Where David Fry Fits Into Guardians' Future Plans

Originally posted on FanNation Cleveland Baseball Insider
By Tommy Wild | Last updated 11/7/23

David Fry joined the Cleveland Guardians Major League roster on May 1 of last season. He went on to have a .238/.319/.416 slash line in his rookie season putting together a two-month stretch in June and July where he hit .311 with a 163 wRC+ of 163.

The 27-year-old is surely someone worth keeping around into next season. But what could his role look like with the team?

Primary Backup Catcher

One option for the Guardians could be to use Fry as their primary backup catcher. Bo Naylor will be doing the majority of the catching next season, but a reliable second option on the roster is still needed.

He appeared in 28 games as a catcher last season and started in eight of them.

Fry certainly provides depth in terms of a bat if that's what the front office's focus is in a secondary backstop.

However, this option seems less likely now with Cleveland claiming former Rays catcher Christian Bethanchourt off waivers on Monday.

Ultimate Utility Player

Fry is more than just a catcher. He made appeared at first base third base, left field, and right field last season. Oh, he tossed 5.0 innings of relief too. Teams will undoubtedly face injuries and players will miss games over the course of a 162-game season.

The versatility and offensive production that Fry provides make him a tremendous fit to be the team's designated ultimate utility player if someone were to need a day off or someone were to get hurt.

Even though Fry doesn’t have a specific role in place, he still could play a crucial part for the Guardians next season.

This article first appeared on FanNation Cleveland Baseball Insider and was syndicated with permission.

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