3 Most Disappointing Guardians Players In 2024

These three Cleveland Guardians players did not exactly light it up in 2024.

Jun 23, 2024; Cleveland, Ohio, USA; Cleveland Guardians starting pitcher Triston McKenzie (24) reacts as Toronto Blue Jays first baseman Vladimir Guerrero Jr. (27) rounds the bases on a two-run home run in the first inning at Progressive Field. Mandatory Credit: David Richard-Imagn Images / David Richard-Imagn Images

The Cleveland Guardians just completed an improbable 2024 MLB season, winning the AL Central division title and making it all the way to the ALCS.

That's a pretty impressive feat for a team that wasn't even expecting to contend for a playoff spot by even most die-hard Guardians fans.

But it wasn't all rainbows and roses for Cleveland this year.

Some Guardians players were very disappointing, which brings us to our list of the three most underwhelming Cleveland players of 2024.

Tyler Freeman, OF

Tyler Freeman was once a top-100 prospect in baseball, ranking as high as 63rd by Baseball America heading into 2022. However, he has not lived up to expectations.

After a couple of rough seasons to begin his big-league career, there was some hope that Freeman would finally break out in 2024, but that did not happen.

The 25-year-old slashed just .206/.305/.321 with seven home runs and 32 RBI over 383 plate appearances, and he went just 4-for-45 in 24 games between August and September.

Freeman actually did play some solid outfield defense, especially considering that he initially came up as an infielder.

But with Lane Thomas now in the fold and Jhonkensy Noel and Angel Martinez emerging as legitimate candidates moving forward, you have to wonder how much room is left for Freeman. His bat just isn't good enough.

Triston McKenzie, SP

Like Freeman, Triston McKenzie was once a top prospect within the Guardians' system, but unlike Freeman, McKenzie actually produced on the major-league level.

In 2022, the 6-foot-5 right-hander pitched to the tune of a 2.96 ERA while registering a terrific 0.951 WHIP. It appeared that McKenzie was morphing into a frontline starter, but in 2023, multiple different injuries limited him to just four starts.

There was hope that McKenzie would bounce back this year, but he instead posted a 5.11 ERA and an alarming 1.559 WHIP across 16 starts, resulting in him being demoted.

The problem for McKenzie is that he is already 27 years old, so it's not like he is still just a prospect. He is an established big-leaguer, and he hasn't been good in two years.

We'll see if Cleveland gives McKenzie another shot in 2025.

Bo Naylor, C

The Guardians' inconsistent offense was a major issue all season long, and one of the biggest problems was the lack of production from the catcher position.

While Austin Hedges' scarce offense wasn't surprising, Bo Naylor's freefall at the plate was quite a bit surprising.

After recording an .809 OPS in a part-time role last season, Naylor saw his efficiency plummet in 2024, as he slashed a meager .201/.264/.350 over 389 trips to the dish.

The former first-round pick was a solid hitter in the minor league, tallying a .781 OPS through 405 games within Cleveland's system. So maybe there is hope that Naylor can turn things around.

This year, however, there is very little doubt that Naylor was an offensive bust.