Guardians Skipper Has Seen 'Different' Gabriel Arias This Spring

The Cleveland Guardians' second base job is down to just a few players after multiple candidates were identified heading into spring training.

Arguably, the front-runner right now is Gabriel Arias, who still has a ton of natural talent and potential. However, that skill hasn't quite translated to his previous 515 big league at-bats.

Stephen Vogt noted earlier this week that this isn't the same Arias he's seen in the past, and the Guardians skipper complimented the infielder for his mindset this spring.

"We see a very different, focused Gabby this spring," said Vogt.

"It's really exciting to see, just the way that he's attacking every single day, working to get himself better, and the at-bats have been pretty good as well. It's been nice to see him get a few results, but at the same time, the at-bat quality has been much improved from what we saw last year."

Gabriel Arias warms up before a game — Mar 13, 2025; Salt River Pima-Maricopa, Arizona, USA; Cleveland Guardians third base Gabriel Arias (13) gets ready for a game against the Colorado Rockies at Salt River Fields at Talking Stick. Mandatory Credit: Rick Scuteri-Imagn Images | Rick Scuteri-Imagn Images

Arias has always been a tremendous defender, no matter where he is on the field, and he has elite arm strength to go along with that. The question has always been about the consistency with the bat.

The 25-year-old has made some very noticeable batting stance changes this spring, and these adjustments have shown signs of promise.

Arias is currently hitting .250/.273/.500 with an OPS of .773, including two doubles and two home runs in Cactus League play.

Arias is out of Minor League options, so now is the last opportunity to show he can be a viable everyday option for the Guardians' MLB team.

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