Guardians agree to contract with ex-Braves, Reds outfielder

For the last three years, Stuart Fairchild has been a baseball journeyman. He’s played for the Arizona Diamondbacks, Seattle Mariners, San Francisco Giants, Atlanta Braves, Cincinnati Reds, and now the Cleveland Guardians.

On Saturday, the young outfielder was signed to a minor league deal with a non-roster invite to spring training, per Tim Stebbins of MLB.com. This past year, he batted .216 with 11 hits and seven runs scored with the Braves.

Fairchild, 29, hails from Seattle and attended Wake Forest University. In 2017, he was the 38th pick in the MLB Draft by the Cincinnati Reds. Four years later, he made his debut with the Arizona Diamondbacks.

Overall, Fairchild has played in the outfield and is a utility player. Additionally, he is a very athletic defensive player, a pinch hitter, and a pinch runner. During the 2023-2024 season, Fairchild had a fairly standout year.

Altogether, he batted .228 with 50 hits, 34 runs scored, and 28 RBIs. Also, he hit an inside-the-park home run during a game against the San Francisco Giants on May 10.

This past year, the Guardians finished the year at 88-74 and won the AL Central. Eventually, they lost to the Detroit Tigers in the AL Wild Card series.

The offseason moves the Guardians have made.

So far, the Guardians have been primarily focusing on bolstering their pitching rotation and bullpen this offseason. RHPs Connor Brogdon and Shawn Armstrong each agreed to a one-year deal.

Meanwhile, RHP Colin Holderman signed with Cleveland as a free agent from the Pittsburgh Pirates. Also, LHP Justin Bruihl was acquired in a trade with the Toronto Blue Jays for cash considerations.

RHP Peyton Pallette joined as part of the Rule 5 phase of the MLB draft. Several players have entered the free agent market and departed for assignment.

Altogether, Fairchild brings a depth of versatility, playing each position in the outfield.

The post Guardians agree to contract with ex-Braves, Reds outfielder appeared first on ClutchPoints.