick second-baseman LHH Bazzana is more than capable of putting everything together and forcing the team’s hand to let him debut at some point late this season, also.
Rotation:
Tanner Bibee, 26 year-old, RHP – It was excting to see the team extend Tanner Bibee through potentially 2030 this season. He came into his own as the staff ace and produced an excellent start against a potent Yankees’ lineup in game five of the ALCS. He has a bulldog mentality and should anchor the Guardians’ rotation all season long.
Gavin Williams, 25 year-old, RHP – Few pitchers opened eyes quite like Williams did this Spring, with his fastball, slider and curveball looking excellent in their own ways throughout Cactus League play. IF he can stay healthy and build on what we saw this February-March, the Guardians could have found their second frontline starter. His nickname is Big Rig and I love hearing his monotone North Carolina accent in postgame interviews.
Luis L. Ortiz, 26 year-old, RHP – Ortiz was the big piece acquired in trading Andres Gimenez, and it’s clear the Guardians have asked him to make some delivery and pitch mix adjustments this spring. His pitches have great movement but he struggled to find command during exhibition. He’s a SOLIDLY built man with the Guardians’ mid-rotation improvement hopes riding on his broad shoulders.
Ben Lively, 33 year-old, RHP – The quintessential journeyman underdog story, Lively saved the Guardians’ lives over and over last season. He survives with underwhelming stuff but good command and effective use of multiple pitches in a confounding pitch mix. While there are reasons to doubt he can sustain or improve on his 2024, I wouldn’t bet against him with his competitive fire and dogged commitment to win.
Logan Allen, 26 year-old, LHP – Allen joins Schneemann on a list of players about whom I have a lot of doubts, but Allen’s command looked drastically improved this Spring, earning him a spot back in the rotation when Triston McKenzie, Joey Cantillo and Slade Cecconi faltered. He’s an underdog story, as well, shorter for a starting pitcher without overwhelming stuff. But, he gives off step-mom doing her best for the struggling kids she’s taken on as her own (i.e. Guardians’ rotation improvement hopes) vibes (shoutout to Twitter user @alisonrae22 for inspiring this concept), and I find it impossible not to root for him to outperform the projections.
Someone in the rotation is likely just holding this spot until RHP Shane Bieber returns from Tommy John surgery. Bieber’s return here is immensely fun, as he is such a fun pitcher to watch carve up opposing hitters and has easy potential to be a top five pitcher in MLB when healthy. Here’s hoping this brand new dad beats medical projections and comes back in May or early June and helps carry this team to the playoffs in what is likely his final year with the franchise that drafted and developed him.
Notably, the Guardians also signed John Means, LHP, who is recovering from a Tommy John surgery of his own, his second such procedure. When healthy, Means has been a top 30 pitcher in MLB for the Orioles, so his potential return remains a wildcard to watch when the calendar hits August. RHP Cecconi (recovering from an oblique strain) and LHP Doug Nikhazy are also waiting in the wings to impact the team when the opportunity arises.
Bullpen:
Triston McKenzie, 27 year-old, RHP – I love watching the spindly McKenzie twirl the ball, but too often it has been nowhere near the zone of late. His velocity looked great in the spring, but inability to find the zone with his breaking balls consistently has him looking to find himself in the pen.
Joey Cantillo, 25 year-old, LHP – With Erik Sabrowski out for a bit, Cantillo gets first shot at the second lefty in the bullpen role. The native of Hawaii has great stuff for a pen arm, but may still get a chance to get stretched back out as a starter. For the meantime, look for his curveball and change to do work to back up a fastball that should get a velo boost in short stint pen work.
Jakob Junis, 32 year-old, RHP – Junis has a great slider and has been very effective the past two years as a reliever. He can go multiple innings when needed, as well, which is why the Guardians decided to sign him as an upgrade from last year’s longman, Pedro Avila (will miss you, teddy bear Pedro!).
Paul Sewald, 34 year-old, RHP – Sewald has very recently been an effective closer, but had a pretty bad 2024. The Guardians are betting on him to bounceback. He’ll give up some homers, but they’ll usually be solo shots, and he brings some needed veteran moxie to a young group of guys.
Tim Herrin, 28 year-old, LHP – Herrin became an affectionate meme last year with his pale skin tone and unassuming presence, while being an absolute menace on the mound. I enjoyed how Guardians fans on Twitter would make lists and just include Tim Herrin on those lists whether he fit the category or not. He was absolutely nails all season and in the playoffs, and I look forward to seeing if he can repeat that performance again.
Hunter Gaddis, 27 year-old, RHP – Gaddis found incredible success moving from a starting role to relief last year, functioning as the Guardians’ primary 8th inning pitcher. He doesn’t strike out a ton of guys, but limits walks and hard contact with a gritty approach behind an imposing bushy beard.
Cade Smith, 25 year-old, RHP – Smith was absolutely electric as a rookie reliever last year, adding another Canadian hero to the Guardians’ 2024 collection. His Superman-cut jawline accompanies a fastball that was practically untouchable last year, and he’ll look to repeat that while improving his secondary offerings to stave off any regression. He threw an immense amount of innings last year without blinking until the very, very end, so we’ll monitor that hoping he doesn’t face any consequences healthwise
Emmanuel Clase, 27 year-old, RHP – Clase was the best reliever in baseball last season, I don’t care what metrics said. He allowed five runs in the regular season and made ninth innings a mere formality. He faltered in the postseason and I wonder if the team attempts to reduce his usage rate to help alleviate that potential issue. I’m curious if the absence of Andres Gimenez will affect him at all, as he allows a lot of contact, just on the ground. Hard to imagine he could improve on his historic 2024, but I also would never count him out. He blazes that cutter in at over 100 mph and when he’s on, it’s impossible to square anything up.
Down the road, we should see the aforementioned LHP Sabrowski (a motormouth positivity storm), RHP Trevor Stephan returning from Tommy John hoping to rediscover his 2022 dominance, RHP Franco Aleman returning from a hernia, and RHP Nic Enright (cancer survivor) make their impacts on the bullpen at some point.
Coaches to Know:
Stephen Vogt, Manager – Vogt is an unending source of positivity who seems to embrace all the insights the numbers can give him for optimizing team performance. He was well-known for his comedic routines and song performances as a player, and I can’t help for a glimpse of that in his second full season. But, overall, I expect a steady hand to guide the team ship through the troubled waters of a long season and constant improvements from the experiences his job gives him.
Craig Albernaz, Bench Coach – Vogt’s right-hand man interviewed for other manager jobs but returned with his Bostonian accent and rigorous attention to detail to try to help this team get to the next level.
Kai Correa, On-Field Coordinator – The mastermind behind so much behind the scenes, Correa has a reputation as one of the best minds in the game. I plan to enjoy his influence on the team again this season because it’s only a matter of time before someone steals him as a manager.
Grant Fink, Hitting Coach – The new Guardians’ hitting coach has a much more approachable public manner than Chris Valaika and a lot of familiarity with the Guardians’ roster from his time in their system. I’m interested to see if the team displays a more patient approach, especially, with Fink on board as well as some new hitters with different mindsets.
Karl Willis, Pitching Coach – Longtime Guardians’ pitching guru, the man rumored to be a human Trackman able to call out pitcher spin rates without technology, I would just like to have his North Carolinan smoker-Kermit-the-Frog-like drawl coach me in anything. He leads this Guardians’ pitching group which has been the constant source of their consistent winning over the past decade, and he’s still here and not retired because he wants to help the franchise win a title.
Alyssa Nakken, Player Development Assistant – I wanted to shout out Nakken, who became the first woman as an on-field coach in MLB and now helps the team in player development. It’s exciting to see the Guardians’ find a market inefficiency in hiring someone from this underused demographic, and I’m sure Nakken will be helping the team win in a multitude of areas.
Hopefully, this article gives you a helpful glimpse into some of the characters who will soon inhabit our daily baseball adventures, and reasons to root for them along the way on their quest for an eternal legacy in Cleveland baseball lore in 2025. Let’s go, Guardians!