On Tuesday, the Cleveland Guardians got a chance to say hello to a new face.
22-year-old infielder Brayan Rocchio was called up on Tuesday and made his MLB debut against the Chicago White Sox at Guaranteed Rate Field.
The young infielder had a night to remember, as he made his MLB debut against the South Siders and also picked up his first career hit.
With Lance Lynn pitching, Rocchio hit a soft ground ball to the left side and legged out an infield single.
He also advanced to second base after catcher Yasmani Grandal made a wild throw to first base.
Bally Sports Cleveland, the TV home of the Guardians, posted a video of Rocchio’s first big-league hit.
Brayan Rocchio
✅ MLB debut
✅ First MLB hit pic.twitter.com/zI6bakU9av— Bally Sports Cleveland (@BallySportsCLE) May 17, 2023
There are many ways to pick up a first career hit.
Rocchio picked up his first Major League hit in unique fashion, just barely beating out a throw from Grandal to leg out an infield single before racing to second base when the throw sailed on the veteran catcher.
Ultimately, it was not enough to help the Guardians mount a comeback against the White Sox on Tuesday.
But Rocchio still got a chance to experience something he’ll never forget.
The 22-year-old went 1-for-2 in Tuesday’s game against the White Sox.
The young infield prospect was hitting .338 with a home run and 21 RBI at Triple-A Columbus.
He also had an on-base percentage of .396, a slugging percentage of .486, and an OPS of .882 in his first 36 games.
Now, Rocchio has a chance to establish himself at the big-league level.
