The Cleveland Guardians are adding more firepower. At least, to their minor league system.
The team just signed outfielder Stuart Fairchild to a minor league deal. The contract includes a non-roster invite to MLB Spring Training. Notably, Fairchild actually has some obvious ties to the Guardians.
As pointed out by Mason Horodyski on X, he made his MLB debut as a pinch-runner, replacing none other than future Guardians manager Stephen Vogt.
“Guardians sign Stuart Fairchild to a Minor League deal w/ a non-roster invite to ML spring training, per @GuardsInsider. Fun fact: In 2021, Fairchild made his MLB Debut with the D-Backs as a pinch runner, who ultimately scored the game winning run after a HBP. The guy he pinch ran for? Stephen Vogt,” Horodyski posted on X.
Fairchild wound up scoring the game-winning run for those 2021 Arizona Diamondbacks. Now, he hopes that a reunion with Vogt will also help his luck.
The 29-year-old was a second-round pick by the Cincinnati Reds all the way back in 2017. He also played for the Diamondbacks, Seattle Mariners, and San Francisco Giants before returning to the Reds five years later.
Fairchild slashed .232/.316/.403 during his days with the Reds, playing in all three outfield spots. While his offensive production isn’t that impressive, his positional versatility could come in handy for the Guardians.
Fairchild, who ultimately joined the Atlanta Braves, missed roughly a month with a dislocated pinkie finger last season. The Braves designated him for assignment in July before the Tampa Bay Rays ultimately lured him in. He didn’t play a single game and was DFA’d again.
The Guardians just lost Lane Thomas, and while they have more than enough firepower in the outfield now that Chase DeLauter and George Valera will join Steven Kwan, they still needed to add a right-handed depth option for the outfield, and he may give them just that.
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