Buy, Sell, Hold for the 2024 Guardians’ Roster

Evaluating the players we have headed into the offseason

With the exciting 2024 Guardians’ season behind us, it’s time to take a quick look at which players may or may not be returning for the 2025 season.

In the next few weeks on Covering the Corner, we will be doing more in-depth analyses of each player’s season. For this article, I want to offer off-the-cuff opinions on whether or not the players who populate the Guardians’ 40-man will make their way back to Cleveland in 2025. By nature, this article is going to be a little more “hot takey” than most of what I write. We’ll have plenty of statistical analysis coming your way, shortly.

To clarify the terms below: “Buy” means “give me more of this player,” “Sell” means “I’ve seen enough,” and “Hold” means “to be determined, let’s see how the market plays out.”

Buy:

Jose Ramirez - I’ll buy Jose Ramirez stock until he’s 10 years into retirement.

Steven Kwan - The most obvious choice for player with whom the team should pursue extension talks.

Andres Gimenez - Some work needs to be done with Gimenez this offseason to go back to sacrificing some contact to get more pop, but he’s still the best defender in baseball and only entering is 25 year-old season. Give me more.

David Fry - I’m not saying David Fry is untouchable... if someone sees Fry as a guy who can anchor the middle of their lineup, you’d trade him for a commensurate return. But, if that’s not the case, he’s an extremely versatile piece that I want to see for the next 3-4 years. We’ll see what the news on his elbow in terms of his ability to BE versatile in position-playing this coming season.

Bo Naylor - I know the frustration with Bo is high, but it is not at all unexpected for a catcher to struggle in his first year full-time in the role and while being asked to make swing changes. With some offseason time to rest, recover and readjust, I am confident the Guardians’ have an extremely valuable piece here. Honestly, I’d like to see the team explore an extension with Bo (buy out his arb years and a year or two of free agency) to see if last year makes him more likely to want some security because it would likely turn out to be a steal if they can get that done.

Kyle Manzardo - We saw the vision in September and at several points in October. Manzardo can put up a professional at-bat against anyone and he has great lift in his swing that can change a game. It’s time for him to start full-time in 2025, give him a chance to show he can beat lefties, too. Also, not opposed to exploring buying out his arb and early-free agent years, either.

Lane Thomas - It’s probably unlikely the team extends Thomas, but I am happy with him playing center and crushing lefties for us in 2025. He displayed a very professional approach to the plate in the playoffs, which is why I’m not OPPOSED to checking on his asking price to stick around a little longer.

Jhonkensy Noel - 23 years old and crushing one of the most important home runs in franchise history. Also, he seemed to improve day-by-day in the field. Give me more Big Christmas, baby.

Tanner Bibee - An amazing first full-season finished off by an incredible start against the best lineup in baseball, marred by one mislocated pitch. Bibee would be my second choice (outside of Kwan) with which the team should explore an extension.

Emmanuel Clase - The best reliever in baseball stumbled in the postseason. I want to see how he responds and I expect it will be amazing. Sure, just like any season, if someone is offering you a front-of-the-line starting pitcher or a middle-of-the-order bat, you would consider trading him. But, I'm buying him as a huge asset for 2025.

Hunter Gaddis - One clarification: no relief pitcher is untouchable. All relievers are volatile and if you can get a proven starting pitcher or everyday player by moving one, you do it. With that said, give me more of Gaddis as a reliever. I wouldn’t even consider moving him back into the rotation.

Cade Smith - Now, Smith. Smith I would be interested to see if the team explores moving him into the rotation in a Reynaldo Lopez-type move. Either way, I don’t want him going anywhere.

Tim Herrin - Unfortunately, I feel like we all forgot to mention how absolutely NAILS an exhuasted Herrin was in game five against the Yankees. Buy, buy, buy Herrin stock, folks.

Erik Sabrowski - Is Sabrowski a potential candidate to start? I don’t know, but he definitely looks like a lights-out lefty/middle-reliever I want to see lots more of.

Pedro Avila - Is Avila a potential candidate to start? I don’t know, but I want him to give me a hug. What a delight. And a guy who responded incredibly well to the Cleveland pitching factory’s adjustments.

Eli Morgan - Morgan had his best season by far as a reliever and should be cemented into those sixth innings with guys like Sabrowski and Avila.

Andrew Walters - Time to give Walters some late-inning reps because I think we have another potential closer arm here. For every reliever listed above, again, I am not opposed to a trade if the right fit comes up. But, on each individual basis, I am excited to see more of them and buying their stock left and right.

Joey Cantillo - Some moments of brilliance for Cantillo in the playoffs and one BIG hiccup. I’m excited to see him get a shot at being a rotation regular for Cleveland to prepare all offseason for that chance.

Ben Lively - Reliable number five starters don’t grow on trees, folks. We got one. Buying stock for him to do it again.

Gavin Williams - After some early-inning bumps, Williams offered the team smooth sailing through the tough Yankee lineup despite not having pitched in like two weeks. He has some work to do to keep teams off his fastball but I wouldn’t be surprised to see a quantum leap for him in 2025. Big Rig is one of the most important players for the Guardians to see take a large step forward next season and I’m buying that he can do it.

Matthew Boyd - Obviously, if Matthew Boyd likes it here well-enough to consider whatever deal the Guardians MIGHT offer, I’m buying that in a heartbeat. His 2024 playoffs rivaled Chad Ogea’s 1997 run in levels of clutch and performance for the Cleveland baseball team.

Shane Bieber - Ok, I lied. Bieber is probably my number one extension target. He has proven he can be very good at lower velocity so even if he doesn’t come back throwing 94 mph after Tommy John, he’s a good investment. It makes so much sense to try to get him back on some sort of 2-3 year deal, whether it involves options or whatever, that I’ll be upset if it doesn’t happen. Hopefully, Bieber catching the ceremonial first pitch of a playoff game is a good sign.

Sell:

Nick Sandlin - Sandlin is not bad. I suspect injuries played a role in him BEING bad for the second half this year. He is the kind of player you trade to Tampa Bay as a small part of a larger deal to acquire Brandon Lowe to play second-base as you move Gimenez to short... oh wait, that’s a different article.

Alex Cobb - I think Cobb is washed. I also don’t think he’ll be interested in signing with a team not on the West Coast. It was well-worth a shot when the team struck out on guys like Flaherty, Crochet and Kikuchi... but it didn’t pan out and I don’t think a one-year deal here makes a ton of sense.

James Karinchak - Karinchak wasn’t good last year, got blasted in Triple-A when he finally came back, and needs to be DFA’d post-haste.

Will Brennan - Brennan’s 105 wRC+ against RHP for his career isn’t enough for him to be a platoon outfielder on a playoff team. His defense also collapsed this year, for whateve reason. I suspect some year, Brennan will hit 120 wRC+ against RHP and play good defense, but I don’t think it’s worth holding out for that here.

Daniel Schneemann - A fun Linsanity run for Schneemann at Columbus and for his first 14 games in Cleveland turned out to be a mirage. He’s probably got some years ahead as a major league utility player but I would much rather the team upgrade in this spot (preferably by getting Brayan Rocchio moved into this role, but anyway...)

Gabriel Arias - I wanted to see Arias get first shot at being the everyday shortstop, and when that didn’t pan out, it became clear the team saw him more as a utility player. If he was going to make good on his potential (elite arm, elite exit velocities), he was going to have to do it in a part-time role. Arias profiles as a valuable utility player. But, I don’t think he is capable of handling that kind of playing rhythm. He’s still quite young, however, and if they give it another shot while other guys continue developing in Columbus, I am fine with it. I would prefer, however, that they trade him.

Tyler Freeman - Of the three, clear utility guys (Schneemann, Arias and Freeman), Freeman is still my top choice to roster. And, I do realize that they are very likely to retain at least one of these players, as you need their types on a roster. Freeman is a competent defender, he’s fast and he makes reliable contact at the plate. But, I’m not buying him as a major league regular or anything other than an interchangeable piece.

George Valera - Valera isn’t getting traded after undergoing knee surgery but I am not buying that he is going to help Cleveland in 2025.

Daniel Espino - If the Guardians exposed Espino to waivers, I wouldn’t complain. It is very unlikely he ever helps a big league team. If they keep him, I also won’t complain, though, because the lottery ticket he now represents is definitely as good as lottery tickets go. But, if someone offered you something valuable for the lottery ticket you just purchased from the gas station, you’d sell it. Thus, Espino’s grouping here.

Logan Allen - I have seen enough of the most crushable fastball I’ve ever encountered. Maybe someone wants to have him in a trade for cash.

Hold:

Josh Naylor - If someone wants to offer the Guardians commensurate value with Josh Naylor’s ability to provide you 120 wRC+ and 30+ homers in the middle of the order while generally not embarrassing himself at first base, the Guardians should consider it given that he is only under team control for one more year. I am also aware that his reconstructed ankle probably has some sort of timer ticking on it. However, my heart says “EXTEND THE MAN! HE’S GONNA COME BACK NEXT YEAR IN GREAT SHAPE AND SO MOTIVATED TO RIGHT THE WRONGS OF THIS POSTSEASON.” So, while I understand the team has Kyle Manzardo, Jhonkensy Noel, Juan Brito, C.J. Kayfus and even potentially Chase DeLauter to vie for the first base and DH roles here, I’d be wary to not just let Naylor play out the string here unless you are getting some kind of piece that helps you fill the starting pitcher hole in a big way (maybe as part of a three-team deal or subsequent trade) by dealing him.

Brayan Rocchio - Rocchio’s sudden ability to take a deep breath and be a reliable hitter this postseason was such a welcome development. It was heart-warming to hear fans chanting “ROCCH-EE-OOO” in attendance in game five. However, he also made three fairly inexcusable errors in the ALCS. He also didn’t really beat the slap-hitter with no outstanding tools allegations in 2024. He’s 23 years old. It’s not shocking for him to struggle in his first full-season, and there is no need to move away from him given that Angel Genao won’t be ready in 2025 and it’s fairly unlikely Travis Bazzana will be either (and Bazzana could potentially play center-field if needed). But, if some team is very excited about acquiring a Gold-Glove finalist who displayed immense poise in the playoffs, I am very open to the conversation. Unless Rocchio can display the ability to fully lock in for big moments defensively as he did offensively and more consistently get to the pulled-fly-ball abilities he showed in Akron, he’s going to be a 2.5 WAR player, which is a league average big league regular. That’s incredible valuable at shortstop... but it isn’t something I’m going to be buying stock in longterm. So, it’s definitely a “wait and see” proposition, here.

Triston McKenzie - Amazing to think that the team was pursuing extension talks with McKenzie prior to 2023. His injury and struggles to find it were the most disappointing thing about the 2024 season for me. I would like to give him a chance to find himself in the offseason and Spring Training. If he can’t do it, then it’s probably time for a DFA or trade for cash at the end of March. But, I’m holding for now because the value for trading him isn’t going to be worth it. And, the Guardians obviously need as many viable arms as they can get. It will, of course, be interesting to see if McKenzie revisits the idea of elbow surgery this offseason, also.

Angel Martinez - I have Martinez listed in this category not because he isn’t an exciting player. Having a 22 year old, switch-hitter come up and show flashes of briliance at the plate and hold his own in centerfield and at third base is very exciting. But, if the team keeps Rocchio (as I expect), Martinez is definitely the kind of player who could be a very useful trade piece if a team believes in his skill set. If he makes the 2025 team as a utility player or even if the team trades Rocchio and plays Martinez at second and Gime at short, I’d be fully supportive, but I’d also be content to see him part of a notable trade to help fill pitching needs.

Connor Gillispie - Interesting organizational arm depth. Expendable, of course, but I’m not rushing to get rid of him.

Peter Strzelecki - See above comments on Gillispie, except Strzelecki is even more interesting as a reliever than Connor is.

Trevor Stephan and Sam Hentges - Hentges won’t pitch in 2025 and, as a reliever, I’m not opposed to DFA’ing him, but I hope they can carry him on the 40-man. I am hoping Stephan returns to his old self for 2024 and helps stave off inevitable bullpen regression.

Juan Brito - I am very high on Juan Brito as a hitter, but it seems fairly clear the team has real doubts about his ability to play second-base. His 19 starts in right-field give me hope that he may be an option there, and a good one to guard against the possibility that Chase DeLauter remains perpetually injured. However, he is also a very valuable trade piece. If the Guardians pursue Brandon Lowe, Brent Rooker, a Marlins or Mariners starting pitcher, etc, Brito is the kind of player that can help push those kind of deals over the finish line. In any case, he should be ready to compete to make a major league roster out of Spring Training.

Johnathan Rodriguez - His inability to lift the ball and his struggles defensively are the only reason Johnny Rockets didn’t make a playoff appearance for Cleveland. You’d obviously trade him if the right deal came along, but it also makes sense to see how he comes into Spring Training and give him a chance to push Noel for that right-handed, corner outfielder platoon role.

Austin Hedges - Finally, Austin Hedges. The worst major league hitter I have ever laid eyes upon. But, wow, what a defensive savant and team clubhouse god. I am not opposed to bringing Hedges back as the backup catcher... IF we are clear that he will never make a postseason roster again. He needs to play the 2024 Carlos Carrasco role. Help us get to the finish line and then hand over the baton in September to like Cooper Ingle, or something.