RICHMOND, Va. – Dayan Frias was obsessed with the world of baseball from an early age. Because his father was heavily involved in baseball, Frias had a front row seat to what his career in baseball was like. Wherever his father, David, played, trained players and managed teams throughout Colombia, Frias was right there watching.
“It started with my family, watching them play, listening to them a lot…I think that's what set me on my path to baseball,” he said in Spanish. “I said [my dad] I wanted to be like this [the players] someday. ”
Naturally, the 21-year-old decided to embark on the journey of becoming a professional baseball player. The Cartagena, Colombia native trained with his father, two-time goldgrapher Orlando Cabrera, played at various academies and participated in tryouts and showcases. He didn't stop until he signed with a team, which is the goal of many aspiring baseball players.
The Guardians recognized Frias' potential and signed him as an international free agent in 2018 for $80,000. After achieving his goal of signing him, the real work began, honing his skills and developing his talent to suit the Guardians' needs.
Frias, the Guardians' No. 29 prospect according to MLB Pipeline, has shown remarkable improvement in his first two seasons as a rookie. In 2019 he hit .216/.383/.291 and in 2021 he hit .322/.420/.520. The 2020 season was canceled due to the new coronavirus.
Despite a strong start, Frias struggled in his introduction to full-season ball in 2022, hitting .239/.344/.330 with 21 total errors. Immediately after the season ended, Frias was invited to represent Colombia in the 2023 World Baseball Classic, where he competed against and learned from the league's veterans.
“Being able to play with major league veterans and share the same moments helped a lot,” the infielder said. “I got a lot of advice and I learned things from them like routines and little things that help me in this sport.”
He applied that advice and good habits during the regular season at High-A Lake County and found success in 2023. The switch hitter hit .260/.356/.426 with 88 hits, 43 RBIs, and 11 home runs. Playing third base, Frias cut Lake County's errors to 13. He won the Midwest League Player of the Week award in late July and was named a Caribbean Series All-Star in February.
Frias brought routines and “little things” from last season and implemented them into the new season. Frias shared with everyone the most impactful piece of advice he received. It's “see it and do it”.
“If you can't see anything, you can't hit and nothing will happen,” he said. “I try to find pitches that I know I can hit well and do that…trying to whiff less is what I'm looking for at home plate.”
He will be in his third year in the Cactus League with the Guardians in 2024, and has shown early results with 2 hits and 1 RBI in 5 at-bats, and thanks to his growth, this plus defender will be one of the Guardians' prospects this season. He ended up breaking into the top 30 of the rankings.
As he continues to develop, Frias hopes to be remembered for his unique style of play, radiating excitement and passion on and off the field. After all, he has a passion for baseball that has continued to grow ever since he was introduced to the sport by his father. He hopes his energy spreads not only inside the clubhouse but also to the fans.
“I want to enjoy the game because I love being here in front of the fans,” he said. “I play not only for the fans but also for the team. I love to always play with enthusiasm. I love how I smile and play around with everyone and always joke around. You'll always see me. I'm a happy person and I want to infect my teammates.”
