Cleveland Baseball Insider

Three Guardians Who Could Break Out In 2023

Gabriel Arias, Will Brennan, and Tim Herrin are all contenders to have break out season for the Cleveland Guardians in 2023.

Tommy Wild

© Rick Scuteri-USA TODAY Sports
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Something that I look forward to every season is watching players will finally break through and establish themselves in the league. 

The 2022 Cleveland Guardians had a long list of players who broke out and made their mark on the team and MLB last season. This list includes Steven Kwan, Andres Gimenez, and Oscar Gonzalez.

There could be more players on the horizon who are ready to do the same this season. These are three players, who are on the Opening Day roster, that could break out during the 2023 season:

Gabriel Arias

There is an enormous amount of hype for Gabriel Arias heading into the season. There's a good reason for this too. Arias has been one of Cleveland's top prospects ever since he was acquired from the San Diego Padres in the Mike Clevinger deal.

He struggled in his sporadic appearance with the Big League club during the regular season in 2022 and only got nine hits in 47 at-bats. But he came alive during the playoffs when he was consistently playing.

Arias has looked incredible in Spring Training hitting .341 in 44 plate appearances. This makes him a fantastic contender to be the next Guardian to take the baseball world by storm.

Will Brennan

Arias isn't the only Cleveland prospect who's put together an impressive spring. Will Brennan is just as much a candidate to erupt during the regular season. 

The outfielder only played in 11 games towards the end of 2022, but it was an impressive audition. He hit .357 with a .900 OPS during his limited playing time. This included a home run and eight RBI.

The Guardians have a crowded outfield so it won't be easy for Brennan to play every day. However, if he continues to produce he could be the next Kwan.

Tim Herrin

Tim Herrin made the team in large part because of Cleveland's need for a lefthanded pitcher in the bullpen with Sam Hentges sidelined. But when it's all said and done, Herrin could be a vital part of the team's pitching staff.

Herrin will make his Big League debut when he takes the mound for the first time, but he's proven he'll be able to handle it based on his Spring Training performance. He appeared in 11 games this spring and put up a 3.86 ERA and 1.20 WHIP.

One thing that gets me excited about Herrin is his efficiency. There's nothing more frustrating than a pitcher out of the bullpen who can't throw strikes. That doesn't seem like it'll be the case with Herrin. He struck out 14 batters and only walked two in the 11.2 innings he pitched this spring. 

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Tommy Wild
TOMMY WILD

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