The Cleveland Guardians have a big hole to fill in the middle of the infield.
Trading Andres Gimenez made sense financially and offensively, but the team currently lacks a proven player to take care of the keystone.
That’s why MLB analyst Andre Knott believes they’ll give the nod to a rookie.
Talking on ESPN Cleveland’s “The Really Big Show,” he predicted that Juan Brito would be the starting second baseman this season.
Who will be playing 2nd base for the Guardians this year? @DreKnott thinks Juan Brito is going to get the first shot at it…
Thoughts? pic.twitter.com/VZtADtjqB6
— ESPN Cleveland (@ESPNCleveland) February 11, 2025
While he acknowledges that he won’t be the defensive force Gimenez was – mostly because few other players in the league could play defense as well as he does – he believes he can give the team a big boost at the plate.
He compared him to another stellar hitter like Jose Ramirez, and he believes the team will give him an opportunity to do his thing.
Brito excelled in the Minors last season.
He’s a crafty hitter with a blend of power and contact that could be quite useful for Stephen Vogt’s team.
While he hasn’t made his debut in the Majors yet, his offensive skill set and swagger should translate to the Big Show right out of the gate.
The Guardians also have some other options, such as Daniel Schneemann and Brayan Rocchio, but it’s safe to assume that Brito is leading the race right now.
And with fellow star prospect Travis Bazzana still not ready to take the leap in the Majors, he should be able to hold onto that spot for a while.
NEXT: Guardians Offer Streaming Package And Exciting Broadcast Team
