If the Cleveland Guardians make any big moves during the Winter Meetings, these are three players who could be in those discussions and part of a deal to help the team’s big-league roster.
After Brayan Rocchio’s breakout second half of the season, Travis Bazzana’s impending big-league debut, and Juan Brito’s likely impact next, the odd man out on the Guardians’ roster is Gabriel Arias.
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Even though the one-time elite prospect never panned out in Cleveland, he still has some skill sets that opposing teams could find intriguing.
To start, Arias had an above-average exit velocity and has an extremely quick bat speed, too. These haven’t translated to consistent success at the plate, but maybe another organization believes they have the key to unlocking Arias’ bat. He is still 25, after all.
Arias is also a terrific defender, finishing last season with outs above average in the 84th percentile.
A team in desperate need of a defensive-minded shortstop could find value in Arias. The Guardians likely wouldn’t get a ton in return for him, but it would create more opportunities for the next wave of young players.
Cleveland Guardians shortstop Gabriel Arias (13) makes a throw to first during the sixth inning of Game 3 of the American League Wild Card Series at Progressive Field, Oct. 2, 2025, in Cleveland, Ohio.
The pitching market is once again going to be an area where the Guardians can capitalize, and one player who could become an intriguing trade candidate is Logan Allen.
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A year ago, Allen had almost zero trade value, but after a bounce-back season when he was one of Cleveland’s most consistent starters in the rotation, a team in need of more arms could value adding him to their rotation.
The left-hander had a 4.25 ERA and a 1.40 WHIP last season. The most valuable number, though, is that Allen won’t hit his arbitration seasons until 2027.
The Nationals just acquired the No. 42 prospect in baseball for a reliever. The Guardians could certainly get something interesting for Allen.
Joey Cantillo finally found his groove at the big-league level during the final month of the season, registering a 1.55 ERA and a 0.90 WHIP in September.
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This could be a great opportunity for the Guardians to capitalize on his value and strong start and gauge the interest in the left-hander.
As is the case with Allen, there are plenty of teams in need of pitching. Even though Cantillo’s overall stats may not look overly impressive, a team could still be willing to give up a valuable piece just to get another controllable arm in their organization.
Cantillo isn’t set to be a free agent until after the 2028 season.