What should the Guardians do with their infield logjam?

It’s no secret that the Cleveland Guardians value players with positional versatility. There’s perhaps no player on the current roster who embodies that thinking more than Ángel Martínez. 

After coming up in the minors as a middle infielder, the Guardians went to Martínez last year and asked him to learn the outfield in the minors. By the end of the season, he was manning center field for the Guardians on their journey to the postseason.

While that versatility has come in handy for the Guardians this year because of Lane Thomas’ injury, it could be even more important given the current state of the Guardians’ middle infield picture. 

What should the Guardians do with their infield logjam?

While Martínez is technically one of three “utility players” on the Guardians roster along with Daniel Schneemann and Gabriel Arias, that doesn’t tell the whole story.

Arias and Schneemann have spent the better part of the last month handling second base and shortstop duties, and that won’t be changing anytime soon, especially after the Guardians sent rookie infielder Will Wilson down to Triple-A as the corresponding move for Thomas’ activation from the injured list. 

That, coupled with David Fry only being able to play designated hitter, means that the Guardians’ roster needs a player like Martínez. 

That said, they also need Martínez to step up. 

After hitting .304 across his first 29 games of the season, Martínez has hit just .181 across his last 27 games. 

The dramatic irony of this situation is that while they need Martínez off the bench (and likely value his versatility), he’s also standing in the way of some top prospects. 

CJ Kayfus, Chase DeLauter and Petey Halpin are standing on the cusp of the majors, but none of them play the middle infield, and the only middle infielders in Triple-A who are on the 40-man roster are Brayan Rocchio, Wilson and Juan Brito. 

Rocchio only hit .165 in 35 games with the Guardians this year and likely would get called up if he got everyday at-bats, while Wilson only managed to hit .176 in his 24 games with the Guardians. 

Brito would have likely gotten a shot at some point recently, but he missed two months due to thumb surgery and is currently rehabbing in the Arizona Complex League. He probably has the best shot to get promoted of any of the players in the minors, but that will likely be contingent on how he recovers from his thumb injury.

The outfield picture is set between Thomas, Nolan Jones (who has been hitting well as of late), Steven Kwan and Johnathan Rodríguez, and first base is set with Carlos Santana and Kyle Manzardo. 

And it's not like Arias or Schneemann are going anywhere, especially since they each hit go-ahead home runs in back-to-back games against the Giants.

So, as of now, the only position player spots on the roster could seemingly be up for grabs are Rodríguez's spot (the fourth outfielder spot) and Martínez's spot as the utility bench player.

While the Guardians can open up a 40-man roster spot whenever they want by shifting Will Brennan to the 60-day injured list, they don't seem to be in a rush to add to the roster, whether it by via an external addition or the promotion of a prospect not on the 40-man roster.

Last year, most of the frustration around the Guardians’ roster construction stemmed from the team giving everyday at-bats to Rocchio and Andrés Giménez despite both of their offense shortcomings.

Now, Rocchio’s in Columbus and Giménez is north of the border, but the frustrations still remain.