The Cleveland Guardians are still trying to hit their stride and find some consistency this year. They are 18-18, and even though they are currently sharing first place with the Detroit Tigers as of Tuesday morning, they will need to be better if they want to secure their third straight division crown.
They are, however, starting to get a bit more respect from the media and fans. For example, Rowan Kavner of FOX Sports had them 12th in his most recent power rankings.
The theme of the piece was naming players who deserve more attention than they’re getting. Kavner listed Daniel Schneemann when discussing the Guardians, and rightfully so.
“Daniel Schneemann, who had a .636 OPS last year, has an .890 OPS this season while also providing elite defense. He has been one of the most valuable players on the Cleveland roster this year,” Kavner wrote.
Schneemann has been one of the most improved players in Cleveland so far, and is a big reason behind their decent start. With some veterans slumping badly on offense, contributions like Schneemann’s are the ones keeping the Guardians afloat.
He is hitting an impressive .284/.351/.500 with four home runs, 12 runs scored, 14 RBI, two stolen bases, and a 137 wRC+. Not bad for a 33th round pick back in 2018. He is quite the success story from a player development standpoint, no matter what he does over the rest of the season.
Schneemann’s best attribute is, however, his defensive versatility. Is the Guardians’ second baseman struggling offensively? Schneemann can play there. Do they need a center fielder? He can also be serviceable there. Of course, the fact that he can offer solid offense is awfully important, but he helps his team by bouncing around the field covering needs.
The biggest challenge for the Guardians’ utilityman is maintaining this level of offensive excellence over the course of the entire season. Last year, he had a 101 wRC+ in the first month and a 129 mark in May, but after that, he didn’t reach 100 in a month.
He looks different this time, though, so there’s cautious optimism he can keep his newfound status as an above-average offensive player.
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