Is George Valera Answer For Guardians' Outfield Woes?

Originally posted on Cleveland Guardians on SI
By Tommy Wild | Last updated 10/25/23

It's pretty clear that there needs to be a change in the Cleveland Guardians outfield. The position group provided little production on offense (outside of Steven Kwan) which cannot happen again next season.

The Guardians can either make a trade for a proven Big League bat or rely on one of their prospects to fill that void. George Valera's debut is long overdue, but will he be the answer for Cleveland's outfield?

Valera is currently ranked as Cleveland's fifth-ranked prospect, per MLB Pipeline. Some of his obvious strengths are his natural power and hitting ability. The 22-year-old posted an OPS of .718, 12 RBI, and two home runs in 73 games with the Triple-A Columbus Clippers in 2023.

This is just what the Guardians need to add to their lineup, so there's no need to worry.

Well, it's not that simple.

There are some clear weaknesses and worries when looking at Valera's game. He had a batting average of .211 and a wRC+ of 84 showing he was an average hitter at this level.

The biggest hole is his strikeout rate. Valera struck out in 27.2 percent of his at-bats in Triple-A last season. For reference, Oscar Gonzalez had a strikeout out of 22.9 percent during his time in the minors last season, and his struggles against Major League pitching were evident.

Valera is also not great against left-handed pitching. He had a batting average of .154 and an OBP of .316 against southpaws during his 2023 season. This is an issue that the Guardians are already seeing in Gabriel Arias as the team struggles in this department as a whole.

Overall, Valera is going to player who doesn't hit for average but hits for power and homers. Think about Kyle Schwarber's role with the Philadelphia Phillies but on a smaller scale.

This can still lead be the makeup of a quality Major League hitter, but it won't be what saves the Guardians' offense from where it's currently at.