In December 2023, the Cleveland Guardians made a bold move by selecting Arizona Diamondbacks infield prospect Deyvison De Los Santos in the Rule 5 Draft. Known for his impressive 80-grade power, De Los Santos was an intriguing gamble for the Guardians, who hoped he would secure a roster spot out of spring training.
Although that didn't pan out, and he was eventually returned to the Diamondbacks, De Los Santos' journey didn't stall. Instead, his star continued to rise over the next couple of years, culminating in a trade to the Marlins.
On Sunday, De Los Santos made his MLB debut with the Marlins against the Rockies, delivering a solid performance by going 1-for-2 with a double in Miami’s thrilling 4-3 walk-off victory.
Reflecting on his time with Cleveland, De Los Santos' stint was brief and somewhat underwhelming, as he posted a .227 batting average with just one home run over 18 games that spring. Despite being a promising fit on paper for a Guardians team struggling with power, he couldn't quite make the cut.
Part of the challenge was his lack of experience above Double-A. However, De Los Santos had shown his potential during a breakout 2022 season, slashing .306/.348/.499 across Single-A, High-A, and Double-A, and hitting 20 home runs at Double-A in 2023.
Positionally, De Los Santos was primarily a first baseman, a spot held by Kyle Manzardo and Josh Naylor, while third base was securely occupied by José Ramírez. After returning to the Diamondbacks, he impressed with 28 home runs across Double-A and Triple-A, making him a key piece in the Marlins’ trade for reliever A.J. Puk.
Though his production dipped in Miami, hitting just .240 in the latter half of 2024 at Triple-A, the Marlins saw enough promise to add him to the 40-man roster. Now a full-time first baseman, De Los Santos is poised to see significant playing time as Miami’s backup to Connor Norby.
While De Los Santos never donned a Guardians jersey in a regular season game, his brief time in Cleveland was a pivotal chapter in his journey to the majors. And with a strong debut under his belt, that journey is off to an exciting start.