Guardians News: Brayan Rocchio's Strong Winter League Stats
No baseball games are being played here in Cleveland this winter, but there are still many competitive games happening around the world as the Winter Leagues take place during MLB's offseason.
Brayan Rocchio is one of several Cleveland Guardians who are participating in leagues around the globe. He's playing for the Tiburones de La Guaira in the Venezuelan Winter League.
Cleveland Guardians shortstop Brayan Rocchio (6) hits a base hit in the eighth inning of the MLB baseball game between the Cincinnati Reds and the Cleveland Guardians at Great American Ball Park in Cincinnati on Wednesday, Aug. 16, 2023.
The middle infielder has been putting up pretty impressive numbers so far which should make all Guardians fans smile.
Rocchio has played 13 games so far this season and has posted a slash line of .333/.409/.513 with an OPS of .922. These stats include five RBI, four doubles, and a homer as well. He's only struck out five times through his 39 at-bats and has walked two times.
Some of his highlights include this two-run moonshot on December 8 and a three-hit performance a week later on December 15.
These numbers deserve some recognition considering where the Guardians stand in their current search for Andres Gimenez's middle infield partner.
Rocchio played in six games at third base and 18 games at shortstop during the 2023 regular season. There's no question that he has the defensive ability to be a solid big-league player, but the offense is where the biggest question mark lies.
Cleveland fans should keep a close eye on Rocchio's Winter League campaign through the rest of the season. Rocchio's chances of cracking the 2024 Opening Day roster will increase if he continues to put together these big numbers and carries that into Spring Training.
