ARLINGTON, TEXAS - MAY 13: Brayan Rocchio #4 of the Cleveland Guardians runs to stop a ground ball during the sixth inning against the Texas Rangers at Globe Life Field on May 13, 2024 in Arlington, Texas. (Photo by Sam Hodde/Getty Images)
Guardians shortstop ‘stacking’ skills, building confidence during rookie season
CLEVELAND, Ohio — Toronto’s Davis Schneider was at the plate with the bases empty two weeks ago in the eighth inning of a game that the Guardians led by two runs. Schneider smashed a grounder toward Brayan Rocchio that left the bat at 98.8 mph. Cleveland’s rookie shortstop made a backhanded stop, spun on one knee toward the middle of the infield and fired a one-hop throw to first base that Josh Naylor gobbled up to retire the runner by a step.
What fans watching at home might not have noticed was that in the dugout, while the action played out on the diamond, Guardians infield coach Rouglas Odor and field coordinator Kai Correa were already celebrating before Rocchio’s throw even reached the bag.
The work that Cleveland’s young shortstop has put in before every game this season with Odor and Correa is paying off with spectacular results in the field, and Rocchio’s confidence is growing by the minute as he continues to learn what it takes to play one of the most demanding positions on the field at the game’s highest level.
Manager Stepen Vogt said Rocchio, 23, has worked tremendously hard on both sides of the ball, and while his results at the plate have admittedly been a bit inconsistent, the Venezuela native’s defense does not get talked about enough.
“He’s affecting games defensively and this kid is continuing to mature every single day,” Vogt said. “That’s my favorite part of Roch is he’s learning more and more and more each day.”
Rocchio continued to turn in spectacular plays throughout the remainder of that series in Toronto, including a barehanded stop and throw on the run to retire Vladimir Guerrero Jr. and a double play that he turned by leaping over a sliding Danny Jansen.
When the Blue Jays arrived in Cleveland the following week, Rocchio made a diving backhanded stop on a hard grounder by Addison Barger and threw out the Toronto rookie at first. Rocchio said the key to keeping his skills sharp is working with Odor and Correa every day when he gets to the ballpark. Once the game starts, instinct takes over.
“It’s matter of controlling what it can control,” Rocchio said via Guardians interpreter Agustin Rivero. “I keep getting the reps, getting and the innings out there and then I get that confidence of playing the game and finding ways to help the team win.”
