Fantasy baseball: Guardians call up top infield prospect Brayan Rocchio from Triple-A

After getting swept by the Detroit Tigers in a doubleheader on Tuesday, the scuffling Cleveland Guardians needed some answers at the plate, especially as Amed Rosario continues to nurse a back injury that’s kept him out of the lineup for the past few days.

It looks like that answer has come from Triple-A Columbus, where one of the better infield prospects in baseball has been waiting his turn:

Brayan Rocchio — MLB Pipeline’s No. 69 overall prospect at the start of the season — is reportedly set to join the Guardians in Detroit today. He’s not in the lineup for this afternoon’s game, but given Gabriel Arias’ struggles as Rosario’s replacement, Rocchio’s MLB debut won’t be very far off.

A switch-hitter who’s flashed surprising pop from a smaller 5’10 frame, here’s everything to know about Rocchio and what kind of impact he could have on your fantasy baseball team.

Brayan Rocchio fantasy impact

Rocchio doesn’t cut too imposing a figure, but don’t be fooled: The middle infielder’s approach at the plate can best be described as “grip it and rip it”. That search for pull-side fly balls can come at a cost — he hit just .235 in his first taste of Triple-A last year due to suboptimal contact — but it also gives him more power potential than you’d expect given his size. Rocchio hit a combined 15 homers with 21 steals across two levels in 2021, then backed that up with 13 bombs and 12 swipes in Double-A last year.

It remains to be seen whether he’ll be able to sell out for power while still making enough contact against MLB pitching, but scouts have always praised his barrel control, and potential 15-homer/15-steal profiles don’t grow on trees. There’s plenty of opportunity to hit toward the top of the Guardians lineup right now, and if Rocchio starts hot he could contribute in just about every category besides RBI. There’s downside risk here, but he’s a good speculative add in 12-team and deeper leagues.