Guardians call up top prospect SS Brayan Rocchio

The Cleveland Guardians have called up top prospect Brayan Rocchio, the club announced Wednesday. Here’s what you need to know:

Rocchio, a shortstop, ranks No. 1 on The Athletic’s Keith Law’s list of top 20 Guardians prospects for 2023. He also sits at No. 22 on Law’s top 100 MLB prospects list.
The 22-year-old switch hitter has a .344/.414/.459 slash line with 10 RBIs in 70 plate appearances with Triple-A Columbus this season.
Rocchio signed with the Guardians as an international prospect out of Venezuela in 2017.
Cleveland also optioned right-hander Hunter Gaddis to Triple A on Wednesday.

The Athletic’s instant analysis:

Why call up Rocchio now?

The Guardians have been stockpiling shortstops for years, and, at least for a day or two, their roster is filled with them. Rocchio joined the fray because Amed Rosario and Tyler Freeman are day to day with back and shoulder injuries, respectively. All three shortstops participated in infield practice Wednesday morning at Comerica Park. If Rosario and Freeman can avoid the injured list, and that’s the team’s expectation, then Rocchio might only stick with the big-league club until Friday. That’s when reliever Enyel De Los Santos is scheduled to return from the paternity list, and he’ll take a position player’s spot on the roster.

The Guardians’ roster featured 15 position players and only 11 pitchers for their series finale against the Tigers on Wednesday. General manager Mike Chernoff joked that both he and manager Terry Francona struggled to sleep on Tuesday night because of the short-handed pitching staff. The club does have a well-timed off day Thursday. — Meisel

Who could replace Gaddis?

The other part of the equation might be more compelling. The Guardians will eventually need a starting pitcher to replace Gaddis in the rotation. The timing could hinge on Mother Nature. If Cleveland’s weekend series with the Marlins at Progressive Field goes uninterrupted, the club would need a starter Monday.

Depending on weather and timing, Logan Allen, Tanner Bibee, Konnor Pilkington or Xzavion Curry could all receive consideration. Allen and Bibee have both been deemed Top 100 prospects by various publications. Law ranked Bibee the No. 4 prospect in Cleveland’s system and the No. 36 prospect in baseball. — Meisel

Scouting report

Rocchio got off to a slow start in Double A last year, although he was one of the youngest players in the Eastern League at age 21, but improved as the season went on, hitting .316/.383/.539 in his last 50 games (of 99) before he was promoted to Triple A for the last five weeks of the season.

He’s a smaller guy but makes hard contact, hitting 15 homers in 2021 and 18 last year, although he puts the ball on the ground a little too often for this type of hitter. He’s always had a compact, direct swing, and over the past few years, he’s learned to stay back on the ball, with great balance through contact. He hits well from both sides but his swing is slightly better right-handed. He’s an above-average defender at shortstop with good hands and 55 speed, although once again, he was bad at the whole base-stealing thing, going 14-for-23 (61 percent) to bring his career success rate down to 64 percent. I guess it’s a good thing he can field, hit, and hit for power.

He could stand to walk a little more, although some of his impatience may stem from him always being young for his levels, and he needs to continue to put the ball in the air. I still see All-Star upside here, a shortstop who saves a few runs a year with his glove and adds a ton more with .280-.300 averages, adequate walk rates and 15-20 homers a year. — Law

Required reading

(Photo: Allan Henry / USA Today)