For Cleveland Guardians shortstop Brayan Rocchio, the 2025 campaign will be the most important of his career as a baseball player yet.
2023 was all about establishing himself in the high minors, while the 2024 season saw him break through and win a spot on the Guardians infield.
In 2025, however, he will be playing to retain his position as the starting shortstop of the future.
Because of that, Rocchio has been working as hard as he has ever worked to report to spring training in tip-top shape.
He was spotted lifting weights in his latest workout in early January.
Considering the fact he hit just eight home runs in 442 trips to the plate in the majors last year, he could certainly use a power boost.
“Cleveland #Guardians 23yr old switch-hitting (SS) Brayan Rocchio putting in off-season work. Rocchio in the playoffs hit .333 with a .421 OBP and .906 OPS vs the Tigers and Yankees,” Guardians Prospective posted on X.
Cleveland #Guardians 23yr old switch-hitting (SS) Brayan Rocchio putting in off-season work.
Rocchio in the playoffs hit .333 with a .421 OBP and .906 OPS vs the Tigers and Yankees. #ForTheLand pic.twitter.com/7DwyEfRI2T
— Guardians Prospective (@CleGuardPro) January 6, 2025
Those postseason numbers give Cleveland some hope that he has another level in him.
He did have an amazing playoffs run, but his horrible regular season with the bat is hard to ignore.
Rocchio registered a highly disappointing .614 OPS from April to September, making people in Cleveland wonder if he is truly ‘the’ guy at shortstop.
After all, the Guards have Travis Bazzana, Juan Brito, Angel Martinez, Angel Genao and Gabriel Arias either ready to make an impact or a year or two away.
For Rocchio, the time is now: he needs to do much better than a .614 OPS, no matter how good his defense is.
If the Guards traded a Platinum Glover in Andrés Giménez, they won’t hesitate to move Rocchio if he isn’t the answer at shortstop.
He has talent to be much better: for example, he hit 18 home runs in the minors in 2022, just a couple of years ago.
He has another shot in 2025, but he must not fail.
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