3 Guardians players who are about to enter spring training already on thin ice

While the Cleveland Guardians have plenty established players on their roster who are locks to be on the roster for Opening Day in Seattle, they also have plenty of intriguing roster battles worth paying attention to this spring. 

Perhaps the biggest reason for that has been a lack of inaction from the Guardians’ front office, as their biggest moves this offseason have been multiple bullpen additions and inking José Ramírez to an extension that will make him a Guardian for life. 

And although that lack of moves means that the Guardians missed out on some of the bigger free agent names available, it also means that they seem prepared to let the kids play this spring with the intention of earning a roster spot. 

With that in mind, here are three Guardians who could be on the wrong side of the roster bubble due to those position battles. 

These three Guardians are on thin ice entering spring training 

SS Gabriel Arias 

Arias is clearly a valuable player given that he boasts legitimate power and has one of the best arms in all of baseball. But he also has some clear red flags that could bring about an end to his time on the Guardians’ roster. 

While Arias has that power, he also finished last year with a strikeout rate of 34.4% and a whiff rate of 40.5% — both of which were among the worst marks in the league. 

Another thing not helping his case is the numerous middle infield prospects the Guardians have lurking behind Arias like Travis Bazzana, Juan Brito and Angel Genao. 

In total, he finished the season with a .220/.274/.363 slashline with 11 home runs and 54 RBI in 129 games, which is the highest-number of games he’s played in a single season. 

Again, he has the kind of power the Guardians offense needs, but his long swing also makes him prone to the kind of slumps that can set the whole lineup back. 

The one good thing for Arias is his ability to play multiple positions, especially since manager Stephen Vogt has already said that Arias will bounce around the diamond during spring training.

Vogt and the Guardians clearly value players with positional versatility, but it seems like Arias’ leash is getting shorter and shorter as Bazzana and Co. get closer to the big leagues. 

Arias isn’t fully out the door, but this is an important spring training for him. 

OF Nolan Jones

The Guardians reunited with Jones last season by trading for him at the end of spring training, and it’s safe to say the early returns weren’t great. 

Jones slashed .211/.296/.304 with five home runs and 34 RBI while getting a majority of the playing time in right field. He ended up missing out on the postseason due to an oblique strain, which led to Chase DeLauter and George Valera getting more reps in right field at the end of the season and postseason. 

Now both of them are looking to carry that momentum over into next season, which could come at Jones’ expense. 

While the Guardians tendered Jones a $2 million contract for 2026, it’s still hard to believe his roster spot is secure. 

Jones finished last year with above-average batted ball metrics, so it’s clear that his raw talent didn’t go anywhere. But he’s going to need to put it all together if he wants to stay on the Guardians’ roster. 

RHP Peyton Pallette

It may be unfair to put Pallette on this list considering he has yet to throw an inning for the Guardians, but that’s the life of a Rule 5 Draft pick. 

The Guardians picked Pallette from the White Sox earlier this offseason in the Rule 5 Draft to be part of their revamped bullpen, which means that the Guardians will have to offer him back to the White Sox if they elect to take him off their 26-man roster. 

Palette finished last season with a 4.06 ERA in 46 1/3 innings last year across Double-A and Triple-A, and boasts a plus fastball and slider. 

The last time the Guardians picked a reliever in the Rule 5 Draft they unearthed a gem in Trevor Stephan, and it looks like Pallette has enough raw talent to follow that pathway. 

But the biggest thing standing in his way is the fact the Guardians revamped their bullpen. Not only will Pallette be competing against all the other players already on the Guardians’ roster, but he’ll also have to go against new faces Shawn Armstrong, Connor Brogdon and Colin Holderman. 

The Guardians wouldn't have added Pallette in the Rule 5 Draft if they didn't think he was worthy of a roster spot, but his standing on the roster could end up being impacted by things out of his control.