This story was excerpted from Tim Stebbins' Guardians Beat newsletter. To read the full newsletter, click here. And subscribe to get it regularly in your inbox.
CLEVELAND -- The Guardians’ middle-infield picture took a new look from start to finish in 2025. By season’s end, the Opening Day double-play combination of Brayan Rocchio and Gabriel Arias had swapped places, with Rocchio manning second base and Arias holding down shortstop.
How are the Guardians viewing the middle infield in the lead-up to Spring Training, specifically as it pertains to Arias and Rocchio? We gleaned some knowledge last week during the Winter Meetings in Orlando, Fla.
“I would imagine it would open similar to that,” manager Stephen Vogt told reporters when asked of Arias playing shortstop and Rocchio playing second base. “You're going to see Brayan play a lot of shortstop during Spring Training, as well, and Gabby probably play a little bit elsewhere, just to be ready for it.
“But with the way those two played up the middle and the way they finished the season strong, it would be hard to not pencil those two guys in there playing shortstop and second base.”
Arias (4 outs above average at shortstop) and Rocchio (-1 OAA at second base but +1 in September) were sure-handed up the middle down the stretch in 2025. Rocchio’s showing is notable given he had not played second in the Majors. The Guardians are in good hands defensively with that pairing.
That said, the readiness Vogt noted could speak to what’s coming within Cleveland’s pipeline.
Second baseman Travis Bazzana (ranked by MLB Pipeline as the Guardians’ No. 1 prospect and baseball’s No. 17 overall) is one step from the Majors after he was promoted to Triple-A Columbus on Aug. 10. He played 26 games with the Clippers before missing the final week of the season with left flank soreness. Bazzana is now healthy.
Then there’s Juan Brito, who will compete for a spot on the Guardians’ Opening Day roster. Brito can play second, first and potentially the outfield. In the Minors, he has seen his most time at second (308 games).
Brito was limited to 31 games in 2025 due to right thumb surgery in April and a season-ending left hamstring surgery in September. He’s fully healthy and playing winter ball in the Dominican Republic.
If and when the big league roster includes Bazzana or Brito (or both), the Guardians will need to have flexibility to make the pieces fit. That would especially figure to be the case once Bazzana arrives, as you can imagine Cleveland would want to provide him consistent opportunities.
As we’ve seen, Rocchio and Arias each have positional versatility that could come in handy.
Rocchio almost exclusively played shortstop from 2023-24, his first two seasons in the Majors. He was a Gold Glove finalist there in ‘24 and opened ‘25 as Cleveland’s starter, before he was optioned to Columbus on May 12 amid a tough start at the plate. Arias took over as the starter at short from that point on, save for a three-week stretch in July, when he was on the 10-day injured list with a left ankle sprain.
The Guardians recalled Rocchio from Columbus to play shortstop in Arias’ absence. After Arias was activated on July 25, Rocchio slid over to second for the stretch run. Rocchio ultimately made 56 starts at short and 49 at second.
Arias has played every position but pitcher and catcher in the Majors. He has spent his most time at shortstop (177 games, including 106 in 2025) and has ample experience at third (51 games) and second (38). His experience moving around could be key, certainly on a roster featuring Bazzana, who has played second exclusively in the Minors.
Before we get to that point, the Guardians have a combination up the middle they’re confident in -- two players capable of manning shortstop with ability to adapt down the line.