2024 Cleveland Guardians Prospect Scouting Report: #23 INF Dayan Frias

A skilled defender, does Frias have enough tools to profile as more than a utility infielder?

Justin Lada

Mar 12, 2024

Dayan Frias Bio

Age (2024 season): 22
Acquired: International Free Agent (2018)
2023 Level: High-A
Height: 5’9
Weight: 140
Bats: Both
Throws: Right

Dayan Frias Stats

PA: 397
AVG/OBP/SLG: .260/.356/.426
2B: 18
HR: 11
SB: 8/11
K%/BB%: 20.9%/12.8%

Dayan Frias 2024 Scouting Grades

Hit: 45
Power: 45
Speed: 50
Defense: 55
Arm: 55
Overall: 40
Risk: High
ETA: 2026

Build & Background

Compact frame. Athletic and strong build. Built like a middle infielder. No significant physical projection left in frame. Needs to maintain present build to stay up the middle. Open stance with high hands. Has a toe tape timing mechanism and a mostly quiet swing with his hands. Signed out of Colombia for just $80,000. The 2020 pandemic kept him from making stateside debut until 2021. Plays winter ball in Colombia and was the country’s starting shortstop in the 2023 World Baseball Classic,

What Frias Does Well

Despite his size, there’s some thunder in Frias’ bat. He’s not a hulking power hitter, but he has good bat speed, solid at finding the barrel and isn’t afraid to let a swing rip. Like most left handed hitters, he thrives on pitches on the inner half and low. Is able to match plane on swings from the left side as well. Has fairly strong contact skills and shows a good understanding of the strike zone and manages to limit his chase. Frias has a strong arm that handles the left side of the infield and good hands. Solid range. Average runner down the line.

Where Frias Needs to Improve

Almost all of Frias’ offensive skill set comes from the left side and shows real trouble hitting lefties from his right side. Does struggle with good offspeed stuff lower in the zone. Range and movement more suited for third and second and less so shortstop long term. Just an average runner down the line at best but needs to maintain shape to stay there. Could get a tick slower as he ages.

Key Stats

Hit just .186/.329/.314 against right handers in 2023 at High-A. Despite his struggles against lefties, showed a 39% fly ball rate, and 43.2% pull rate, most of that against right handers as a left handed hitter.

Intangibles

Frias has had to be patient to get his chance due to the pandemic. Has really worked hard and come a long way for being a low cost signing from Colombia. Dedicated to playing winter ball at home every year and got good experience starting in the WBC

Future

Frias got almost all of his reps in 2023 at third base and will likely move around a little bit in 2024 in Akron, where he should start the year. He wasn’t added to the 40 man roster over the offseason and went unselected in the Rule 5 draft, so he’s not quite ready for that level. Double-A pitching will be a big test for him, especially against left handed pitching. He projects long term as more of a utility infielder with some interesting pop from the left side.

Role

40 - Utility infielder with some pop