Pretty honest writeups. Not a top 100 prospect among those descriptions. If the players all develop (impossible) we will have a lot of depth in middle IFs to parlay for some corner hitters with powers who we continue to lack.

Never heard of Baseball Instinct either. Their instincts are pretty similar to the last guy.
He flips 1 and 2; and 3 and 4; brings Aguilar and Lee into the bottom of the Top 10. Leaves off Cord Phelps as would I.

http://baseballinstinct.com/2011/12/17/ ... ects-list/

Thanks so much for your interest in our Cleveland Indians Top 10 list. The trading of Drew Pomeranz and Alex White to Colorado and the graduation of Lonnie Chisenhall and Jason Kipnis to the majors really has blown a hole in the Cleveland farm system. You are gonna see some names move to the top that may not be household names . . . yet. Also, make sure you check back later for the rest of the list in our Top 21′s feature. Consider the “Freeview” at the end of the article our holiday gift to you. Well, lets begin!

1. Dillon Howard RHP 7/1/1992 H: 6’4″ W: 210 – Tabbed as a sure first round selection, signabililty concern reared its ugly head and Howard was finally taken as the 7th pick of the 2nd round. It’s easy to see why baseball people were so high on him. His fastball travels in the mid-90s with sink and lateral movement. The other 2/3 of his three pitch mix is an average curveball and a change-up that he’s reportedly getting a good feel for.

Our Instinct: With Howard’s projectable frame and high powered stuff, we just can’t wait to see him in action and dive into some stats for you. Unfortunately, he hasn’t thrown a pro pitch yet. Let’s just say, he has all the skills of a front of the rotation starter. Lake County would be a reasonable place for him to start next year but he may get his feet wet in Short Season ball first. We could of [sic] easily went [sic] with Francisco Lindor here, but with the depletion of the Indians system we went with the player we felt had the higher upside.

2. Francisco Lindor SS 11/14/1993 H: 5’1″ W: 175 – Playing in New York/Penn League at just 17-years-old, Lindor is already considered to be a defensive wizard at shortstop and his selection in the first round earlier this year proves that he has the confidence of the Cleveland organization. Without much projection for power in the future, Indians management will work on refining his line-drive swing from both sides of the plate.

Our Instinct: The consensus of opinion is that Lindor will stick at shortstop. He has quickness, great range and a cannon-arm. Offensively, they hope he can play the table-setter role in the batting line-up and use his plus speed to cruise the bases. With Wolters a year ahead of him development-wise and Cabrera and Kipnis in the bigs already, there won’t be any need to rush him. Unfortunately, he signed just in time to provide us with only a tiny sample of statistical data. He should go back to NY/Penn to start 2012. Then we’ll have some numbers to dig into.

3. Tony Wolters SS 6/9/1992 H: 5’10″ W: 165 – Grabbed in the 3rd round in 2010, Cleveland hopes Wolters may be their shortstop of the future. Hitting .292 with 78 hits and 30 walks against 49 strikeouts over 267 at bats in Short Season New York/Penn League, the youngster hasn’t changed anyone’s opinion. He gets raves from scouts and coaches as being a “baseball rat”. And his speed on the bases with a .385 OBP show he could have the stuff to hit near or at the top of a batting order.

Our Instinct: Wolters could play at shortstop or second base when the majors come calling, which won’t be for a few years yet, since the Indians already have a pretty good double play combo in Asdrubal Cabrera and Jason Kipnis, as well as stiff competition in recent draftee Francisco Lindor. Both will be given the needed time to develop.

4. Jake Sisco RHP 12/9/1991 H: 6’3″ W: 200 – Drafted in the 3rd round in 2011, Sisco’s spot on this list has more to do with his upside than his debut season in the Arizona League where he carried a 5.24 ERA, giving up 40 hits, 20 earned runs, and 17 walks with 31 strikeouts in 34.1 innings. Sisco throws his fastball at 92-95 mph and also features a slider, curveball, and change-up, all have a chance to be above average offerings. Reports say that Sisco keeps his velocity late into games and may even add a few ticks to the radar gun readings.

Our Instinct: Although the 31 strikeouts in 34.1 innings is a decent mark, Sisco’s lack of command that allowed 40 hits and too many walks was most likely due to the fatigue since he had already pitched 108 innings before the draft. A fresh Sisco should fair better in Lake County in 2012 where the 20-year-old will be young for the level. [not correct]

5. Luigi Rodriguez OF 11/13/1992 H: 5’11″ W: 160 – Originally signed as a second baseman, Rodriguez’s move to the outfield, with his speed and athletism, has gone very well. He isn’t a slouch with that bat either as witnessed in Rookie ball where he hit .301 in the Dominican Summer League in 2010. Then started out the Arizona League with a .379 mark in 2011. The same season a promotion to Single-A Lake County saw him stuggle for the first time. His K rate rose to 24.3% from 14.1%. He wasn’t getting on-base with the same frequency.

Our Instinct: With the point of struggle starting in Lake County, that’s probably a good indication that he’ll begin again there for 2012. He’s still very young for the level. Look for this talented young man to make the proper adjustments to get on base and show off his speed more on the basepaths starting next season. It takes time to develop a professional approach at the plate and that is what it will take for his skill set to be maximized.

6. Ronny Rodriguez SS 5/17/1992 H: 6’0″ W: 170 – Signed as an undrafted free agent in 2010, Indians management agressively started Rodriguez’s professional baseball career out in Single-A Lake County as 19-year-old. The young shortstop actually held his own, hitting .246 with 91 hits, 28 doubles, 7 triples, and 11 homeruns in 370 at bats. Still very raw, Ronny has shown an attractive combination of power (.203 ISOP) and speed (11 stolen bases) at a premium middle infielder position.

Our Instinct: With this encouraging performance, Rodriguez has also shown that his approach at the plate needs refinement as should be expected for his age and experience. He’ll need to draw more than 13 walks in 370 at bats, as well as cut down the k’s. Reports have said that he plays very good defense at shortstop. When I saw him this past summer, he still looked raw to me defensively. He showed quickness and a strong throwing arm, but the lack of decision-making and execution produced a few errant throws. All things that can be fixed with coaching and experience. Look for him to repeat Lake County for 2012.

7. Jesus Aguilar 1B 6/30/90 H: 6’3″ W: 241 – Aguilar, the physically imposing right-handed slugger, broke out in his first full season of professional ball. Having never before played in more than 100 games in one season, he hit .284 with 131 hits, 30 doubles, and 23 homeruns, while also walking 46 times and striking out 126 in Single-A Lake County and High-A Kinston combined. Also earning a .359/.506/.865 triple slash. In Lake County, Jesus mashed at a .252 ISOP clip.

Our Instinct: Aguilar has as much or more power potential as any hitter in the system. [obviously!] That said, he’ll need to make sure he keeps that big body under control weight-wise in order to be an average defender at first base. Strikeouts come with the power, but plate discipline needs to improve too because the pitching he will face won’t get any easier. I’ve seen some reports predicting he’ll spend some time in Double-A Akron in 2012. Since his production slowed some at High-A, possibly due to fatigue, I am betting they start him off there.

8. Chen Lee RHP 10/21/1986 H: 5’11″ W: 175 – Signed out of Taiwan in 2008, Lee has the skills to pitch in the 7th, 8th, or 9th innings of games, though, historically, he hasn’t been used as a closer. His fastball runs up to 95 mph with movement. He has a plus slider that, with his low arm slot, is rough for right-handed hitters to pick up. His split change-up, used against lefties, keeps balls on the ground. Between Double-A Akron and Triple-A Columbus, Lee struck out 99 hitters in 71.1 innings while dealing out only 23 walks. He also kept his groundball rate in the mid-50s.

Our Instinct: With numbers like these, almost indentical at each level, Lee will get a look in Cleveland this year. Threat of injury due to his small frame and the repeatability of his low arm slot are challenges for him. But Lee has nothing more to prove in the minors.

9. Felix Sterling RHP 3/15/93 H: 6’3″ W: 200 – Signed as a 17-year-old out of the Dominican Republic in 2010, Sterling showed an advanced approach on the mound to match his 90-94 mph fastball and developing curveball and change-up in the Arizona Rookie League. He scored a 3.16 ERA with a 27% K rate while limiting the free passes to 9.7%. This past season, after another short stint in Arizona, he was promoted to Low-A Lake County. He walked more this time (14.7%) but still kept his strikeout percentage above 20%, still, an eye-opening performance for a player of his age against competition two or three years older.

Our Instinct: Look for the Indians to have him repeat Lake County rather than challenge the youngster in Kinston. Let him see more success at this level. He needs to refine his control and command to limit those walks. The secondary pitches could use polishing as well. Cleveland should be in no rush.

10. Elvis Araujo LHP 7/15/1991 H: 6’6″ W: 215 – A victim of Tommy John surgery in 2009 and setbacks that claimed his development in the entire 2010 season, Araujo has ridden a breakout season in the AZL. The hulking lefty owns a 2.86 ERA in 63 innings, maintaining a 22.5% K rate and 7% walk rate. The 20-year-old Elvis throws a 90-93 mph heater, that can touch 96, and he’s still working on his curveball and change-up.

Our Instinct: The exciting part here is that Araujo still has some physical projection left, so the fastball velocity could rise. Right now, all this youngster needs to do is pitch. Develop those secondaries. And stay healthy. So, next season, Elvis could “leave the building” and settle in short season Mahoning Valley with a move to Lake County with any success.

Baseball Instinct’s Top 21 “Freview”

11. Scott Barnes LHP 9/5/1987 H: 6’4″ W: 185 – Drafted by San Francisco from the 8th round in 2008 then traded to Cleveland in 2009 for Ryan Garko, Barnes will try to force his way onto the big league rotation in 2012. This will, of course, also depend on how well he’s recovered from 2011′s season-ending knee injury. In Double-A Akron and Triple-A Columbus in 2011, he kept a 3.45 ERA for 99 innings and gave up 12 homeruns and 36 walks, but struck out 107 batters. Most of the innings pitched in Columbus, his strikeout rate was an excellent 24.2% and the walks were at a 9.1% clip..

Our Instinct: Not a high ceiling player as the likes of Felix Sterling and Elvis Araujo, but Barnes has the stuff to fill in the back end of a rotation dutifully. He needs to stay in shape to avoid injury and become the innings eater he was born to be. In the minors, Barnes has a tendency to leave his pitches higher in the zone, resulting in higher homerun totals. He needs to command his low-90s fastball and plus change-up lower in the zone to induce more groundballs.

And one more list from another unknown blogger. Somehow Phelps rates No. 2. This list is more slanted to players who have moved toward the top of the minor league system.

http://bloguin.com/theoutsidecorner/201 ... pects.html

The Cleveland Indians tried to hold on and win the winnable AL Central, but even after making a mid-season trade for Ubaldo Jimenez, Justin Verlander and the Tigers rolled their division foes on their way to an ALCS exit. One of the more important things the Indians may have done, however, was introduce two top prospects in Jason Kipnis and Lonnie Chisenhall. Kipnis had an excellent debut, but I’d expect a little less power in his future with a few more walks, hits, and a higher OBP. Chisenhall played in about twice as many games, but he had a bit rougher of an introduction. Both of them are solid regulars, but I’d expect Kipnis to be the better player as their careers get going.

Down on the farm, life wasn’t very good. First of all, the top half of the 2011 Indians list got chopped off, which is enough to take a serious toll on any organization. Moving Kipnis and Chisenhall into the majors is a positive step forward as that’s the goal, but it does remove the top two prospects from the system. Next came the Jimenez trade that took Alex White, Drew Pomeranz, and Joe Gardner, who were the best three pitching prospects the Indians had. When that happens, you hope the rest of the system plays well enough to at least give the organization hope that the system can recover eventually from that.

That didn’t exactly happen. The Indians did have a pretty strong draft with Francisco Lindor, Dillon Howard, Jake Sisco, and spending heavily in the later rounds to grab several prospects who dropped, which is always a solid idea. They come into the organization, and it says a lot that 3 of the top 5 are newly-drafted players. There were a few nice seasons, but few Indians prospects outside of those drafted in 2011 represent guys that could be the core of the major-league team.

To be fair, the current, thin Indians system is not a complete failure. Promoting Kipnis and Chisenhall is the ultimate goal of a farm system, and both of those guys look to be core players in the future of the Indians. Trading Pomeranz and White, while it hurts the rotation’s depth, did bring Jimenez, who still has value despite a bumpy move to the American League. The question remains what is coming down the pipeline now. The recent draft does bolster the system and adds some potential, and there are some decent players that were already in the organization. But the major-league team isn’t without it’s problems, and there don’t seem to be any immediate answers coming from within.



Outstanding

Francisco Lindor SS

Bats/Throws: S/R

Height/Weight: 5’11/175

Age/Level (as of 4/2012): 18/Low-A

Projection: 3+ WAR

Lindor won’t amaze you with any one part of his game, but he’ll give you plenty to smile about as he can do just about everything very well. With above-average speed and an above-average arm, scouts believe Lindor will almost certainly stay at shortstop and be a pretty good one. At the plate, Lindor shows his lone major weakness in his lack of power, but he generates solid contact with a solid approach. It remains to be seen how his skills will translate into professional ball and if the power will become too much of a detriment, but Francisco “Truffles” Lindor (sorry, I couldn’t help myself) has a strong work ethic and a bright future.





Good

Cord Phelps 2B/3B

Bats/Throws: S/R

Height/Weight: 6’2/200

Age/Level: 25/AAA or MLB

Projection: 2-4 WAR

When the Ubaldo Jimenez trade happened last summer, I was shocked Phelps wasn’t included, considering the Rockies need for a second and third baseman, and it seems like Phelps is still need of a trade as he has no place in Cleveland with Jason Kipnis and Lonnie Chisenhall locked into his two positions. Phelps has a solid bat, solid approach, and solid power, and while none of those will lead him to being a star, there’s no reason he can’t be a decent regular. Phelps isn’t a defensive wizard, but he can play either position well enough (teams might fear he can’t play either at the major-league level). I think he needs an opportunity, but I don’t know where he’ll get it.




Dillon Howard SP

Bats/Throws: R/R

Height/Weight: 6’4/210

Age/Level: 19/Low-A

Projection: 2/3/4

When you try to imagine what you want a pitcher to look like, Howard is it. The 6’4, 200-pounder has an ideal frame and room to grow, and having played shortstop in high school, he is a good athlete with a smooth delivery, though with the occasional head whip, that should be repeatable. Howard’s fastball is his only real pitch right now as it sits in the low-90s, though it could go higher as he fills out. His secondary pitches, a curve and change, have potential but are very inconsistent at the moment. Let’s get him some innings and see what we have.



Tony Wolters SS

Bats/Throws: L/R

Height/Weight: 5’10/170

Age/Level: 19/High-A

Projection: 2-4 WAR

Currently a shortstop, there’s a belief that Wolters doesn’t have the range to stay at the position, but there is also the belief that he could be a solid second baseman. Wolters has average-ish speed and a solid arm, but he doesn’t cover enough ground at short. Offensively, he looks a lot like Lindor - good bat, solid approach, little power - but he could certainly fill out a bit more and add some power. The swing is a bit awkward - slight leg kick and an uppercut - but he makes it work for him.



Jake Sisco SP

Bats/Throws: R/R

Height/Weight: 6’3/185

Age/Level: 20/Low-A

Projection: 3/4

Drafted out of junior college, Sisco sits in between the typical high school and college draftee. He’s still mostly projection, but he has a low-90s fastball along with three solid pitches that could get better in a cutter, curveball, and change-up. Sisco certainly has the frame and arsenal to start, but he’ll likely need those secondary pitches to get a bit better if he wants to stay in a rotation.



Fair


Luigi Rodriguez CF

Bats/Throws: S/R

Height/Weight: 5’11/160

Age/Level: 19/Low-A or High-A

Projection: 1-3 WAR

Rodriguez is mainly projection at this point. He has plus speed, and after a tiny chance in the infield, the Indians moved him to the outfield, where his speed will play better. The real concern is his bat. He strikes out a bit, but it’s not that much while taking a few walks as well. Rodriguez has little to no power at the moment, and at his size, it’s hard to imagine more coming. He had a rough introduction to Low-A pitching last summer, but it was only 34 games and there’s plenty of time.




Chun Chen C

Bats/Throws: R/R

Height/Weight: 6’1/200

Age/Level: 23/AAA

Projection: 1-3 WAR

When Cleveland cleaned up Chen’s high leg kick, they may have found themselves an offense-oriented catcher. I say “offense-oriented” because Chen isn’t much of a catcher at the moment as he struggles to catch better stuff, but he has an above-average arm that nails basestealers with frequency. At the plate, he’s making better contact, but he still strikes out a little too much. If he could improve his defense, he might squeak into a starter’s role, but as he is, he could hit enough to be a back-up that fakes it behind the plate for a game or two a week.




Chen Lee RP

Bats/Throws: R/R

Height/Weight: 5’11/175

Age/Level: 25/MLB

Projection: Middle Reliever

From a slight build, Lee propels the ball forward at pretty high speeds. His fastball sits in the low-90s, but it can scrape the mid-90s occasionally. What made such an improvement for him this season was the improvement in his slider, which became an above-average to plus pitch. A low arm angle likely means he’ll have platoon issues in the majors, but it’s hard to argue with his production (12 K/9, 3 BB/9) in the minors. He needs a chance.




Nick Hagadone RP

Bats/Throws: L/L

Height/Weight: 6’5/230

Age/Level: 26/MLB

Projection: Middle Reliever

Suffering through numerous injuries has sapped most of Hagadone’s upside from him, but he remains a likely contributor to a major-league team, which shows you how good he could have been. His fastball no longer sits in the high-90s, but it sits in the low-90s with the occasional 95 or 96. And his slider, that was once plus to plus-plus, is now an above-average pitch. What keeps him here is that some of that velocity might come back and that his control improved substantially last year in AA and AAA. We’ll see if he can handle high-leverage situations, but Hagadone will probably still have quite a few MLB seasons in his future … as long as his arm stays attached.



Ronnie Rodriguez SS

Bats/Throws: R/R

Height/Weight: 6’/170

Age/Level: 20/High-A

Projection: 1-3 WAR

Calling Rodriguez a shortstop at this point seems a bit too kind (38 errors in 97 games), but that’s not Rodriguez’s calling card. If he’s going to make some noise in the majors, he’ll do it with his stick, most notably his power. He isn’t patient, and he doesn’t make a lot of contact. So he has a lot of growing up to do to become a useful role player in the majors.



Big Question - Nick Weglarz and Jason Knapp


On the mound and at the plate, the Cleveland Indians have a prospect with some potential that is severely limited by injuries. Nick Weglarz could fit in a corner outfield spot or first base, and he has the secondary skills at the plate to be an offensive force. But he gets hurt a lot, and after this season, there are concerns that the injuries have sapped his power, which would make him a non-prospect. Jason Knapp is in a similar situation. Part of the Cliff Lee trade, Knapp had huge upside with a monster fastball and a wicked slider, but he had his second shoulder surgery this past season. You’ll always hold out a little hope for past top prospects, but at this point, you wonder if either will make the majors, even if they’re only 24 and 21.

Big Question - Nick Weglarz and Jason Knapp

No question here. Weglarz ia a stiff.

Mets signed RHP Jeff Stevens to a minor league contract.

Stevens, 28, has an ugly 6.28 ERA and 28/25 K/BB ratio over 37 1/3 innings of relief in the major leagues, all with the Cubs. He'll serve as bullpen depth in the minors.

Source: Matt Eddy on Twitter Jan 4 - 3:26 PM

Cleveland Indians Top 20 Prospects for 2012

by John Sickels on Jan 4, 2012 8:01 AM EST

Cleveland Indians Top 20 Prospects for 2012

All grades are EXTREMELY PRELIMINARY and subject to change. Grade C+/C guys are pretty interchangeable depending on what you want to emphasize.

The list and grades are a blending of present performance and long-term potential. Comments are welcome, but in the end all analysis and responsibility is mine of course. Full reports on all of players can be found in the 2012 Baseball Prospect Book. We are now taking pre-orders. Order early and order often!

Star-divide

QUICK PRIMER ON GRADE MEANINGS:

Grade A prospects are the elite. They have a good chance of becoming stars or superstars. Almost all Grade A prospects develop into major league regulars, if injuries or other problems don't intervene. Note that is a major "if" in some cases.

Grade B prospects have a good chance to enjoy successful careers. Some will develop into stars, some will not. Most end up spending several years in the majors, at the very least in a marginal role.

Grade C prospects are the most common type. These are guys who have something positive going for them, but who may have a question mark or three, or who are just too far away from the majors to get an accurate feel for. A few Grade C guys, especially at the lower levels, do develop into stars. Many end up as role players or bench guys. Some don't make it at all.

A major point to remember is that grades for pitchers do NOT correspond directly to grades for hitters. Many Grade A pitching prospects fail to develop, often due to injuries. Some Grade C pitching prospects turn out much better than expected.

Also note that there is diversity within each category. I'm a tough grader; Grade C+ is actually good praise coming from me, and some C+ prospects turn out very well indeed.

Finally, keep in mind that all grades are shorthand. You have to read the full comment in the book for my full opinion about a player, the letter grade only tells you so much. A Grade C prospect in rookie ball could end up being very impressive, while a Grade C prospect in Triple-A is likely just a future role player.

1) Francisco Lindor, SS, Grade B+: A strong defensive shortstop who can hit, at least for average. Not expected to have big power, but not punchless either. He should be a force at the top of the order while providing a slick glove, and probably won't need as much time in the minors as many high schoolers.

2) Dillon Howard, RHP, Grade B-: Borderline B. No pro innings yet, but has body and stuff of a number two starter. Grade is cautious given lack of pro data. Could be much higher next year.

3) Tony Wolters, SS, Grade B-: Borderline B. Solid contact hitter had fine summer in the New York-Penn League, controls zone well, gets on base, effective runner, Indians say he has a chance to stick at shortstop, although with Lindor around a switch to second is very likely. That would be a nice double play combo.

4) Jake Sisco, RHP, Grade C+: Junior college pitcher drafted in the third round last year, throws hard, projectable, flashes a complete arsenal but not consistent yet. High ceiling with a chance to be special.

5) Luigi Rodriguez, OF, Grade C+: Tool-laden outfielder with power/speed potential, played well in Arizona Rookie League. High-ceiling, grade could be much higher next year with another season under his belt.

5) Ronny Rodriguez, SS, Grade C+: Another tools guy, has plate discipline problems but hit 11 homers and stole 10 bases in the Midwest League in his pro debut, skipping short-season ball completely. 19 years old, from Dominican Republic, raw but has tools to stick at short. Another guy who could earn much higher grades as he develops.

6) Nick Hagadone, LHP, Grade C+: Power arm from left side has taken well to bullpen work, held lefties to .127 average in Triple-A. At worst a strong LOOGY, but could get beyond that. Should help in 2012.

7) Elvis Araujo, LHP, Grade C+: Big lefty is Tommy John survivor, looked very good in Arizona Rookie League, throws hard but secondary pitches and command need work. High ceiling.

8) Felix Sterling, RHP, Grade C+: Another raw-but-talented pitcher, throws hard, thick legs, durable build. Command needs work, like Araujo he could rank higher with a full season of additional development.

9) Scott Barnes, LHP, Grade C+: On verge of promotion to the majors when he hurt his knee in July. Decent stuff from the left side, deceptive, command is somewhat erratic but when it is working he looks like a solid number four starter. I have liked him since he was in college at St. John's.

10) Cord Phelps, 2B, Grade C+: Shoved aside by Jason Kipnis and didn't hit in major league trial, but deserves more chances. Fits "scrappy second baseman" stereotype but has more pop in his bat than most. Probably a utility player in Cleveland, or trade bait. Worse players have been regulars.

11) LeVon Washington, OF, Grade C+: Had a terrible year at Lake County, but gets a partial mulligan due to nagging injuries and trying to make adjustments in batting stance. Still young, draws some walks, still has the tools that made him an early pick in both '09 and '10 drafts.

12) Chen Lee, RHP, Grade C+: I like this guy and I don't know why he doesn't get more attention. His numbers are always strong, he throws reasonably hard, he's deceptive, he's got some control. Seems like he'll be a fine bullpen asset.

13) Chun Chen, C, Grade C+: Good throwing arm, has power, strike zone got away from him a bit in Double-A but still an intriguing property as a catcher with some sock in his bat.

14) Austin Adams, RHP, Grade C+: Live arm, decent year in Double-A but needs sharper control. Played shortstop in college and is athletic. Could be fourth starter or a solid reliever.

15) Jake Lowery, C, Grade C+: Excellent plate discipline with power potential, working on defense, probably won't hit for much of a batting average at higher levels but should be productive.

16) Matt Packer, LHP, Grade C+: Control artist gets plenty of grounders, posts strong K/BB ratios but hittable and needs a good defense behind him. Could be four/five starter with proper support.

17) Enosil Tejeda, RHP, Grade C+: Very good stuff, overpowering K/IP ratio in New York-Penn League, could move through system rapidly as relief option.

18) Jorge Martinez, SS, Grade C+: 18-year-old switch-hitter impressed scouts with tools in rookie ball, but quite raw on defense and faces positional switch. Just scratching the surface of his power potential. High-risk/high-reward type.

19) Robel Garcia, 3B; Grade C+: Another intriguing bat from Cleveland's collection of Latin American players in the Arizona Rookie League. Switch-hitter with power and contact issues.

20) Giovanni Soto, LHP, Grade C+: Not overpowering with the velocity but still gets his strikeouts, performed well in Carolina League at age 20, strong component ratios. Plausable he could develop into a mid-rotation starter.

21) Jesus Aguilar, 1B, Grade C+: Borderline C. He can mash the ball, plate discipline and defense are big questions.

OTHERS: Cody Allen, RHP; Cody Anderson, RHP; Rob Bryson, RHP; Kelvin De La Cruz, LHP; Juan Diaz, SS; Paulo Espino, RHP (a sleeper); Eric Haase, C; T.J. House, LHP; Corey Kluber, RHP; Jason Knapp, RHP; Alex Lavisky, C: Zach McAllister, RHP; Shawn Morimando, LHP; Bryson Myles, OF; Thomas Neal, OF; Dorssys Paulino, SS (latest Latin American bonus baby, high-ceiling player but hasn't even played in DSL yet); Zach Putnam, RHP; Danny Salazar, RHP; Bryce Stowell, RHP; Tyler Sturdevant, RHP.

This is a very difficult system to analyze.

The top of the organization was lopped off by trades and major league graduations, and the next wave is primarily at the lower levels. Quite honestly, spots 5 through 21 could be listed in almost any order, depending on how you value pure upside, risk, and closeness to the majors. I tried to find a balance with the list, but every analyst and writer is going to have a different take on this system once you get past the first four or five slots.

A list based purely on scouting and upside potential is going to look very different than a purely sabermetric list. Since I combine the two approaches, the uncertainty factor is quite high right now.

Indians fans may be discouraged by the large number of C+ grades, but they shouldn't be. While some of those C+s are future role players or relievers, the younger members of the group are high-ceiling guys who are just too raw or far away to get a higher grade just yet, but who could blossom within the next year or two. I'm thinking particularly of Araujo, Sterling, and the group of hitters who were backing them up in the Arizona Rookie League. The 2013 and 2014 lists could see a lot of those guys bumped up into the B-range (or maybe even higher) if they develop properly.

The "others" group has some very interesting names as well, beginning with Dorssys Paulino who could turn into a star, or nothing, or anything in between. McAllister, Neal, Espino, Putnam, Stovall, and Sturdevant could all contribute in the majors in 2012. Bryson Myles was an on-base machine with speed in college and the New York-Penn League.

In short, I like this farm system. It is going to be a lot of fun to see what happens in 2012, especially at Lake County and Mahoning Valley.

That's a very positive interpretation of what we have in the minors. We will have to pay all our attention to the bottom of the system in 2012. Aeros could be a really, really bad team, and/or a very old AA team full of minor league vets


His No. 19 Robel Garcia is my breakout pick. I see Giovanny Urshela who was getting big press last year is off his radar completely. A fine defensive 3b and still a kid, he still deserves attention.

What's novel about our current crop of top prospects is that nearly all are high school not college guys; and that we have lots of "athletic" projectible kids. Someone has inspired a new philosophy of player development it appears.

Here's a surprise. BA top 10 is far different from everyone else's, including the list that they posited in August, including older lower ceiling pitchers above the high ceiling high risk kids. Rather the opposite of BA's normal emphasis. Q/A session is Friday.

1. Lindor
2. Howard
3. Hagadone
4. Chen Lee
5. Luigi Rodriguez
6. Zach McAllister !
7. Tony Wolters
8. Austin Adams
9. Scott Barnes
10. Zach Putnam

Not included: Ronnie Rodriguez, Jake Sisco, Elvis Araujo, Felix Sterling

The latest minor moves...

The Indians announced that they signed infielder Argenis Reyes and right-hander Willy Lebron to minor league deals that don't include invitations to big league Spring Training. The club also confirmed the signing of infielder Chin-lung Hu to a minor league deal. Reyes started the 2011 season in indy ball then signed a minor league deal with the Indians in August. The 29-year-old has MLB experience with the Mets. Lebron, 32, posted a 3.02 ERA with 9.9 K/9 and 4.2 BB/9 in 65 2/3 innings in the upper levels of the Royals' system last year.

Lebron back with Cleveland!

BA's Tribe Prospects Chat is underway. No one gave me any questions to ask so I've been limited to my own. Here's the first half dozen questions and answers. We'll be glad to hear that the WhiteSox prospects make ours look good. Surprising there's no question on Aguillar yet, we know it's coming soon.

How many of your top 10 are worthy of making BA's top 100? thanks

Ben Badler: Lindor's the only one. Howard's intriguing and there are some useful relievers close to helping the big league club, but Lindor is the only Top 100 guy.


Between Ronny Rodriguez and Jorge Martinez, who came closer to your top 10? Thanks for the chat.

Ben Badler: Rodriguez is the better prospect. His arm strength, speed and raw power are all there, but there's still a lot of rawness to his game that kept him from ranking any higher.


Is Weglarz still in your top 30, and assuming he can stay healthy, what's his ceiling?

Ben Badler: He's there, and it's just hard to know what to make of him at this point, especially after last year. The injury history is significant and it's a liability going forward. His batting eye is still outstanding and he has the raw power to put it together, but there's still a lot of uphill in the swing that he's going to have to try to tighten up. I wouldn't be surprised to see a bounceback year from him in 2012.


With a Top 10 dominated by not-very-young middle relief candidates, I have to assume the Indians’ farm system will rank down among the bottom of the 30 teams. Is this the worst system in baseball?

Ben Badler: I'd go back and read the White Sox list we just put out. That's the the worst system in the game. There are guys who are in that top 10 who might not even crack the Indians' Top 30.


Elvis Araujo had a nice comeback. What's his 75th percentile ceiling? and aside from staying healthy what would you like to see him work on the most this year?

Ben Badler: There's enough upside to be a power lefthanded starter, which was his projection when I first wrote about him 3-4 years ago, but that's really a perfect world scenario. Like you said, the main thing with him is staying healthy, which he just hasn't been able to do until last year, which was a significant step forward for him. Beyond health, he's just raw. Both of his secondary pitches need work, and he needs to be able to repeat his mechanics better. The slider is ahead of the changeup right now, so if he can tighten that up, stay healthy enough to get more repetition to control his delivery and his arm slot better, I think the most realistic upside is a power lefty reliever.


Had he remained, would Pomeranz have unseated Lindor for the top spot on your list? Your thoughts on that trade as a whole?

Ben Badler: Pomeranz would have been No. 1 if he were still with Cleveland. I think it's hard to assess the trade without really knowing what happened with Ubaldo Jimenez last year. His velocity was down, his mechanics were significantly altered from previous years to the point where it looked like he was trying to compensate for some type of physical issue, and even his pitch selection at times got bizarre. All that said, he still has a pretty team-friendly contract and I think the Indians sold high on Alex White. Giving up Pomeranz could come back to hurt them in the future, but I'm very curious to see if Jimenez returns to form this year.

He's moivng quickly through the questions.

Ben, what were the reports on Felix Sterling's command last season, and was this what kept him from the top 10 this year? Thanks.

Ben Badler: Raw. He's like a lot of young players who overthrow, which hurts their command, especially young international players who sometimes are groomed more for the radar gun than to get outs in games. Good velocity up to 96, flashes a good changeup, but still plenty of rawness there.


Could you rank these SS for us in terms of ceiling - Lindor, Machado and Profar? Thanks.

Ben Badler: Profar, Machado, Lindor. Not a knock on Lindor, but those other two are pretty elite company.


How much potential is there in Jason Knapp at this point?

Ben Badler: Hard for anyone to assess when he doesn't pitch. Given his health history and the concern I've heard from scouts about his arm action, I think the bullpen is his future, but he has to come back and show the stuff is still there first to get there.


What can you tell us about RHP Jake Sisco? Thanks Ben.

Ben Badler: He didn't make the Top 10 but I could see him getting in there next year. Big, physical frame, sits in the low-90s with heavy life and a pair of average breaking balls with his curveball and slider. Didn't have much success in the Arizona League but he's a good athlete who should be able to make adjustments.

Your projected 2015 lineup shows a lot of the same not-very-successful names as the Indians fielded in 2011: LaPorta, Brantley and Sizemore. Obviously that reflects a dearth of corner talent in the farm system. On the other hand, Cleveland has a good collection of young middle infielders. What’s the chance Jason Kipnis will return to the outfield or move over to first base

Ben Badler: It's funny, because it wasn't long ago that the farm system was heavier on corner guys who were supposed to be the future like LaPorta, Weglarz, Beau Mills and Wes Hodges and light on up-the-middle guys. But I don't see Kipnis moving. He's become a solid defensive second baseman, which he and the Indians deserve a tremendous amount of credit for.


Harry (Brighton Beach, NY): How far down the list did Levon Washington fall this year? What does he need to work on most?

Ben Badler: He slid pretty far, but he's still in the Top 30. He's athletic, he runs well, his hands are quick, but he had a lot of trouble at the plate getting his mechanics consistent. I get into it more in the Prospect Handbook, but the setup at the plate he was using changed throughout the year, and I think that's still something he's trying to get comfortable with.


Jasen (FLL): From his scouting report, Howard sounds more destined for the bullpen however he's young. What makes him have frontline potential?

Ben Badler: Frontline starter is probably a rosy projection, because I agree, there's definitely some risk there. His two-seamer has heavy, wicked sink though, and if he can command it, I think there's enough there to say there's mid-rotation potential.


Could you offer any candidates for surprise breakthroughs in 2012?

Ben Badler: Jordan Smith is worth keeping an eye on. Easy swing, great rhythm and timing at the plate, advanced approach and good size even though the power isn't there.

Still nothing on Aguillar.


What is Luigi Rodriguez ultimate up side?

Ben Badler: Don't think we know yet, which I don't mean as a cop out, but I don't like putting limits on teenage Latin American prospects. But he's a guy with premium speed and a track record of hitting, even though there's some rawness in his swing. Power's never going to be a big part of his game, but I think he can be a good enough hitter to be at least an average big leaguer, maybe more.


JC (VT): Chun-Hsiu Chen seems to put up good numbers along with reports of improving defense but he never pops up on any prospect lists. What is your take on him?

Ben Badler: He had a solid year offensively, although the jump in his strikeouts is a concern and I think part of that is a reflection of scouts' concerns about his bat speed. He has a decent idea of what he's doing at the plate and has solid power for a catcher, but there are a lot of scouts who just don't buy him as a catcher. The receiving is improving, but it's still far from where it needs to be to catch at the big league level, and if he's a backup, that's a role where a lot of managers like a defensive-oriented guy, so it's tough to see a big league role for him until his blocking and receiving take several steps forward.


JD (AZ): Ben wondering your take on Mike Rayl? Also is he in the top 30. Thanks

Ben Badler: Very impressive year. Not a power guy by any means but I think he learned to get his lower half into his delivery a bit better and saw his velocity jump a tick, with some reports of 92s on the radar gun and a fastball around average. I don't think there's a plus pitch in his repertoire, but his curveball is solid, he repeats his mechanics and throws a ton of strikes, so there's some back-end starter potential there with a chance to move quickly.


Had Jason Kipnis retained prospect status, I assume he would be #1 here?

Ben Badler: That's where I'd put him.