Bleacher Report's top 10 prosepcts at
http://bleacherreport.com/articles/1454 ... arm-system
In order: Bauer; Lindor; Paulino. Everyone agrees on that.
Then Ronny Rod, Mitch Brown, Tyler Nyahqn, Danny Salazar, LuigiRod, Cody Allen and JoseRamirez.
That's not too different from Baseball America which listed JRam around 23rd, before his winter ball play.
Re: Minor Matters
2402Based on his winter experience, I also placed Jose Ramirez #10. He's got a major league glove at age 20. His plate discipline is as refined as you can ask for from a 20 year old Dominican rookie. He's also proven he can handle pitching well above and beyond the single "A" level. He's even shown some power potential during the Series del Caribe. Undoubtedly, he's faced the best pitching the winter leagues have to offer. He finally showed he was human in the sixth game of the series when he was 0-5. The first time he was kept off base the entire playoff format and series.
“Every day is a new opportunity. You can build on yesterday's success or put its failures behind and start over again. That's the way life is, with a new game every day, and that's the way baseball is.”
-- Bob Feller
-- Bob Feller
Re: Minor Matters
2403Here's more on JoseRam, from Baseball America, rated No. 5 on a a list of "10 Players who helped themselves with strong showings this winter"
5. Jose Ramirez 2b, Indians: At 5-9 165, Ramirez is neither physically imposing nor a threat to mash one out of the park, but he has excellent speed and seems to hit everywhere he goes. After a strong year at the plate in the Midwest League, Ramirez finished third in the Dominican League and 4th in on-base pct by hitting 312/389/362 in 141 at bats for the Toros, a stern test for the 20 year old against pitchers far more advanced than he's usually faced.
5. Jose Ramirez 2b, Indians: At 5-9 165, Ramirez is neither physically imposing nor a threat to mash one out of the park, but he has excellent speed and seems to hit everywhere he goes. After a strong year at the plate in the Midwest League, Ramirez finished third in the Dominican League and 4th in on-base pct by hitting 312/389/362 in 141 at bats for the Toros, a stern test for the 20 year old against pitchers far more advanced than he's usually faced.
Re: Minor Matters
2404Maybe this was posted, I don't think so. If so, here it is again.
JOHN SICKELS: Although the Indians system is widely considered weak, the first run-thru game me 50 names worth studying. I have that culled down to 40 (plus two Rule 5s that need to be allocated to other organizations). There is a lot of Grade C/C+ here, but my impression is that the Indians, while they lack elite talent beyond Bauer and Lindor, have more depth than is commonly realized, at least in guys who have the potential to do something, even if they haven't yet.
Cleveland Indians 40 players
Austin Adams RHP
Jesus Aguilar 1B
Cody Allen RHP
Elvis Araujo LHP
Shawn Armstrong RHP
Dylan Baker RHP
Scott Barnes LHP
Trevor Bauer RHP
Mitch Brown RHP
Rob Bryson RHP
Chun-Hsui Chen 1B-C
Tim Fedroff OF
Yan Gomes OF
Trey Haley RHP
T.J. House LHP
Dillon Howard RHP
Matt Langwell RHP
Chen Lee RHP
Jacob Lee RHP
Francisco Lindor SS
Kieran Lovegrove RHP
Luis Lugo LHP
Jorge Martinez 2B
D'vone McClure OF
Mike McDade 1B
T.J. McFarland LHP rule 5 to orioles
Chris McGuiness 1B
Tyler Naquin OF
Nick Pasquale RHP
Dorssys Paulino SS
Jose Ramirez SS
Luigi Rodriguez OF
Ronny Rodriguez INF
Hector Rondon RHP rule 5 to cubs
Danny Salazar RHP
Anthony Santander OF
Jake Sisco RHP
Jordan Smith OF
Felix Sterling RHP
Bryce Stowell RHP
LeVon Washington OF
Tony Wolters SS
JOHN SICKELS: Although the Indians system is widely considered weak, the first run-thru game me 50 names worth studying. I have that culled down to 40 (plus two Rule 5s that need to be allocated to other organizations). There is a lot of Grade C/C+ here, but my impression is that the Indians, while they lack elite talent beyond Bauer and Lindor, have more depth than is commonly realized, at least in guys who have the potential to do something, even if they haven't yet.
Cleveland Indians 40 players
Austin Adams RHP
Jesus Aguilar 1B
Cody Allen RHP
Elvis Araujo LHP
Shawn Armstrong RHP
Dylan Baker RHP
Scott Barnes LHP
Trevor Bauer RHP
Mitch Brown RHP
Rob Bryson RHP
Chun-Hsui Chen 1B-C
Tim Fedroff OF
Yan Gomes OF
Trey Haley RHP
T.J. House LHP
Dillon Howard RHP
Matt Langwell RHP
Chen Lee RHP
Jacob Lee RHP
Francisco Lindor SS
Kieran Lovegrove RHP
Luis Lugo LHP
Jorge Martinez 2B
D'vone McClure OF
Mike McDade 1B
T.J. McFarland LHP rule 5 to orioles
Chris McGuiness 1B
Tyler Naquin OF
Nick Pasquale RHP
Dorssys Paulino SS
Jose Ramirez SS
Luigi Rodriguez OF
Ronny Rodriguez INF
Hector Rondon RHP rule 5 to cubs
Danny Salazar RHP
Anthony Santander OF
Jake Sisco RHP
Jordan Smith OF
Felix Sterling RHP
Bryce Stowell RHP
LeVon Washington OF
Tony Wolters SS
Re: Minor Matters
2405Sickels is only sort of negative on Naquin unlike some of us, at least me.
Did the Indians overdraft Tyler Naquin in the first round last June?
Tyler Naquin, OF, Cleveland Indians
Bats: L Throws: R HT: 6-2 WT: 175 DOB: April 24, 1991
Naquin was drafted in the first round last June, 15th overall. I got to see a lot of him in college for Texas A&M and there were many things I liked, starting with a good, easy, repeatable, consistent line drive swing. He handles fastballs and breaking balls well, and while not a walk machine, he shows an eye for the zone and makes persistent solid contact. He has a very strong throwing arm, powerful and accurate. I thought his speed was just a tick above average and not as impressive as the 21 steals for the Aggies might lead you to believe. On the negative side, Naquin doesn't have much home run power and in my view isn't likely to develop much. If he can hit .300+ at higher levels and get on base, he could be a regular even without big power, but if his batting average dips into the .270 range, he's more of a fourth outfield type. He didn't play enough in the New York-Penn League for us to make a valid sabermetric projection either way, so for now we have to be patient and see what happens. Grade B-.
Personally I think he was overdrafted to some extent. I like Naquin, but there are enough questions about his bat that I think he would have fit better in the supplemental round. Just my opinion of course.
Did the Indians overdraft Tyler Naquin in the first round last June?
Tyler Naquin, OF, Cleveland Indians
Bats: L Throws: R HT: 6-2 WT: 175 DOB: April 24, 1991
Naquin was drafted in the first round last June, 15th overall. I got to see a lot of him in college for Texas A&M and there were many things I liked, starting with a good, easy, repeatable, consistent line drive swing. He handles fastballs and breaking balls well, and while not a walk machine, he shows an eye for the zone and makes persistent solid contact. He has a very strong throwing arm, powerful and accurate. I thought his speed was just a tick above average and not as impressive as the 21 steals for the Aggies might lead you to believe. On the negative side, Naquin doesn't have much home run power and in my view isn't likely to develop much. If he can hit .300+ at higher levels and get on base, he could be a regular even without big power, but if his batting average dips into the .270 range, he's more of a fourth outfield type. He didn't play enough in the New York-Penn League for us to make a valid sabermetric projection either way, so for now we have to be patient and see what happens. Grade B-.
Personally I think he was overdrafted to some extent. I like Naquin, but there are enough questions about his bat that I think he would have fit better in the supplemental round. Just my opinion of course.
Re: Minor Matters
2406Someone likes Trey Haley.
Very few professional baseball players "fly under the radar."
Very few players escape the constant scrutiny and evaluation from an ever-increasing variety of baseball interest groups and sources for information.
Typically, information flows about pitchers who can throw in the neighborhood of 100 mph.
However, there are some players who don't receive quite the recognition or publicity they deserve.
For me, 22-year-old Cleveland Indians right-hander Curtis "Trey" Haley fits that category.
Working exclusively in relief, the 6-foot-3, 180-pound Haley has one of the best arms I saw during this past Arizona Fall League season.
Pitching 11 innings, while making eight appearances for the Scottsdale Scorpions, Haley gave up only two hits. That alone is remarkable in what has become known as a league favoring hitters.
Using a fastball that sat at 95-96 mph and touched 98, plus a curveball he threw in the mid-80s, Haley had hitters completely off balance. He threw an occasional slider that changed hitters' eye levels as well.
Haley showed he knows how to pitch. He relied on his two-seam sinker to induce ground balls and keep himself out of trouble. He was economical in his quest for outs, but he didn't always look for a strikeout. He struck out only three batters. He walked four.
Although Haley showed velocity and ability to close games, he worked mostly in the middle innings.
Haley's Arizona Fall League ERA was 1.64. His WHIP was 0.55. Right-handed hitters batted .118 against him. Left-handed hitters didn't muster a hit against him in 16 at-bats. Regardless of the hitter, Haley dominated.
The Cleveland Indians selected Haley out of Central Heights High School in Nacogdoches, Texas, with their second-round pick in the 2008 First-Year Player Draft.
The Indians must have believed Haley to be special, as he was the only high school player taken by Cleveland in the first eight rounds of that Draft. Frankly, I think he is special.
This past season, Haley missed about a month of pitching due to a groin issue that had been with him for quite some time. His pitching had been impacted in several seasons with what was thought to be a groin sprain. After a diagnosis of a "sports hernia," Haley had surgery to correct the problem.
In the Fall League, it appeared Haley was pitching free of pain. His pitching mechanics did not show any hesitation, compensation or fear of recurrence.
Including time away for surgery, this past season, Haley threw 38 2/3 innings of relief over three Indians classifications. As he did in the Arizona Fall League, Haley posted fewer hits (26) than innings pitched. His composite ERA was 2.33 with a WHIP of 1.16.
One of Haley's stops last season was at Double-A Akron, where he pitched to an ERA of 1.76 and a WHIP of 1.37 in 15 1/3 innings of bullpen work. He threw at a rate of 13 1/2 strikeouts per nine innings.
There are times when dominant pitchers are good enough to help their team in the rotation or at the back end of the bullpen. There are often debates within organizations about the best role for power pitchers. There is probably no correct answer. Every case is different.
For example, the Cincinnati Reds are now preparing to convert Aroldis Chapman to a starter from a relief role. I remember being part of similar discussions regarding Brandon Morrow when he was with the Mariners. The D-backs had the same discussion about Max Scherzer.
Haley has the ability to be a pitcher in the rotation.
He has two forms of fastballs -- a sinking two-seamer and a four-seamer. He also has a very good curveball, a slider and a changeup.
At this stage, from what I have seen, I believe he mostly trusts his fastball and curve. I did see him throw the slider, and I liked the progress he was making with the pitch. Of all his pitches, I really didn't see him throw the changeup. I do think that will be an effective weapon with greater repetition and self-confidence. But in reality, if his fastball, curve and slider are working, he may not need the changeup.
For me, Haley works best as a potential closer.
He will need fewer pitches to work only one inning. The fewer the pitches, the greater the chance he will command and control them.
While I see a road map for success and the potential talent of a very good pitcher, there remains an area in need of improvement. Haley still must work on his command. In addition to throwing strikes, he has to be able to repeatedly throw his pitches wherever he wants. He has to get hitters to chase when the ball is in the dirt or misses the strike zone entirely. He has to be able to throw any pitch in any count.
Generally, command and control are the last components to come together for power pitchers.
Many high-velocity pitchers have trouble repeating their delivery and getting the ball to go where they want. Pitches sail out of the strike zone because they have so much natural movement. That isn't the case with Haley. I believe he knows his limitations.
I believe it is just a matter of repetition against better quality hitters that will allow Haley, who is now on Cleveland's 40-man roster, to finish his development and help the Indians from the bullpen.
Perhaps a season split between Double-A and Triple-A, refining his delivery and working on his command, will provide the finishing touches for Haley to prove he has the ability to close ballgames.
Numerous scouts saw Haley throwing hard in the Arizona Fall League. If he was "under the radar" at some point, he isn't anymore.
Bernie Pleskoff has served as a professional scout for the Houston Astros and Seattle Mariners. Follow @BerniePleskoff on Twitter. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Baseball or its clubs.
Very few professional baseball players "fly under the radar."
Very few players escape the constant scrutiny and evaluation from an ever-increasing variety of baseball interest groups and sources for information.
Typically, information flows about pitchers who can throw in the neighborhood of 100 mph.
However, there are some players who don't receive quite the recognition or publicity they deserve.
For me, 22-year-old Cleveland Indians right-hander Curtis "Trey" Haley fits that category.
Working exclusively in relief, the 6-foot-3, 180-pound Haley has one of the best arms I saw during this past Arizona Fall League season.
Pitching 11 innings, while making eight appearances for the Scottsdale Scorpions, Haley gave up only two hits. That alone is remarkable in what has become known as a league favoring hitters.
Using a fastball that sat at 95-96 mph and touched 98, plus a curveball he threw in the mid-80s, Haley had hitters completely off balance. He threw an occasional slider that changed hitters' eye levels as well.
Haley showed he knows how to pitch. He relied on his two-seam sinker to induce ground balls and keep himself out of trouble. He was economical in his quest for outs, but he didn't always look for a strikeout. He struck out only three batters. He walked four.
Although Haley showed velocity and ability to close games, he worked mostly in the middle innings.
Haley's Arizona Fall League ERA was 1.64. His WHIP was 0.55. Right-handed hitters batted .118 against him. Left-handed hitters didn't muster a hit against him in 16 at-bats. Regardless of the hitter, Haley dominated.
The Cleveland Indians selected Haley out of Central Heights High School in Nacogdoches, Texas, with their second-round pick in the 2008 First-Year Player Draft.
The Indians must have believed Haley to be special, as he was the only high school player taken by Cleveland in the first eight rounds of that Draft. Frankly, I think he is special.
This past season, Haley missed about a month of pitching due to a groin issue that had been with him for quite some time. His pitching had been impacted in several seasons with what was thought to be a groin sprain. After a diagnosis of a "sports hernia," Haley had surgery to correct the problem.
In the Fall League, it appeared Haley was pitching free of pain. His pitching mechanics did not show any hesitation, compensation or fear of recurrence.
Including time away for surgery, this past season, Haley threw 38 2/3 innings of relief over three Indians classifications. As he did in the Arizona Fall League, Haley posted fewer hits (26) than innings pitched. His composite ERA was 2.33 with a WHIP of 1.16.
One of Haley's stops last season was at Double-A Akron, where he pitched to an ERA of 1.76 and a WHIP of 1.37 in 15 1/3 innings of bullpen work. He threw at a rate of 13 1/2 strikeouts per nine innings.
There are times when dominant pitchers are good enough to help their team in the rotation or at the back end of the bullpen. There are often debates within organizations about the best role for power pitchers. There is probably no correct answer. Every case is different.
For example, the Cincinnati Reds are now preparing to convert Aroldis Chapman to a starter from a relief role. I remember being part of similar discussions regarding Brandon Morrow when he was with the Mariners. The D-backs had the same discussion about Max Scherzer.
Haley has the ability to be a pitcher in the rotation.
He has two forms of fastballs -- a sinking two-seamer and a four-seamer. He also has a very good curveball, a slider and a changeup.
At this stage, from what I have seen, I believe he mostly trusts his fastball and curve. I did see him throw the slider, and I liked the progress he was making with the pitch. Of all his pitches, I really didn't see him throw the changeup. I do think that will be an effective weapon with greater repetition and self-confidence. But in reality, if his fastball, curve and slider are working, he may not need the changeup.
For me, Haley works best as a potential closer.
He will need fewer pitches to work only one inning. The fewer the pitches, the greater the chance he will command and control them.
While I see a road map for success and the potential talent of a very good pitcher, there remains an area in need of improvement. Haley still must work on his command. In addition to throwing strikes, he has to be able to repeatedly throw his pitches wherever he wants. He has to get hitters to chase when the ball is in the dirt or misses the strike zone entirely. He has to be able to throw any pitch in any count.
Generally, command and control are the last components to come together for power pitchers.
Many high-velocity pitchers have trouble repeating their delivery and getting the ball to go where they want. Pitches sail out of the strike zone because they have so much natural movement. That isn't the case with Haley. I believe he knows his limitations.
I believe it is just a matter of repetition against better quality hitters that will allow Haley, who is now on Cleveland's 40-man roster, to finish his development and help the Indians from the bullpen.
Perhaps a season split between Double-A and Triple-A, refining his delivery and working on his command, will provide the finishing touches for Haley to prove he has the ability to close ballgames.
Numerous scouts saw Haley throwing hard in the Arizona Fall League. If he was "under the radar" at some point, he isn't anymore.
Bernie Pleskoff has served as a professional scout for the Houston Astros and Seattle Mariners. Follow @BerniePleskoff on Twitter. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Baseball or its clubs.
Re: Minor Matters
2407Here's a Top 10 written before we traded for Bauer by a group I never heard of. But all opinions are worth noting and dissing. This guy is a big RonnyRod fan. And hasn't given up on Levon Washington.
Cleveland Indians
Original Published Date: Oct. 14, 2012
The Cleveland Indians minor league system went from a fairly deep system two years ago to an uninspiring system today that is heavy on middle infielders and not much else. Part of the reason for the decline was the promotion of Lonnie Chisenhall and Jason Kipnis to the big leagues. However, the 2011 trading deadline, that brought in once-ace Ubaldo Jimenez for Drew Pomeranz and Alex White caused a further hit to the depth of the system.
Four out of the five top prospects in the Cleveland system play shortstop as their primary position. Teenager Francisco Lindor is clearly the best of the group and had a nice season in the Midwest league as the youngest player in the league by nearly a full year. Two Dominican’s, Ronny Rodriguez and Dorssys Paulino are the next two shortstops with Rodriguez showing a great deal of pop and a candidate to move to second base or even the outfield long-term. 2012 first round draft pick, Tyler Naquin, is the best non shortstop in the system. Naquin hit tool is considered very advanced and therefore, he should move quickly through the minor leagues system.
The pitching within the Cleveland system is also weak with right-hander Mitch Brown being the only hurler to make the list.
1. Francisco Lindor (SS)
2013 Age: 19 BP: Puerto Rico
Ht:5-11 Weight: 175 Bats: Both Throws: Right ETA: 2015
Year Class AB R HR RBI SB AVG OBP CT% BB% BABIP
2012 LowA 490 83 6 42 27 .257 .352 84.1 12.4 .294
There’s a lot of excitement about Francisco Lindor in the baseball industry, particularly in those that follow and rank prospects – and there are good reasons. Lindor is an exceptional athlete that has a chance to be a gold glove caliber shortstop in the major leagues. His lateral movements are effortless as are his instincts to seemingly be at the “right place at the right time” to make a play. He’s a pure shortstop and clearly the shortstop of the future for the Indians.
Offensively, I’m not as excited about Lindor as others. Yes there is potential, but he’s got a long way to go to be considered a plus offensive prospect. Strength is the biggest deficiency in his physical maturity. I worry as he moves into the higher minors that his gap-to-gap power will diminish and he’ll become a player with a sub .100 ISO. While he stole 27 bases in 2012, his clock times down the line to first base show a 55 runner. Plus as he matures, the speed will diminish as will the stolen bases.
That said, the biggest thing that Lindor has going for him is time. He will start his second full year of professional baseball at the age of 19. There will be high school players drafted in the 2013 first year player draft that will be older than Lindor. With more time, comes more development and eventually production.
Fantasy Impact: While I like Lindor and believe he’s a top 20 prospect, he’s not in the same fantasy conversation as Jurickson Profar, Wil Myers, or Oscar Taveras and therefore should not be drafted until much later. I am targeting his major league debut in late 2014 at the earliest with a more likely target of 2015. However, I would not expect immediate offensive contribution but would in fact, expect that to occur several years later with a .290-.300 batting average, 10-12 home runs, and 15 stolen bases as his offensive ceiling.
2. Ronny Rodriguez (SS)
2013 Age: 21 BP: D.R.
Ht:6-0 Weight: 170 Bats: Right Throws: Right ETA: 2014-15
Year Class AB R HR RBI SB AVG OBP CT% BB% BABIP
2012 HiA 454 67 19 66 7 .264 .300 80.6 4.2 .289
Ronny Rodriguez was born in the Dominican Republic but moved to the U.S. when he was 13 and then moved back to the D.R. after high school where he was drafted and signed for $350,000 in 2010. While it was circuitous route to professional baseball, Ronny Rodriguez is a great athlete with a nice power speed combination at the middle infield position. In 2012, he switched between second and shortstop with fellow Mudcat, Tony Wolters (ranked #5).
2012 was a breakout year for Rodriguez as he hit 19 home runs in the Sally League showing a nice contact rate of 80.6%. However, his anemic 4.2% walk rate shows that Rodriguez prefers swinging the bat over working the count. This is the biggest development area that Rodriguez must work on as he moves to Double-A in 2013. While Rodriguez only had seven stolen bases in 2012, he has really good speed (65 grade) but his seven caught stealing indicate that he doesn’t yet know how to steal a base.
Assuming Rodriguez can continue on the development path and his bat becomes major league ready, the question will be where does he play? Lindor is the shortstop of the future and Jason Kipnis is looking like a mainstay at the keystone. Therefore, don’t be surprised if Rodriguez starts seeing time in centerfield, maybe even during the AFL this fall.
Fantasy Impact: There’s something here with Ronny Rodriguez. He’s still very young but the power/speed combination coupled with the ability to make solid contact at only 20 years old is a profile you want in fantasy. I’m going to be drafting Rodriguez late in my Dynasty League and since most people have yet to hear of the 20 year old Dominican, I’ll simply smile as fellow owners say “Who???”
3. Dorssys Paulino (SS)
2013 Age: 18 BP: D.R.
Ht:6-0 Weight: 175 Bats: Right Throws: Right ETA: 2015-16
Year Class AB R HR RBI SB AVG OBP CT% BB% BABIP
2012 R-SS 231 47 7 38 11 .333 .380 80.5 7.8 .389
The third ranked shortstop in the Cleveland organization is 17 year old Dominican Dorssys Paulino. Paulino secured a $1.1M signing bonuses in 2011 that turned out to be one of the larger bonuses that year. Many 16 year old Dominican signees spend their age 17 year playing in the DSL, but the Indians moved Paulino to the states this year and even allowed him to make an appearance in the college heavy NY Penn league, where he definitely held his own.
Paulino has all the makings of a plus hit-tool with quick strong hands, lots of bat speed and the ability to pickup pitches early, particularly breaking pitches. In 231 at-bats, he managed an 80.5% contact rate and a respectable 7.8% walk rate to go along with a .380 OBP. His plus bat speed is already translating into power as he tagged seven long balls in those 231 at-bats. Plus, he has nice speed that translated into 11 stolen bases. Given his advanced hit tool, don’t be surprised if the Indians continue to move Paulino aggressively and start him in Low-A in 2013.
Fantasy Impact: Shortstops that have a chance to hit .300 with some pop and speed need to be on Fantasy owners radars. I would consider drafting Paulino in deeper dynasty leagues as he has the makings of a May pop-up player.
4. Tyler Naquin (OF)
2013 Age: 22 BP: Texas
Ht:6-2 Weight: 175 Bats: Left Throws: Right ETA: 2015
Year Class AB R HR RBI SB AVG OBP CT% BB% BABIP
2012 R 137 22 0 13 4 .270 .379 81.0 12.4 .333
Originally drafted in the 2009 by the Orioles in the 33rd round, Tyler Naquin decided instead to go to college and the $1.75M signing bonus he received in 2012 from the Inidians proved he made the right decision. While a safe pick for the Indians, Naquin does not have loud tools and instead brings solid to above average skills across the board.
Naquin’s best tool is actually his hit tool, which he demonstrated in college by winning multiple batting championships. While he has a quick approach to the ball with great hand eye coordination, there’s not a lot of leverage in the swing and therefore his home run power will be limited. In his limited professional exposure, his nice contact and walk rate supported the amateur scouting reports of a well above average hit tool.
The biggest question mark around Naquin is where he’ll play. He was used primarily as a right fielder in college and while the arm will play there, the bat will not. The White Sox have moved him into center field but he’s not blessed with great speed, so I don’t believe center field will be the long-term destination. This profile usually becomes the definition of a fourth outfielder with 225 plate appearances per year in the majors.
Fantasy Impact: Because Naquin does not have loud tools, he doesn’t profile as a great fantasy option and therefore should be ignored in all Dynasty Leagues. That said, he can hit and given that’s the hardest tool to master, fantasy owners need to periodically read the box scores to see if power develops.
5. Tony Wolters (2B/SS)
2013 Age: 20 BP: California
Ht:5-10 Weight: 165 Bats: Left Throws: Right ETA: 2014-15
Year Class AB R HR RBI SB AVG OBP CT% BB% BABIP
2012 HiA 485 66 8 58 5 .269 .320 78.6 7.4 .315
I really liked Tony Wolters as an amateur, particularly when he won the MVP award in the 2009 Aflac game over Bryce Harper. I thought he would go in the first round, but wound up falling to the third round and signing for well overslot at $1.35M.
Wolters has a nice lefty swing that uses the lower half of his body to create leverage. It looks like a swing that should be sitting on a 6-foot-4 first baseman as opposed to a 5-foot-10, 170 pound 2B/SS, and that’s part of the problem. Wolters has good bat speed, but not great bat speed and given his size, he should be aiming to level his swing more to improve contactability. While he did share the shortstop duties with Ronny Rodriguez in 2012, he profiles better at the keystone.
Fantasy Impact: Wolters can be ignored in most dynasty league formats
6. Luigi Rodriguez (OF)
Luigi Rodriguez is known for his plus-plus speed that he was able to translate into 24 stolen bases in 463 at-bats in Low-A. He does strikeout a lot (72% contact rate) but also exhibited some patience with a 10% walk rate. Scouts were worried about his ability to hit with any authority but he did manage to hit 11 home runs in a very pitcher-friendly MWL.
7. Jesus Aguilar (1B)
Jesus Aguilar is unique on my Indians Top 10 list as he is not only the oldest player at 22 but is also the only pure power bat. A lumbering guy at 6-foot-3 and 260 pounds, Aguilar is not blessed with great bat speed but instead uses his raw power to hit the ball a long way. Across two levels in 2012, he hit 15 bombs but also struck out 115 times (74% contact rate). Aguilar should begin 2013 in Double-A.
8. Mitch Brown (RHP)
Mitch Brown is the lone pitcher on my Indians list and based on his ranking of eighth, in a weak system, should tell you a lot about the depth of the starting pitching. Drafted in 2012 in the second round out of high school, his fastball sits 91-92 with an above average curve. His mechanics are not good as he throws across his body which puts a great deal of stress on his elbow and shoulder.
9. LeVon Washington (OF)
I was really high on LeVon Washington when he was drafted 55th overall in 2010 and even drafted him in one of my Dynasty Leagues. He was touted as a toolshed player with great speed and contactability. However, two years later, he’s no longer on my team as the tools have yet to materialize and in 2012, he missed most of the season due to hip surgery. The dream is still there, but I need to see some results before considering putting him back on my fantasy team.
10. Alex Monsalve (C)
Signed out of Venezuela in 2008, Alex Monsalve is the ideal size for a backstop at 6-foot-2 and 225 pounds. While his first couple of years in professional ball did not show much, Monsalve started to put things together in 2012 where he hit eight home runs while batting .256 with great contact (86.7%). He should start the year back in High-A.
Cleveland Indians
Original Published Date: Oct. 14, 2012
The Cleveland Indians minor league system went from a fairly deep system two years ago to an uninspiring system today that is heavy on middle infielders and not much else. Part of the reason for the decline was the promotion of Lonnie Chisenhall and Jason Kipnis to the big leagues. However, the 2011 trading deadline, that brought in once-ace Ubaldo Jimenez for Drew Pomeranz and Alex White caused a further hit to the depth of the system.
Four out of the five top prospects in the Cleveland system play shortstop as their primary position. Teenager Francisco Lindor is clearly the best of the group and had a nice season in the Midwest league as the youngest player in the league by nearly a full year. Two Dominican’s, Ronny Rodriguez and Dorssys Paulino are the next two shortstops with Rodriguez showing a great deal of pop and a candidate to move to second base or even the outfield long-term. 2012 first round draft pick, Tyler Naquin, is the best non shortstop in the system. Naquin hit tool is considered very advanced and therefore, he should move quickly through the minor leagues system.
The pitching within the Cleveland system is also weak with right-hander Mitch Brown being the only hurler to make the list.
1. Francisco Lindor (SS)
2013 Age: 19 BP: Puerto Rico
Ht:5-11 Weight: 175 Bats: Both Throws: Right ETA: 2015
Year Class AB R HR RBI SB AVG OBP CT% BB% BABIP
2012 LowA 490 83 6 42 27 .257 .352 84.1 12.4 .294
There’s a lot of excitement about Francisco Lindor in the baseball industry, particularly in those that follow and rank prospects – and there are good reasons. Lindor is an exceptional athlete that has a chance to be a gold glove caliber shortstop in the major leagues. His lateral movements are effortless as are his instincts to seemingly be at the “right place at the right time” to make a play. He’s a pure shortstop and clearly the shortstop of the future for the Indians.
Offensively, I’m not as excited about Lindor as others. Yes there is potential, but he’s got a long way to go to be considered a plus offensive prospect. Strength is the biggest deficiency in his physical maturity. I worry as he moves into the higher minors that his gap-to-gap power will diminish and he’ll become a player with a sub .100 ISO. While he stole 27 bases in 2012, his clock times down the line to first base show a 55 runner. Plus as he matures, the speed will diminish as will the stolen bases.
That said, the biggest thing that Lindor has going for him is time. He will start his second full year of professional baseball at the age of 19. There will be high school players drafted in the 2013 first year player draft that will be older than Lindor. With more time, comes more development and eventually production.
Fantasy Impact: While I like Lindor and believe he’s a top 20 prospect, he’s not in the same fantasy conversation as Jurickson Profar, Wil Myers, or Oscar Taveras and therefore should not be drafted until much later. I am targeting his major league debut in late 2014 at the earliest with a more likely target of 2015. However, I would not expect immediate offensive contribution but would in fact, expect that to occur several years later with a .290-.300 batting average, 10-12 home runs, and 15 stolen bases as his offensive ceiling.
2. Ronny Rodriguez (SS)
2013 Age: 21 BP: D.R.
Ht:6-0 Weight: 170 Bats: Right Throws: Right ETA: 2014-15
Year Class AB R HR RBI SB AVG OBP CT% BB% BABIP
2012 HiA 454 67 19 66 7 .264 .300 80.6 4.2 .289
Ronny Rodriguez was born in the Dominican Republic but moved to the U.S. when he was 13 and then moved back to the D.R. after high school where he was drafted and signed for $350,000 in 2010. While it was circuitous route to professional baseball, Ronny Rodriguez is a great athlete with a nice power speed combination at the middle infield position. In 2012, he switched between second and shortstop with fellow Mudcat, Tony Wolters (ranked #5).
2012 was a breakout year for Rodriguez as he hit 19 home runs in the Sally League showing a nice contact rate of 80.6%. However, his anemic 4.2% walk rate shows that Rodriguez prefers swinging the bat over working the count. This is the biggest development area that Rodriguez must work on as he moves to Double-A in 2013. While Rodriguez only had seven stolen bases in 2012, he has really good speed (65 grade) but his seven caught stealing indicate that he doesn’t yet know how to steal a base.
Assuming Rodriguez can continue on the development path and his bat becomes major league ready, the question will be where does he play? Lindor is the shortstop of the future and Jason Kipnis is looking like a mainstay at the keystone. Therefore, don’t be surprised if Rodriguez starts seeing time in centerfield, maybe even during the AFL this fall.
Fantasy Impact: There’s something here with Ronny Rodriguez. He’s still very young but the power/speed combination coupled with the ability to make solid contact at only 20 years old is a profile you want in fantasy. I’m going to be drafting Rodriguez late in my Dynasty League and since most people have yet to hear of the 20 year old Dominican, I’ll simply smile as fellow owners say “Who???”
3. Dorssys Paulino (SS)
2013 Age: 18 BP: D.R.
Ht:6-0 Weight: 175 Bats: Right Throws: Right ETA: 2015-16
Year Class AB R HR RBI SB AVG OBP CT% BB% BABIP
2012 R-SS 231 47 7 38 11 .333 .380 80.5 7.8 .389
The third ranked shortstop in the Cleveland organization is 17 year old Dominican Dorssys Paulino. Paulino secured a $1.1M signing bonuses in 2011 that turned out to be one of the larger bonuses that year. Many 16 year old Dominican signees spend their age 17 year playing in the DSL, but the Indians moved Paulino to the states this year and even allowed him to make an appearance in the college heavy NY Penn league, where he definitely held his own.
Paulino has all the makings of a plus hit-tool with quick strong hands, lots of bat speed and the ability to pickup pitches early, particularly breaking pitches. In 231 at-bats, he managed an 80.5% contact rate and a respectable 7.8% walk rate to go along with a .380 OBP. His plus bat speed is already translating into power as he tagged seven long balls in those 231 at-bats. Plus, he has nice speed that translated into 11 stolen bases. Given his advanced hit tool, don’t be surprised if the Indians continue to move Paulino aggressively and start him in Low-A in 2013.
Fantasy Impact: Shortstops that have a chance to hit .300 with some pop and speed need to be on Fantasy owners radars. I would consider drafting Paulino in deeper dynasty leagues as he has the makings of a May pop-up player.
4. Tyler Naquin (OF)
2013 Age: 22 BP: Texas
Ht:6-2 Weight: 175 Bats: Left Throws: Right ETA: 2015
Year Class AB R HR RBI SB AVG OBP CT% BB% BABIP
2012 R 137 22 0 13 4 .270 .379 81.0 12.4 .333
Originally drafted in the 2009 by the Orioles in the 33rd round, Tyler Naquin decided instead to go to college and the $1.75M signing bonus he received in 2012 from the Inidians proved he made the right decision. While a safe pick for the Indians, Naquin does not have loud tools and instead brings solid to above average skills across the board.
Naquin’s best tool is actually his hit tool, which he demonstrated in college by winning multiple batting championships. While he has a quick approach to the ball with great hand eye coordination, there’s not a lot of leverage in the swing and therefore his home run power will be limited. In his limited professional exposure, his nice contact and walk rate supported the amateur scouting reports of a well above average hit tool.
The biggest question mark around Naquin is where he’ll play. He was used primarily as a right fielder in college and while the arm will play there, the bat will not. The White Sox have moved him into center field but he’s not blessed with great speed, so I don’t believe center field will be the long-term destination. This profile usually becomes the definition of a fourth outfielder with 225 plate appearances per year in the majors.
Fantasy Impact: Because Naquin does not have loud tools, he doesn’t profile as a great fantasy option and therefore should be ignored in all Dynasty Leagues. That said, he can hit and given that’s the hardest tool to master, fantasy owners need to periodically read the box scores to see if power develops.
5. Tony Wolters (2B/SS)
2013 Age: 20 BP: California
Ht:5-10 Weight: 165 Bats: Left Throws: Right ETA: 2014-15
Year Class AB R HR RBI SB AVG OBP CT% BB% BABIP
2012 HiA 485 66 8 58 5 .269 .320 78.6 7.4 .315
I really liked Tony Wolters as an amateur, particularly when he won the MVP award in the 2009 Aflac game over Bryce Harper. I thought he would go in the first round, but wound up falling to the third round and signing for well overslot at $1.35M.
Wolters has a nice lefty swing that uses the lower half of his body to create leverage. It looks like a swing that should be sitting on a 6-foot-4 first baseman as opposed to a 5-foot-10, 170 pound 2B/SS, and that’s part of the problem. Wolters has good bat speed, but not great bat speed and given his size, he should be aiming to level his swing more to improve contactability. While he did share the shortstop duties with Ronny Rodriguez in 2012, he profiles better at the keystone.
Fantasy Impact: Wolters can be ignored in most dynasty league formats
6. Luigi Rodriguez (OF)
Luigi Rodriguez is known for his plus-plus speed that he was able to translate into 24 stolen bases in 463 at-bats in Low-A. He does strikeout a lot (72% contact rate) but also exhibited some patience with a 10% walk rate. Scouts were worried about his ability to hit with any authority but he did manage to hit 11 home runs in a very pitcher-friendly MWL.
7. Jesus Aguilar (1B)
Jesus Aguilar is unique on my Indians Top 10 list as he is not only the oldest player at 22 but is also the only pure power bat. A lumbering guy at 6-foot-3 and 260 pounds, Aguilar is not blessed with great bat speed but instead uses his raw power to hit the ball a long way. Across two levels in 2012, he hit 15 bombs but also struck out 115 times (74% contact rate). Aguilar should begin 2013 in Double-A.
8. Mitch Brown (RHP)
Mitch Brown is the lone pitcher on my Indians list and based on his ranking of eighth, in a weak system, should tell you a lot about the depth of the starting pitching. Drafted in 2012 in the second round out of high school, his fastball sits 91-92 with an above average curve. His mechanics are not good as he throws across his body which puts a great deal of stress on his elbow and shoulder.
9. LeVon Washington (OF)
I was really high on LeVon Washington when he was drafted 55th overall in 2010 and even drafted him in one of my Dynasty Leagues. He was touted as a toolshed player with great speed and contactability. However, two years later, he’s no longer on my team as the tools have yet to materialize and in 2012, he missed most of the season due to hip surgery. The dream is still there, but I need to see some results before considering putting him back on my fantasy team.
10. Alex Monsalve (C)
Signed out of Venezuela in 2008, Alex Monsalve is the ideal size for a backstop at 6-foot-2 and 225 pounds. While his first couple of years in professional ball did not show much, Monsalve started to put things together in 2012 where he hit eight home runs while batting .256 with great contact (86.7%). He should start the year back in High-A.
Re: Minor Matters
2408Indians' Lindor is one slick shortstop
Defensive Gems: Top prospect learned position in Puerto Rico
http://www.milb.com/news/article.jsp?ym ... =news_milb
<
From Minor League Baseball Dot Com, Jose Ramirez Total Stats Summer & Winter Ball
http://www.milb.com/milb/stats/stats.js ... pid=608070
<
From Minor League Baseball Dot Com, Francisco Lindor Stats Summer Ball
http://www.milb.com/milb/stats/stats.js ... pid=596019
<
In reviewing all the stats, it appears that Jose Ramirez should be rated as highly as Francisco Lindor.
Pound for pound, they seem equals.
In all the top offensive categories, Ramirez has the better numbers where they can be equated at Lake County.
Add on his winter ball stats and there seems to be no comparison.
Lindor has a tad more power.
Ramirez now has two gold gloves, one for Lake County playing second base and one for the Toros del Este also playing second base.
Ramirez was just named to the Caribbean Series all Star team at second base.
???
In a few more weeks, Ramirez will be back on the baseball fields for spring training. The only break he's had was between the end of the summer season and the beginning of the winter season. That's about a five week break. That's a lot of baseball. It will be interesting to see how the grind effects him this summer, if at all. I think he can handle it.
<
Defensive Gems: Top prospect learned position in Puerto Rico
http://www.milb.com/news/article.jsp?ym ... =news_milb
<
From Minor League Baseball Dot Com, Jose Ramirez Total Stats Summer & Winter Ball
http://www.milb.com/milb/stats/stats.js ... pid=608070
<
From Minor League Baseball Dot Com, Francisco Lindor Stats Summer Ball
http://www.milb.com/milb/stats/stats.js ... pid=596019
<
In reviewing all the stats, it appears that Jose Ramirez should be rated as highly as Francisco Lindor.
Pound for pound, they seem equals.
In all the top offensive categories, Ramirez has the better numbers where they can be equated at Lake County.
Add on his winter ball stats and there seems to be no comparison.
Lindor has a tad more power.
Ramirez now has two gold gloves, one for Lake County playing second base and one for the Toros del Este also playing second base.
Ramirez was just named to the Caribbean Series all Star team at second base.
???
In a few more weeks, Ramirez will be back on the baseball fields for spring training. The only break he's had was between the end of the summer season and the beginning of the winter season. That's about a five week break. That's a lot of baseball. It will be interesting to see how the grind effects him this summer, if at all. I think he can handle it.
<
Last edited by joez on Sat Feb 09, 2013 12:25 am, edited 5 times in total.
“Every day is a new opportunity. You can build on yesterday's success or put its failures behind and start over again. That's the way life is, with a new game every day, and that's the way baseball is.”
-- Bob Feller
-- Bob Feller
Re: Minor Matters
2409I think it will be awesome to watch Lindor and Ramirez paired up the middle, at least through triple A.
“Every day is a new opportunity. You can build on yesterday's success or put its failures behind and start over again. That's the way life is, with a new game every day, and that's the way baseball is.”
-- Bob Feller
-- Bob Feller
Re: Minor Matters
2410Come on Joe, let's not overdo it again. Sure Ramirez has made his mark and is being recognized as a prospect. Lindor is rated perhaps the minor's best fielder at the most important defensive position. He's bigger and stronger. If Ramirez winds up at the same level as Lindor, you can retire successfully as a pundit.In reviewing all the stats, it appears that Jose Ramirez should be rated as highly as Francisco Lindor.
Re: Minor Matters
2411Baseball America publishes its Top 100 Prospects List. No. 1 is Texas' SS/2B Jurickson Profar, No. 2 Orioles' RHP Dylan Bundy.
Indians rank: RHP Trevor Bauer, No. 14. SS Francisco Lindor, No. 28. Dorssys Paulino is one of "5 to watch" who were near misses on the list "in large part because of their brief track records, could be big movers up next year's list."
Indians rank: RHP Trevor Bauer, No. 14. SS Francisco Lindor, No. 28. Dorssys Paulino is one of "5 to watch" who were near misses on the list "in large part because of their brief track records, could be big movers up next year's list."
Re: Minor Matters
2412• Asked which rookie he felt could impact the Indians' big league team at some point this season, Francona mentioned starter Danny Salazar. The right-hander went a combined 5-2 with a 2.36 ERA in 22 starts last season for High A Carolina and Double-A Akron. Over those outings, Salazar had 76 strikeouts against 27 walks in 87 2/3 innings.
"You hate to start getting into names," Francona said, "because you'll leave somebody out. But the guy that comes to mind when you say something like that, for me, is Danny Salazar. He doesn't have a lot of experience and needs to get some, but his stuff and he's got that presence about him. It wouldn't shock me if he came [to the big leagues] quick."
"You hate to start getting into names," Francona said, "because you'll leave somebody out. But the guy that comes to mind when you say something like that, for me, is Danny Salazar. He doesn't have a lot of experience and needs to get some, but his stuff and he's got that presence about him. It wouldn't shock me if he came [to the big leagues] quick."
“Every day is a new opportunity. You can build on yesterday's success or put its failures behind and start over again. That's the way life is, with a new game every day, and that's the way baseball is.”
-- Bob Feller
-- Bob Feller
Re: Minor Matters
2413Salazar was the surprise addition to the 40 man roster winter 2011 and he performed as hoped in 2012. Currently rated No. 7 by BA on our prospect list, but hardly anyone else in the top ten has made it past Class A, so Salazar is not surprisingly closest to the majors.
[Cody Allen is ranked No. 5 since he is a few big league innings short of losing his "prospect" status. The only others in the Top 10 who've played above A are Aguillar, who had a month in Akron, and is rated No. 9 and Chen Lee, who has worked in AAA, but was hurt most of 2012 and is now rated No. 150]
If Francona found anyone else in camp who looked close to the majors, that would be a pleasant surprise.
[Cody Allen is ranked No. 5 since he is a few big league innings short of losing his "prospect" status. The only others in the Top 10 who've played above A are Aguillar, who had a month in Akron, and is rated No. 9 and Chen Lee, who has worked in AAA, but was hurt most of 2012 and is now rated No. 150]
If Francona found anyone else in camp who looked close to the majors, that would be a pleasant surprise.
Re: Minor Matters
2414Tony's Top 60 prospect countdown is down to #8 (Tyler Naquin). Unless I missed something, Jose Ramirez has yet to be submitted.
“Every day is a new opportunity. You can build on yesterday's success or put its failures behind and start over again. That's the way life is, with a new game every day, and that's the way baseball is.”
-- Bob Feller
-- Bob Feller
Re: Minor Matters
2415I haven't been looking. No one outside of Cleveland has rated Ramirez higher than No. 10.
Naquin and Ramirez should be teammates at Carolina this year, unless Tyler has as unimpressive a spring as he did a summer and lands in Lake County. Interesting pair of potential teammates: one with minor expectations and excellent performance; one with high expectations and dull performance to date.
Naquin and Ramirez should be teammates at Carolina this year, unless Tyler has as unimpressive a spring as he did a summer and lands in Lake County. Interesting pair of potential teammates: one with minor expectations and excellent performance; one with high expectations and dull performance to date.