Eastern League Top 20 today. Lindor's report:

No 3. Francisco Lindor, ss, Akron (Indians)

Age: 20. B-T: B-R. Ht.: 5-11. Wt.: 175. Drafted: HS—Montverde, Fla., 2011 (1).

Lindor combines his physical gifts of speed, quickness, range and a strong throwing arm with incredible instincts in the field that allow him to be in the right place at the right time. The precise angles he takes to the ball allow his arm to appear stronger than it is already. All those skills earned him the nod as the EL’s best defensive shortstop.

Those instincts also translate on the basepaths, where Lindor is an above-average runner who knows when and how to take the extra base, how to get the perfect lead, and the appropriate time to steal bags. He was successful at a 74-percent clip with Akron before he moved to Triple-A Columbus.

Evaluators do not agree on Lindor’s offensive ceiling, especially his potential for power. The switch-hitter’s swing can get long at times, especially when he’s trying to hit home runs. He’s at his best when he lets his natural abilities work and sprays line drives to all parts of the park. No matter his output, scouts agree that Lindor’s tremendous work with the glove will get him to the big leagues and keep him there.

For obvious reasons no one else made the list. Well, I guess Naquin could have. He hit 314 and can play CF but his other offensive numbers still are not so super. And Erik Gonzalez soared to 357 after his promotion. I've asked a few questions but I really was not impressed with anyone here, besides the New Omar.

The 5-years ago Eastern League top 20 list that BA reminds us has lots of familiar names:

No. 4 Carlos Santana
No. 11 Hector Rondon
No. 14 Mark Rpczynski (TOR)
No. 18 Nick Weglarz
No. 19 Zach McAllister (NYY)

The rest of the Top 5 were:
1. Pedro Alvarez
2. Madison Baumgardner
3. Kyle Drabek
5. Jesus Montero

Here's a BA article measuring minor league shortstops defensive skills. Only Lindor among our prospects is noted.
"Francisco Lindor (Indians) is well known to prospect watchers for his defensive tools and instincts, and he’ll have a long big league career based on those virtues and an above-average bat for the position"

http://www.baseballamerica.com/minors/g ... ng-gloves/

Here's one about catchers. of our players, only Roberto Perez is noted.

A pair of Puerto Rico-born backstops have long big league careers ahead of them as, at worst, backups, owing to their strong throwing arms and strong overall defensive skills. Columbus’ Roberto Perez (Indians) had a breakthrough year at the plate and spent much of the season as the backup to Yan Gomes in Cleveland. For the Clippers, he scored +3 stolen bases and +2 passed balls in 53 games, throwing out 38.9 percent of basestealers

http://www.baseballamerica.com/minors/g ... e-catcher/

And finally center fielders.

http://www.baseballamerica.com/minors/g ... ng-gloves/

Tyler Holt is noted: As we see from many of the best defensive center fielders at Triple-A, Columbus’ Tyler Holt (Indians) has easy range and plus fielding ability, but he doesn’t hit with enough power to profile as a big league starter. Cleveland called him up this summer, after he hit .305/.416/.382 with 31 steals at two levels of the minors, and he worked mostly as a defensive replacement. While at Columbus he recorded +7 putouts in 58 games to go with a .416 OBP.

Tyler Naquin is the only Indians player to rate on any of the statistical leaders tables BA presents. He is No. 7 of AA CFs for Put Outs per Game

7 Tyler Naquin Akron EL CLE .995 74G 179PO 2.42/game Rating: +8

BA's Eastern League chat was the shortest in history; about a dozen questions answered, none about the R'Ducks.

Civ, if you could, would you post me any chat article about the California league (High A) from Baseball America. I am playing golf in the morning with Tyler DeLoach (who was on the all star team ) this past year. Maybe you could put it in Idle chatter.

take a look over there.

It doesn't look your golf partner made the chat. He also missed the top 20 list for the Cal League.

Tuesday lines;

CLE AFL Lindor, Francisco DH 4 0 0 0 .348
CLE AFL Smith, Jordan LF 4 0 2 0 .280

Top 20 lists finishing up, with the International League today.

Once again Lindor is rated No. 3 prospect as he was in the Eastern League. The comments about him today:

3. Francisco Lindor, ss, Columbus (Indians)

Age: 20. B-T: B-R. Ht.: 5-11. Wt.: 175. Drafted: Montverde, Fla., 2011 (1).

Already considered an elite defensive shortstop, Lindor has used excellent lateral range and a strong arm to get on the fast track to Cleveland. Promoted to Columbus in late July, he did not take long to get acquainted with the speed of the Triple-A game while playing a crucial position every day for one of the IL’s top teams.

Lindor lets the game come to him. How much offensive impact will depend on how much power he develops. Several IL managers believe it will come as he fills out his lean frame. His compact swing from both sides of the plate and his patience working the count make him an ideal table-setter candidate. If he adds upper-body strength and hits with more power, then Lindor has the potential to be a five-tool player at a crucial position. Though not a burner, he picks his spots to steal bases.

“He has great instincts for a young player,” Durham manager Charlie Montoyo said. “He plays the game the right way. He was one of my favorite players to watch.”

The great defensive skills and great instincts make him sound like another Omar Vizquel.

The potential 5-tool success, makes him sound like one of the best in the game for 2015-2030. I am looking forward to Lindor in Cleveland asap.

Ursehala's breakout offensive year rates him his first Top 20 listing of his career. He falls in at No. 12:

12. Giovanny Urshela, 3b, Columbus (Indians)

Age: 22. B-T: R-R. Ht.: 6-0. Wt.: 197. Signed: Colombia, 2008.

The left side of the Columbus infield might one day be the left side of the Indians’ infield if Urshela and shortstop Francisco Lindor reach their ceilings. The duo helped guide the Clippers to the IL playoffs with a strong second half.

In his first try at Triple-A, Urshela used terrific hand-eye coordination with at least average power potential from the right side to have his best season as a pro. He can demolish the inside pitch with a quick, powerful stroke, but his upper-cutting, flyball approach and just fair plate discipline won’t translate to a high average.

Urshela’s biggest positive is his outstanding play at third base. His arm, range, fielding proficiency and play-making ability make him a plus defender. Thick and powerfully-built, he’s a well below-average runner, limiting him to a corner

I want that pair on the left side of the Cleveland infield behind our solid starting pitchers. Chisenhall's bat puts him at DH, and perhaps he gets some more spring training time at 1st base to back up Santana. [I don't know what happens to Swisher; I almost don't care but he's going to be around so needs to play somewhere, unless he can spend the whole year on the DL like Giambi but I don't think he's ready for that role yet.]

Yes we need more offense, but superior defense and a superior pitching remind me of a good share of the Royals' game [of course they also have speed and have much less power than Cleveland.

We'll have pretty fair speed with Brantley, Lindor, Kipnis-Ramirez at 2nd. Bourne can still run the bases although he can no longer steal. Need to get Ramirez work in centerfield.

Elliot (Youngstown): Lots of players to talk about. Hope you have time for lots of short questions and quick answers. Here's one: Do you think Lindor is ready for Cleveland? Will Indians fans see him as slick as Omar in the field?


Vincent Lara-Cinisomo: I do, and I think the Indians are as well. I doubt he's as slick as Vizquel—who is?—but I think Lindor is a good package of average hitter with some pop with a solid glove and excellent arm.