This story was excerpted from Mandy Bell’s Guardians Beat newsletter. To read the full newsletter, click here. And subscribe to get it regularly in your inbox.

Fans filtered in and out of the convention center in Cleveland on Saturday, mingling with their favorite Guardians players. From All-Star third baseman José Ramírez to up-and-coming prospects like Juan Brito or George Valera, the Guardians had more than 20 players on the 40-man roster at Guards Fest to celebrate the upcoming season with fans of all ages. 

Kids took swings against big leaguers and fielded balls. Others had a dance party with Slider and the Hot Dogs. Those who bought specialty tickets got to meet players and get autographs in a more personal setting. Once again, the 10th annual fan fest was a hit. 

During the players’ lunch breaks, they took turns meeting with local media. Let’s look at the three biggest takeaways from those conversations:

There’s excitement for Hedges
The Guardians were young last year. They will be young again in 2024. They have a few players who lead by example, but it was obvious that the team was missing a vocal leader in ’23. Now, Austin Hedges is set to fix that problem.

“He keeps the locker room together. He is a vocal leader,” Guardians outfielder Steven Kwan said. “He’s one of those guys that will let people know what’s going on. I mean, he’ll talk just to talk, also. But I think the locker room, I think, should be a certain way, and he’s the enforcer and that kind of thing. … I think we need a louder voice in the locker room.”

The Guardians are familiar with his loud, humorous and engaging ways. Hedges was with Cleveland from the Trade Deadline in 2020 through the end of the Guardians’ playoff run in ’22. He helped rookies feel like they belonged, and he had more fun than anyone in the room, especially when it came to champagne celebrations in the postseason.  

Hedges won’t be the biggest contributor the Guardians have this year on the field, but the team is confident that his voice will be critical to getting this young lineup back on the right track after posting a losing record in 2023. And as Bo Naylor looks to become the everyday catcher in his first full season in the Majors, Hedges may be an invaluable resource. 

“He’s going to be huge,” Guardians manager Stephen Vogt said. “Hedgey is already making an impact with our entire organization. His knowledge, his experience and just his care factor for his teammates, it’s going to rub off on people and he’s gonna help Bo tremendously throughout this year just develop into that everyday catcher.”

McKenzie is trending in the right direction
Last year was far from what Triston McKenzie thought it’d be. 

He stood in the clubhouse in Goodyear, Ariz., last March, pretending to walk out to the mound to his song of choice later that summer. But little did he know his season was just about to be derailed when he suffered a right shoulder injury at the end of camp. Coupled with an elbow injury upon his first return to action, McKenzie made just four starts last season and spent the offseason gradually building himself up to be ready for Spring Training this year. Since the ball dropped, McKenzie began throwing bullpens. Once he reports to camp, he’ll have to wait to see how his coaching staff wants to handle his workload. 

“Not quite sure what that’s going to look like,” Vogt said, “but as far as I know, [he and Shane Bieber] are full go.”

Can Naylor see a long-term future in Cleveland?
The Guardians and Josh Naylor were able to avoid arbitration with a one-year deal for the 2024 season, but that doesn’t mean an extension is completely off the table before Opening Day. Cleveland’s front office is always tight-lipped about its possible negotiations, and Naylor wouldn’t reveal if he’s had conversations with president of baseball operations Chris Antonetti and general manager Mike Chernoff, but he did elaborate when he was asked if an extension could be in his future. 

“Obviously, Cleveland is an incredible place to play,” Naylor said. “I love my teammates. I love my coaches. And, you know, my brother is here, too, which is awesome. We’ll see where the [chips fall] and whatever God has planned for me.”