Height
5'8"
Weight
170 lbs
Age
28
College
Oregon State
Experience
4 yrs
Bats/Throws
L/L
Fan Verdict
Grade this player:
Career StatsC
| Year | Team | GP | AVG | HR | RBI | OPS | SB | H |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Career |  | 584 | 0.2808308 | 36 | 206 | 0.7397438 | 73 | 649 |
Current Contract
Length
1 year
Total Value
$7.7M
Guaranteed
$4.6M
AAV
$7.7M/yr
Contract Value Index (CVI)
The Guardians' decision to retain Steven Kwan on a $7.7M AAV deal earns a C CVI, reflecting a serviceable but uninspiring move for a team caught between competing and developing. While Kwan brings solid on-base skills and contact ability that fits Cleveland's small-ball approach, he profiles as a replacement-level corner outfielder whose defensive limitations and lack of power ceiling make this a quintessentially "safe" transaction. At 27, he's past the developmental curve where his plate discipline might translate into meaningful offensive upside, yet the Guardians are paying starter money for what amounts to a fourth outfielder skill set on most contending clubs. The one-year term provides flexibility, but Cleveland's decision to allocate nearly $8 million to a player who projects for roughly 1-2 WAR speaks to either budget constraints or a fundamental misreading of their competitive timeline. For a franchise with one of baseball's deepest farm systems, this feels like organizational inertia rather than strategic roster construction—serviceable production at serviceable cost, which rarely moves the needle in either direction.
Performance Analysis
Steven Kwan grades as an All-Star caliber performer among MLB left fielders, earning a B+ Performance grade. He is hitting with a 0.281 batting average and a 0.741 OPS (near the league average of .720) this season. With 36 home runs and 206 RBI through 583 games (a 10-HR, 57-RBI pace over a full season), he brings limited power to the lineup. His 73 stolen bases add an elite speed dimension that creates additional offensive value. As a player entering his prime window at 28, Steven is a key contributor for the Guardians. A 583-game sample provides high confidence in this grade.
Recent Games
| Date | OPP | Result | AB | H | R | HR | RBI | BB | SO |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fri, 4/10 | @ ATL | L 5-11 | 4 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 |
| Wed, 4/8 | vs KC | W 10-2 | 4 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 |
Transaction History
News & Buzz
Live Discussion
Auto-moderated fan forum with 5-minute speaker turns
Discussion
Loading discussion...