Indians' Erik Gonzalez: In mix for utility role

Gonzalez will compete for one of the final spots on the 25-man during spring training, Jordan Bastian of MLB.com reports.

For now, it seems like his main competition for the utility infielder role is Giovanny Urshela. Both 26-year-old players are out of options, so that situation provides little clarity heading into the spring. Gonzalez does have a bit of an edge when it comes to speed, as he logged double-digit steal seasons in four of the past five years compared to Urshela's goose egg in that category the last three years. The speedy middle infielder also hit better than Urshela in the majors, as his batting average over the past two seasons is roughly 40 points higher. Past stats aside, Gonzalez will still need to perform well in Cactus League action to land a spot on the Opening Day roster.