Round 39 (1178th overall): RHP Jake Morton, Oakland University (Michigan) –

A right-handed junior at Oakland, Morton is 6’1″ and weighs 200 pounds. He was drafted by the Tigers in the 45th round of the 2010 draft, but didn’t sign and chose to go to college instead. This season, Morton played in 36 games (making 35 starts), hitting .239 but having an on-base percentage of .370. Despite playing the outfield and pitching in high school, he converted to catcher in college. However, it appears as though the Indians are converting him back to pitching, which is how he’ll begin his professional career if the Indians sign him.

Round 40 (1208th overall): RHP Ryder Ryan, North Mecklenburg High School (North Carolina) –

A lot of scouts preferred Ryan as a third baseman because of his power at the plate, but his great season on the mound convinced many that he’ll be better served as a pitcher at the next level. The right-hander is a sturdy 6’2″ and 205 pounds, and he features a fastball that usually ranges in the low-to-mid 90s, but can touch 96 mph at times as well. His secondary pitches have received praise for being much more advanced than other prep pitchers, despite Ryan not pitching full-time. In addition to third base, he’s also caught, and many scouts believe he can become even better as he focuses solely on pitching. He was coached in high school by his father (who reached Triple-A himself). Some scouts think he was worked too hard by his father, which could be a concern, but the biggest issue is his commitment to North Carolina. He could be a tough sign, but if the Indians can find a way to agree to terms with him, Ryan could be one of the bigger steals of the draft. Ryan was ranked by MLB.com as the 127th overall prospect in this year’s draft, so prying him away from college would be a major victory for the Indians if they’re able to do so.

From Sports Illustrated

With that, the 2014 First-Year Player Draft has come to an end. The Indians ended up selecting 42 players, but it remains to be seen how many of them will sign contracts with the Tribe.

Scouting Director Brad Grant did a great job of adding a mixture of college and high school pitching, as well as a variety of projectable bats capable of playing all across the field.

There are more than a few players the Indians selected that could become valuable contributors for the Tribe in a few years, and many others have the potential to become some of the draft’s biggest steals if they join the organization.

That’s better than a lot of teams can say each year, so the Indians did a terrific job.

It’s way too early to judge this year’s draft class, but it’s hard not to be optimistic about the talent the Indians could be adding to the organization this year.

INDIANS

Indians Day One Draft Analysis

by Kyle Downing 1d ago TWEET (6) LIKE (5) 0

The Indians had a busy day on Thursday, holding 4 of the first 61 picks in this year’s Rule 4 draft. With those picks, they took 2 college hitters and 2 high school pitchers. Here’s a quick look the Indians’ first four picks.


No. 1 (21st overall): OF Bradley Zimmer, University of San Francisco (6’5″, 205 lbs) TWITTER: @BZimmer5

Bradley’s older brother Kyle Zimmer was a first-round pick in 2012, going fourth overall to the Royals as a pitcher. Bradley, however, is known as perhaps the best pure hitter in this year’s draft. He doesn’t put too many balls over the fence, but his left-handed stroke is advanced and he’s said to have great pitch recognition. Although he bats left-handed, he throws with his right and is said to have a strong throwing arm that will profile well in right field if he can’t stick in center in the majors. He has plus speed that helped him steal 11 bases in 57 games in the Cape Cod league. Although he only hit 7 home runs in that span, his body is said to have enough strength to produce plus power if he can elevate some balls with his quick swing.

No. 2 (31st overall): LHP Justus Sheffield, Tullahoma High School (5’10″, 196 lbs) TWITTER: @Topsheff42

Sheffield was committed to Vanderbilt, but the Indians were able to sign him for slightly under slot at $1.6 million. He’s got good control for his age and is said to have at least three pitches that are likely to develop into solid major-league offerings. Although he lacks size, he has a powerful frame that lets him touch 94 on the radar gun as a high schooler.

No. 3 (38th overall): OF Mike Papi, University of Virginia (6’3″, 195 lbs) TWITTER: @Hoos_urPapi

Although Papi is said to profile as a first baseman in pro baseball due to his below average speed. However, he has excellent plate discipline and pitch recognition with a polished swing that produces line drives and could develop into some solid power. He’s certainly one of the better left-handed bats in a deep draft. Much like fellow Tribe draftee Bradley Zimmer, he bats left-handed but throws right.

No. 4 (61st overall): RHP Grant Hockin, Damien High School (6’3″, 195 lbs) TWITTER: @grant_hockin

Hockin is the grandson of major-league hall of famer Harmon Killebrew, so if ancestry has any bearing on talent he’ll be a good ballplayer. His lean frame supports his clean and simple delivery, mixing a 92 MPH fastball with a slider and a dirty changeup. In other drafts he might have gone earlier, but since the 2014 pool ran so deep the Tribe was able to get good value on him in the second round.

Round 5 (158th overall): RHP Julian Merryweather, Oklahoma Baptist University –

The 22-year old Merryweather, who is being drafted for the first time, finished his college career by going 12-3 with a 1.07 ERA and 132 strikeouts in 100 2/3 innings. Merryweather is 6’4″ and 200 pounds, and features a solid fastball that typically sits between 90-92 mph (though it can touch 95), as well as a breaking ball and changeup. As a college senior, one would think that Merryweather should be signable (since he basically has no leverage in negotiations), but it will be interesting to see how talks go with him and what his future holds.

Round 6 (188th overall): OF Greg Allen, San Diego State University –


The Indians very well may have a steal at this point in the draft with the switch-hitting Allen, ranked as the 81st overall draft prospect by MLB.com. Allen could have a future as a leadoff hitter in the majors, a role he seems to have been tailor-made for. He has next to no power, but he has above average speed and an ability to hit and get on base, in addition to playing terrific defense. Entering the season as a second-team preseason All-American by Baseball America, the 21-year old Allen has posted a slash line of .304/.389/.377 and 61 steals in his three college seasons. He says that he models his game after Cameron Maybin, which experts feel is a solid comparison for Allen. Another common comparison to Allen? His coach at San Diego State…some guy named Tony Gwynn.

Round 8 (248th overall): RHP Micah Miniard, Boyle County High School (Kentucky) –

Miniard is a tall guy. He already measures in at 6’7″, but only weighs 195 pounds. His velocity increased as he gained strength before this season, and his fastball now tops out at 94 mph (though it more consistently hovers between 87 and 90). However, as he adds weight and more strength, it’s not out of the realm of possibility that he could gain even more velocity as he matures. In addition to his fastball, he has an intriguing curveball, as well as a changeup — though he didn’t use it often. Miniard pitched to a 2.24 ERA while striking out 76 hitters in just 56 1/3 innings as a junior, throwing a no-hitter that year as well. Consequently, he was named an Under Armour High School All-American. Miniard is still very raw, but he possesses plenty of untapped potential that the Indians could work with. A commit to Western Kentucky, Miniard could be a difficult sign, as his sister pitches for the school’s softball team. However, the Indians were able to sign compensation pick Justus Sheffield away from Vanderbilt (where his brother pitches), so I’m sure the Indians aren’t too worried about being able to bring Miniard into the organization.

Round 9 (278th overall): SS Alexis Pantoja, Puerto Rico Baseball Academy –

Another intriguing pick by the Indians, the 18-year old Pantoja was ranked as the 176th overall draft prospect by MLB.com. A switch-hitting shortstop, Pantoja is terrific defensively, with a solid arm and range, even though he has less-than-blazing speed. He’s a scrappy player who is known for his aggressive play, instincts, and knowledge of the game. He has a solid approach as a hitter, but scouts have wondered if he’ll hit enough to play every day in the majors. He also has well below average power, and he’ll need to add strength to his extremely frail 5’11″, 150-pound frame. Still, his terrific ability on defense adds value to what should be an interesting prospect to watch. Pantoja is committed to play in college at Alabama State, so it’s not quite clear if he is easily signable or not.

Round 10 (308th overall): 2B Steven Patterson, University of California-Davis –

For the second consecutive pick, the Tribe addressed their middle infield, this time with a college senior in Patterson. He’s on the shorter side at 5’9″, but he has a solid build at 205 pounds. He’s a left-handed hitter (notice a theme here?) and doesn’t have a lot of power. However, he’s a decent hitter, knows how to get on base, and is ridiculously hard to strike out — he only struck out 10 times in 204 at-bats as a junior in 2013. He, like Merryweather, shouldn’t be too tough to sign as a college senior, but his ability to manage the strike zone would be a welcome addition to the Indians’ farm system if the Tribe are able to bring him aboard.

Round 11 (338th overall): RHP Jared Robinson, Cerritos College (California) –

A right-handed starter from the junior college ranks. Robinson measures in at 6’0″ and 190 pounds. He has never been previously drafted.

Round 12 (368th overall): RHP Jordan Dunatov, University of Nevada-Reno –

Continuing where they left off with their previous selection of Robinson, the Indians again elect to go with a right hander from a junior college. Dunatov stands a tall 6’5″ and weighs 200 pounds. He was previously drafted by the Pirates in the 14th round back in 2011, though Pittsburgh selected him as an outfielder. His uncle played professionally for two seasons in Oakland’s farm system, so the family bloodlines are certainly there. Dunatov began his college career at Oregon State.

Round 13 (398th overall): SS Austin Fisher, Kansas State –

The 6’1″, 195-pound Fisher is currently a junior for the Wildcats. The left-handed hitting infielder was an All-Big 12 First Team selection in his sophomore year (2013), and has compiled a cumulative .327/.417/.431 slash line in his three college seasons, adding 4 long balls and 74 RBI in 459 at-bats. His father, grandfather, and uncle have all played professional baseball.

Round 14 (428th overall): RHP Grayson Jones, Shelton State Community College (Alabama) –

Early on Day 3, the Indians have shown an interest in right handed pitchers from junior colleges. Jones is a 6’1″ and 205-pound starting pitcher began his career at Louisiana-Monroe, but now finds himself drafted from a junior college instead.

Round 15 (458th overall): RHP Luke Eubank, Oxnard College (California) –

Right-handed pitchers and left-handed hitters continued to be a focus of the Tribe early in the draft. Eubank originally began his college career at Western Nevada College, but transferred to Oxnard for this season. He stands at 6’0″ and 180 pounds. His delivery makes scouts think of former Indians reliever Joe Smith, as Eubank features a fastball and slider from his low three-quarter arm slot. His fastball can bring it up to 93-94 mph, and his unique arm slot helps him induce plenty of ground balls. His slider can touch the mid-to-late 80s as well. He has good command, though it might not necessarily be good enough to be a starter in pro ball. He’s started in college, but a move to the bullpen professionally is definitely possible. Eubank was ranked as the 191st overall prospect in the draft by MLB.com.

Round 16 (488th overall): RHP J.P. Feyereisen, University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point –

Another right-handed pitcher, Feyereisen is a junior in college. He stands 6’2″ and weighs 215 pounds. He was named the WIAC pitcher of the year in 2013 and was named a First-Team All Midwest Region selection that same year. He’s pitched well in his college career, displaying an adequate ability to miss bats and solid control. This season, he was named as the top professional prospect in Division III by Baseball America. He has a fastball that can sit between 90 and 91 mph, but can touch 94 at times. He also has an impressive slider with great power to it. He’s dominated as a late-inning reliever, but may be able to start professionally. His build reminds some of the only other big leaguer to come from Stevens Point, Nationals starter Jordan Zimmermann.

Round 17 (518th overall): RHP Cameron Hill, Redlands Community College (Oklahoma) –

Yet another right-handed starter from a junior college, Hill is 6’1″ and 185 pounds. Not much is known about Hill, but the Indians have certainly been doing their homework on junior college pitchers, specifically righties.

Round 18 (548th overall): OF Taylor Murphy, University of the Pacific (California) –

A junior, the left-handed hitting Murphy is 6’1″ and 185 pounds. The cousin of former major league infielder Geoff Blum, Murphy was previously drafted out of high school in the 40th round by the Padres in 2011. He has decent hitting ability, and will hit a few home runs — though not many. His speed isn’t bad, and he is difficult to strike out, as he struck out a total of just 3 times in 37 games his senior year in high school.

Round 19 (578th overall): RHP Argenis Angulo, Ranger College (Texas) –

The 6’3″, 220-pound Angulo represents something familiar to the Indians on Day 3 of the draft: right-handed pitching from a junior college. Angulo was ranked as the 439th overall prospect by Baseball America, including 36th from the state of Texas.

Round 20 (608th overall): C Gian Paul Gonzalez, Discipulos De Cristo High School (Puerto Rico) –

A right-handed hitting, high school position player seems to go against everything the Indians have done in the draft to this point. However, Gonzalez has a good catcher’s body at 6’0″ and 185 pounds, though he could stand to add some more weight. He is the second catcher the Indians have selected, and the second player from Puerto Rico they have taken. He can play third base as well, but catcher would appear to be the position he’ll play professionally. While participating in the Perfect Game showcase, Gonzalez ran a 6.96 second 60 meter dash, and had a solid pop time of 1.92 seconds.

Round 21 (638th overall): OF Bobby Ison, Charleston Southern University –

The 2014 Big South preseason player of the year, Ison is listed on his MLB.com scouting report as 5’8″ and 170 pounds. The left-handed hitting (and throwing) junior hit .367 as a sophomore, leading his conference with 84 hits in the process. In addition, he struck out only 25 times in his first 475 college plate appearances. He’s a prototypical leadoff hitter that knows how to hit and get on base, has decent speed, doesn’t have a lot of power, and doesn’t strike out. Ison is one of those players who puts in every ounce of effort he can, and is the kind of scrappy player that every team needs to have. Few prospects have a story like Ison’s — as a middle school student, he was diagnosed with Guillain-Barre Syndrome, where the immune system attacks the nerves (his entire story is profiled in this article). Ison was briefly unable to use his legs, and was told he would miss an entire season of playing baseball. However, Ison refused to give up, and made it back in time to play the final two games of that season. He says that every time he steps on the field, he treats it like his last chance there — because it almost was. His 17-year old brother has special needs and is a motivator to him as well. His college coach compares Ison to another player he coached, Yankees outfielder Brett Gardner. If there’s anyone in this draft for fans to root for, it’s Bobby Ison. (Ison also took the time to personally respond to a tweet I sent him and seems like an all-around great guy. Plus, he followed me back, which is really awesome.)

Round 22 (668th overall): RHP Jordan Carter, Saint Joseph’s University –

Carter, a senior, stands at 6’4″ and weighs 195 pounds. A workhorse starter, Carter was also named to the Big 5 All-Academic Team and earned his university’s Scholar-Athlete Award as a junior in 2013.

Round 23 (698th overall): OF David Armendariz, Cal Poly Pomona –

The right-handed hitting Armendariz, a college senior, is 6’1″ and weighs 215 pounds. He went undrafted as a junior last year, but used that as motivation and had solid showings in the Cape Cod League last summer and during the regular season this spring. In 193 at-bats this season, Armendariz has hit .332 with 10 home runs and 56 RBI.

Round 24 (728th overall): CF Jodd Carter, Hilo High School (Hawaii) –

Another outfielder who fits the profile for center, Carter is 5’10″ and weighs 170 pounds. The right-handed hitter was ranked as the 473rd best prospect in the draft by Baseball America, and 6th from Hawaii. He has good but not great speed, and was clocked running a 7.00 second 60 meter dash while participating at the Perfect Game showcase. Through watching film of him, he looks to have a smooth, line drive-oriented swing.

Round 25 (758th overall): C Kainoa Harrison, Punahou High School (Hawaii) –

The second consecutive player the Indians selected from Hawaii, Harrison (also known as K.J.) is a talented right-handed hitter who was ranked as the 172nd overall draft prospect by MLB.com. The 5’11″, 180 pound Harrison has solid catch and throw skills, as well as a great arm for gunning down baserunners. His body is believed to be durable enough to catch at the next level, and while he struggled on offense against better pitching, he looked better at the plate in pre-draft workouts and is said to at least have power to his pull side. His father played professional baseball, and while Harrison has the talent to be much better than an average 25th-round pick, he has a commitment to Oregon State and the Indians may have problems when it comes to signing him. However, hopefully the Indians are able to bring him into the organization, as Harrison’s talent is way too good for him to be drafted this late.

Round 26 (788th overall): OF Reese Cooley, Fleming Island High School (Florida) –

The Indians have gone on a recent run of outfielders in the draft, and Cooley is no exception. The right-handed hitter measures 6’2″ and weighs 197 pounds and scouts who have seen him rave about his amazing athleticism. He has legitimate five-tool potential, as his power is starting to appear as well. Baseball America ranked him as the 406th overall prospect in the draft, including 58th in Florida, a state with an impressive record of amateur talent.

Round 27 (818th overall): LHP David Speer, Columbia University –

The first left-handed pitcher taken by the Indians on Saturday, Speer, a college senior, stands 6’1″ and weighs 185 pounds. The unanimous recipient of the 2014 Ivy League Pitcher of the Year Award, Speer pitched to a dominating 9-0 record and 1.06 ERA this season. He was a First-Team All-Conference selection as well. Coming from an Ivy League program, it appears safe to say that Speer is an intelligent pitcher as well.

Round 28 (848th overall): 3B Nathan Winfrey, Maplewoods Community College (Missouri) –

Another junior college prospect for the Indians, Winfrey stands 6’2″ and weighs 205 pounds. After his senior season in high school in which he hit .485 with 2 homers and 50 RBI, he committed to play at Wichita State. However, the right-handed hitter obviously changed his plans and now finds himself as the 848th player taken in this year’s draft. He’s played shortstop as well, but with the Indians’ stockpile of middle infield prospects, it doesn’t seem like too much of a surprise to see Winfrey moved to a corner infield spot.

Round 29 (878th overall): 2B Drake Roberts, St. Mary’s University –

A switch-hitting, right-handed throwing middle infielder, Roberts is 5’9″ and 160 pounds. The college junior is currently hitting .289 with 3 home runs and 33 RBI in 204 at-bats this year. His father played professional tennis, if you’re into that.

Round 30 (908th overall): RHP Nick Hynes, Riverside Community College (California) –

Hynes is 6’4″ and 230 pounds, possessing the type of size teams love in a starting pitcher. The righty’s fastball was clocked at 90 mph during his appearance at the Perfect Game showcase, though that was back in 2012. He also played third base (and would obviously have the arm to stay there), but pitching is where he’ll appear to make his mark as a professional.

Round 31 (938th overall): RHP Dominic DeMasi, Valdosta State University –

A junior in college, the 21-year old DeMasi stands 6’3″ and weighs 190 pounds. This season, he had a record of 7-4 and a team-leading 2.79 ERA. In 80 2/3 innings, DeMasi struck out 77 batters and allowed only 62 hits, as opponents hit only .216 against him. He’s also the punter for the school’s football team (hey, punters are people too), where he punted 11 times for 428 yards — an average of 38.9 yards per kick.

Round 32 (968th overall): LHP Jared West, University of Houston –

West, a southpaw on the mound (he hits right-handed, though that probably doesn’t matter) is tall at 6’6″, and weighs 220 pounds. College sophomores aren’t often draft-eligible, but that’s exactly what West is — despite being drafted by the Pirates in the 39th round of the 2012 round. After a rough freshman year in which he only pitched 7 1/3 innings, West rebounded with a 2.90 ERA in 49 2/3 innings across 10 starts and 4 relief appearances, striking out 39 and walking 18 (he also allowed 38 hits). He has a sister and three brothers, including two who have played professional baseball (one of his brothers is Sean West, a former first-round pick by the Marlins who has a 5.03 ERA in 112 2/3 career major league innings). His bio in Houston’s media guide says that he likes music too, so that’s pretty cool.

Round 33 (998th overall): 3B Peter Dolan, Gilmour Academy (Ohio) –

If something about Dolan’s name seems peculiar, it is. Before I go any further, he is in fact the son of Indians owner Paul Dolan. With that being said, one would think that the Indians would be able to sign the right-handed third baseman. He is a product of Gilmour Academy (my parents, who were both born and raised nearby, call it a “hoity-toity” place) and is from Chagrin Falls, so the Indians obviously know more about him than other teams. He is 5’11″ and weighs 180 pounds, and hit .378/.437/.486 with no homers and 59 RBI through 66 high school games.

Round 34 (1028th overall): 3B Cody Callaway, Midview High School (Ohio) –

Another local prospect for the Indians, Calloway is a 6’3″, 195-pound infielder from Elyria. He’s mostly played shortstop in the past, but the Indians have drafted him as a third baseman. A terrific athlete, Callaway is committed to Bowling Green to play baseball and quarterback for the school’s football team. He’s also pitched, but he’ll be a position player at the next level if he chooses to sign with the Indians.

Round 35 (1058th overall): 3B Joseph Dunand, Gulliver Prep School (Florida) –

The third consecutive prep school third baseman the Indians have taken, Dunand is a right-handed hitter, measures 6’3″, and weighs 190 pounds. He is also capable of playing shortstop, just like his uncle…who just so happens to be Alex Rodriguez. Like his uncle, Dunand has plenty of power and a terrific all-around game, but he can also throw 86 mph from the mound. He also completely DOMINATED this year’s Horizon National Tournament, where he hit .833 (10 hits in 12 at-bats) in 5 games. Of those 10 hits, NINE were home runs, including his last eight swings. His mark of 8 homers in 8 swings is believed to be a national record. (By the way, the field the tournament was held at has major league outfield dimensions.) He is committed to NC State.

Round 36 (1088th overall): SS Max Bartlett, Gulf Coast Community College (Florida) –

The son of an Indians cross-checker, Bartlett is a 5’11″, 165-pound middle infielder. He hits and throws right-handed, and is a native of Starkville, Mississippi.

Round 37 (1118th overall): C Juan Gomes, Odessa College (Texas) –

YES. THIS IS IN FACT THE BROTHER OF Yan Gomes. I think it’s pretty funny that Yan has a brother named Juan, but that’s just another thing that makes these two brothers awesome. The younger Gomes is a right-handed hitting and throwing catcher. He is 6’2″, weighs 185 pounds, and was drafted in the 49th round of the 2010 draft by the Rangers. Other than that, it’s incredibly difficult to find much about the younger Gomes, though I have a feeling he’s already a fan favorite.

Round 38 (1148th overall): CF Cody Jones, Texas Christian University –

Jones, a junior at TCU, is 5’11′ and 175 pounds. He’s a switch-hitter and throws right-handed. The Round Rock native hit .269 with a home run and 18 RBI during his sophomore season in 2013. He started all 57 games, leading off in 51 of them. He’s good at stealing bases and drawing walks, and projects as a leadoff hitter professionally. The Indians have taken a lot of players like Jones so far in the draft, but athleticism (which Jones has) is becoming more desirable for organizations to draft and develop, and the Indians have certainly been no exception.

Round 39 (1178th overall): RHP Jake Morton, Oakland University (Michigan) –

A right-handed junior at Oakland, Morton is 6’1″ and weighs 200 pounds. He was drafted by the Tigers in the 45th round of the 2010 draft, but didn’t sign and chose to go to college instead. This season, Morton played in 36 games (making 35 starts), hitting .239 but having an on-base percentage of .370. Despite playing the outfield and pitching in high school, he converted to catcher in college. However, it appears as though the Indians are converting him back to pitching, which is how he’ll begin his professional career if the Indians sign him.

Round 40 (1208th overall): RHP Ryder Ryan, North Mecklenburg High School (North Carolina) –

A lot of scouts preferred Ryan as a third baseman because of his power at the plate, but his great season on the mound convinced many that he’ll be better served as a pitcher at the next level. The right-hander is a sturdy 6’2″ and 205 pounds, and he features a fastball that usually ranges in the low-to-mid 90s, but can touch 96 mph at times as well. His secondary pitches have received praise for being much more advanced than other prep pitchers, despite Ryan not pitching full-time. In addition to third base, he’s also caught, and many scouts believe he can become even better as he focuses solely on pitching. He was coached in high school by his father (who reached Triple-A himself). Some scouts think he was worked too hard by his father, which could be a concern, but the biggest issue is his commitment to North Carolina. He could be a tough sign, but if the Indians can find a way to agree to terms with him, Ryan could be one of the bigger steals of the draft. Ryan was ranked by MLB.com as the 127th overall prospect in this year’s draft, so prying him away from college would be a major victory for the Indians if they’re able to do so.

#

With that, the 2014 First-Year Player Draft has come to an end. The Indians ended up selecting 42 players, but it remains to be seen how many of them will sign contracts with the Tribe.

Scouting Director Brad Grant did a great job of adding a mixture of college and high school pitching, as well as a variety of projectable bats capable of playing all across the field.

There are more than a few players the Indians selected that could become valuable contributors for the Tribe in a few years, and many others have the potential to become some of the draft’s biggest steals if they join the organization.

That’s better than a lot of teams can say each year, so the Indians did a terrific job.

It’s way too early to judge this year’s draft class, but it’s hard not to be optimistic about the talent the Indians could be adding to the organization this year.

3. Indians. Cleveland was the lone team to snare six of MLB.com's Top 100 Prospects: San Francisco outfielder Bradley Zimmer (first round), Tullahoma (Tenn.) left-hander Justus Sheffield (first), Virginia outfielder/first baseman Mike Papi (supplemental first), Damien High (Laverne, Calif.) right-hander Grant Hockin (second), Harrison Central High (Gulfport, Miss.) first baseman Bobby Bradley and San Diego State outfielder Greg Allen. No other club had more than four.

Mahoning Valley should have a nice starting lineup with Zimmer, Papi and Allen are likely starting out with the Scrappers. They haven't made a playoff run for awhile, perhaps these kids could give them a shot. Although the top pitchers are all likely to debut in the Arizona League. At least there could be some slugfests in Niles this summer.

Just for a little context while everyone briefly gets excited about all those great young players the Tribe picked, here's a mini review of last year's draft and early reviews of the selections:

1. Clint Frazier CF, one of the best bats available, Clint is with full season Lake County hitting 250 with a 677 OPS. But then again many HS picks remain in rookie leagues for their first full season.
2. None.
3. Dace Kime RHP, college pitcher, is 0-8 with an ERA over 6 in Lake County. But he has actually been showing steady improvement since a horrendous April.
4. Kyle Crockett LHP. Has already debuted with the Indians and is now a mainstay of the AAA bullpen
5. Sean Brady high school LHP, will be back with Arizona Rookie team this summer
6. Casey Shane high school RHP, ditto
7. Kenny Matthews JUCO LHP pitched 18 innings at Lake County with a 2. ERA. But haven't seen him lately. Maybe he'll be back with the Scrappers?
8. Trevor Frank reliever with Lake County. good stats
9. Thomas Pannone JUCO LHP haven't seen him this spring.
10. didn't sign
11. Adam Plutko UCLA righty, pitched some great games in Lake County, has been promoted to Carolina. Coming along well.
12. didn't sign
13. Sicnarf Loopstock. Really is his name. Played some for the Scrappers last year. Catcher returning to MHV this year
14. Silento Sayles speedster HS OF. Not played this year, returning to rookie ball
15. James Roberts, college IF, regular with the Mudcats but he's an organizational player not likely a prospect
18. Paul Hendrix, college IF, hitting very well for Lake County, but if he were a prospect I assume he'd be at a higher level
19. Matt Whitehouse college LHP era 4.83 WHIP over 1.4 at LC
20. Shane Rowland C. Got a handful of at bats with LAke County. Returning to MHV apparently
23. Ben Heller in the bullpen for Lake County. pretty good numbers
24. Kerry Doane RHP has pitched briefly and ineffectively with LC
24. Cole Sulser RHP Dartmouth grad is only starter who moved immediately to Carolina, but 24 year old doesn't project much more
27. Juan Gonzalez C. Has not played in the US
32. Cortland Cox RHP JUCO 3 innings for Arizona last summer
35. Jordan Milbrath RHP from Division 3 school. Started out with great success in LC rotation but has faded
36. Mike Giuffre 2b 23 year old had 19 AB last summer.
37. Garrett Smith 2b Drafted at age 23, he's not played this year. If we haven't released him he has no future ahead of him
38. Justin Garcia JUCO RHP Signed but did not play

So what does the Draft Class of 2013 look like a year later:

A projected star who's not setting the world on fire, Frazier.
A big league ready LH reliever. Crockett
One starter moving along nicely: Plutko
Other starters a long way to go: Brady, Shane, Matthews, Kime
Project in early stages of development: Sayles.
Lots of minor league filler.

In sum: Way too early to judge. It would be nice to see Frazier starting to stand out above the crowd.

I've been incommunicado the past 10 days and completly missed the draft. Just got back from an awesome Alaskan cruise. If anyone gets a chance to see Alaska, do it.

Quickly scanning the posts.

We finally got tired of drafting smurf outfielders and got a 6'5" kid with their 1st pick.

Got to find some position players with power. Drafting smurfs won't do it.

Sheffield seemed like a strange pick. HS 5'10" LHPs aren't my cup of tea. Must have had a secret handshake agreement to sign a kid with a big college commitment so quickly.

Don't forget, only 5-10 % ever play a major league game.

Justus Sheffield (Photo: Times-Gazette)

2014 MLB Draft: June 9th signing update

By Tony Lastoria

June 9, 2014

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That was fast. The 2014 MLB Draft came and went and with that the Indians now have 42 new players who could potentially become Cleveland Indians in the next few weeks. Now the next stage begins which is signing and getting a lot of these players into the organization, and that is what this daily signing thread will provide.

As a quick note, I will be posting my 2014 MLB Draft day 2 and 3 recap tomorrow. I already have a ton of info for it but have a few texts and emails out there that I am awaiting a response to, so this is why it has been pushed back a few days. With the draft on a weekend it really made it difficult to get in touch with people and for them to respond in a timely manner.

In the meantime I have been calling, texting, and emailing scouts, advisors, agents and players for information on the signing status of several of the Indians picks. I have even linked a few noteworthy articles with news on the picks.

This is the first of many daily reports on the signing status of players leading up to the July 18th signing deadline. I would expect a daily signing update for most of the rest of the week as many picks are brought in and then this piece will post sporadically after that depending on news and intel I receive.

- 1st round pick outfielder Bradley Zimmer is going to sign. I have not heard this from anyone with the Indians nor from his camp yet, but he is going to sign. The Indians took him not just because he is talented but because they knew he was signable, and it would not be a surprise if he is inked rather quickly so that he can go out and play with short season Single-A Mahoning Valley right away and then move quickly to Low-A Lake County so he is in line to open next season at High-A Carolina.

- 1st round compA pick left-handed pitcher Justus Sheffield is also going to sign. MLB.com’s Jim Callis shortly after Day 1 that Sheffield agreed to a $1.6 million signing bonus; however, Sheffield’s dad quickly refuted that saying his son has not signed or agreed to anything. You often don’t see the player’s side denying a signing as it is often only the team, so perhaps the signing info Callis acquired was leaked from someone with the Indians rather than Sheffield’s camp since the player’s side is often where this info leaks. The Indians are like Fort Knox when it comes to getting signing information on players before anything signed by the player, so this will be interesting to monitor. That said, I think both camps are just downplaying things which is often the case at this time of the year. He did talk to his area scout Chuck Bartlett on draft night which is common as the area scout will often call a few picks beforehand to talk basic financial parameters so they know if a player is signable.

- 3rd round pick first baseman Bobby Bradley will sign with the Indians. He has a commitment to play baseball at LSU, but since being drafted he has been pretty open about his desire to sign. He has to sit down and finalize things with the Indians, and sometimes those negotiations can create a hiccup and delay things, but he should sign soon and go to Arizona where he can get his pro career started in rookie ball.

- 4th round pick left-handed pitcher Sam Hentges will be a harder sign for the Indians and not as much a sure thing as the other players in the top 10 rounds, but like everyone else in the bonus pool rounds the expectation is that he will sign. It will take an overslot deal to sign him, something that the Indians have reportedly already offered him. Slot for his pick is $463,200 so it may take something at or above $500K to get him into the organization.

- 5th round pick right-handed pitcher Julian Merryweather will no doubt sign. As a college senior he has no leverage and really no other option but to sign for what the Indians offer him. In 2012 the Indians had three seniors in Joe Wendle ($10,000), Jacob Lee ($2500) and Josh Martin ($5000) in the top 10 rounds that they inked for a total of $17,500 and gave them a few hundred thousand dollars to use on other picks. That should be the same case here as Merryweather probably signs for $10—50K, which is well below his $347,100 slot value, so the Indians could save as much as $300K to use on other picks.

- 7th round pick catcher Simeon Lucas will sign according to some comments from him in his hometown paper. He has a commitment to Illinois State, but a deal sounds imminent as he and the Indians just need to finalize terms.

- 8th round pick right-handed pitcher Micah Miniard is another top 10 round pick who is set to sign. He has a commitment to Western Kentucky but plans to forego college and sign for overslot. His slot value is $158,300, so perhaps he gets something in the $175-200K. Once he signs he should report to Arizona to begin his workouts and get ready to play in rookie league games.

- 12th round pick right-handed pitcher Jordan Dunatov should be another quick signing. After being drafted out of high school three years ago in the 14th round by the Pirates and not signing he has since moved around the college scene the last three years at Oregon State, Central Arizona Colege and Nevada. He has had some struggles over his college career so he is more than ready to sign and move on. He moved from the outfield to the pitching mound in December and that move seems to have paid off as scouts have been very impressed with his velocity as he has been up to 97 MPH with a hard slider.

- 21st round pick outfielder Bobby Ison is unsure what he wants to do. He will talk with the Indians over the next few days and if the terms are right will probably go pro. But the question is what “terms” are right as the Indians can only offer him up to $100K. If he signs he has been told that he will open in Arizona and then go to Mahoning Valley later in the year.

- 22nd round pick right-handed pitcher Jordan Carter will sign if the Indians offer him a contract.

- 23rd round pick outfielder David Armendariz is another player who will likely sign if the Indians offer him a contract. He transferred out of Cal Poly to Cal Poly Ponoma for his senior season this year. For anyone wondering, I myself don’t know the difference between the Cal Play schools, but know there are several different ones in the state.

- 24th round pick outfielder Jodd Carter says he is leaning on turning pro. This would be one of the more interesting day three signings as he has some upside and is a pretty good prospect to get late in the draft. He has a scholarship to play at the University of Hawaii but that commitment sounds soft based on his comments. His area scout Don Lyle has been in contact with him and told him that he would go to Arizona in 10 days if he is signed.

- 25th round pick catcher KJ Harrison has a pretty strong commitment to Oregon State and is all but certain not to sign.

- 27th round pick left-handed pitcher David Speer is expected to sign very soon. When he signs he will likely be assigned to rookie level Arizona.

- 33rd round pick infielder Peter Dolan is not signing and will attend the University of Michigan where he will try to earn a spot on the baseball team as a walk on.

- 34th round pick shortstop Cody Callaway is weighing his options. He is to report to Bowling Green on June 28th to get prepared for the football season where he is coming in as a QB. He should have more clarity on his signing status in a few days once he talks to the Indians. Considering the limitations of signing guys after the 10th round to a $100K signing bonus or lower, he probably doesn’t sign.

- 36th round pick shortstop Max Bartlett may be the son of Indians area scout Chuck Bartlett, but there is no guarantee he will sign, in fact he probably won’t. He is playing in the Northwoods League this summer and just finished his freshman season so there is a good chance he will go back to school to try and improve his draft stock.

- 37th round pick catcher Juan Gomes plans to turn pro but the Indians want to see him play over the summer before considering bringing him into the organization. He did not play with Odessa this season because he was ineligible, so they need to see him on the field before fully committing to him. That said, he won’t cost a lot to sign, he really wants to sign and his brother Yan is in the organization, so he should sign at some point.

- 39th round pick right-handed pitcher Jake Morton will work out for the Indians on the mound before they consider signing him. The Indians plan to come out and watch him throw a few bullpens and then monitor his performance in some summer league games. He has been working out on the mound for the past month and is working on a curveball. He has never thrown a pitch in college as he was a catcher, but the Indians like his arm and body type to make him a pitcher. He has already graduated, but if he doesn’t sign he will go back to school at Oakland and play his senior year of baseball and pursue a master’s degree.

Follow Tony and the Indians Baseball Insider on Twitter @TonyIBI. Also, his new book the 2014 Cleveland Indians Baseball Insider which profiles the Indians' Top 100 Prospects and more is available for sale.

July 2 is the date for international signings. Not a draft yet, so it's first come with the biggest dollars, first served.

BA predictions to date include no top players going to the Tribe.

Besides Justus Sheffield, the BA Draft Database shows that the Indians have signed some cheap college players, most if not all 4th year seniors, who will be joining me in Trumbull County shortly to fill out the Scrappers lineup:

5th round RHP Julian Merryweather
10th round 2B Steven Patterson
13th round SS Austin Fisher
16th round RHP J.P. Feyereisen

Some BA postdraft chat. I'm not sure if this was yesterday or is still ongoing. Anyway:



Hi guys. Great draft coverage as usual! Kind of wondering about the Cleveland draft. I could see them being just really surprised that Zimmer was there, and just to good to pass up, and that maybe throwing off their board a little. I like the HS lhp at 31. But Papi seems sorta like a lesser version of Zimmer (no disrespect intended) across the board. Thought maybe there were some guys with better upside there (at 38). Anyone is their class that stands out as needing overslot to sign, or real interesting where they were taken? Thanks.


Thanks. Papi is quite different from Zimmer. Zimmer's a better athlete, faster, maybe a higher ceiling, but Papi has performed, led the ACC in home runs, has hit like crazy in the postseason, controls the K zone ... legit pick at 38. We like the Indians' draft.

How good of an HS bat is Bobby Bradley, picked by the Indians in Round 3? Will he command an above slot bonus to sign? His HS numbers seem pretty impressive.


HS numbers only matter when they are really bad. Bradley's scouting reports are very encouraging, though. That said ... the Mississippi HS track record is pretty skimpy. I'd feel better if he were a college guy from that standpoint. Bill Hall in '98, Billy Hamilton since then ... no other Miss. big leaguers who signed out of high school in between. Lots of factors