If it's money, we may see these prospects, ready or not.

No they have never brought up anyone who had not at least played in AA. And I don't think they've ever brought a position player who had not played AAA.
If they want cheap roster fillers they would pick up some minor league free agents or bring up nonprospects from AAA.

Think AA and AAA leagues will be back to normal next year? I doubt it. If MLB can't make money, minors will be even worse.

Even before the pandemic shutdown, there were big plans underway by Major Leagues to take over and restructure the minors. Baseball America reports on it regularly and if you're interested they have summaries of current plans. Among other things there's an intention to reduce total clubs by a couple dozen. Perhaps eliminate short season A, bringing more of the young player development to team camps in Arizona and Florida. [e.g. my local Mahoning Valley Scrappers are on the chopping block.] Could be some semi-formal arrangements with the current Independent Leagues which could swallow some of the axed teams.
The plan doesn't change the top of the farm system structure much I don't think, but that's not talking about what sports will be like in 2021 i general.

I'm sure all the plans are in place but they assume best case scenarios. All that restructuring was strictly financial before Covid19. Finances are even more questionable with high unemployment and Covid still raging.

Getting back to "normal" seems father and father away. Hope we live to see it.

Sorry for the doom and gloom but it's Halloween.

and the positive case numbers are rising higher than ever.

I was startled that the NBA and NHL finished their abridged seasons.
It seems that MLB will somehow do so too
NFL is struggling but most teams are playing
Colleges have a long way to go.

here's a complete organizational depth chart

https://www.fangraphs.com/roster-resour ... ts/indians

The list assumes no free agent signings and assume no nontenders so is basically a work in progress but looks like a great resource to get back to

I was trying to find a list of Rule 5 eligibles and came up with this much broader resource instead. I can determine which of these guys are Rule 5 eligible based on their signing year although I would have to know if they were college or high school pickes.

Reviewing the list I find few worth worrying about. The only guys who have ever made a top 30 prospect list are:

if Ernie Clement Francona likes him; I'm not impressed; could be a cheap utility IF
2b Jose Fermin, left unprotected last year; we have lots of 2nd basemen, he could make a major league team
1f Tyler Krieger, his fellow draftee Mark Mathias was taken last year and played for Oakland? Tampa? Toronto? Krieger is less valuable
SS Gabriel Arias only debuted in 2017 so I guess he's not eligible although signed in 2016; I get confused on the starting date for International signings, but if he's eligible he'll certainly be protected
if Marcos Gonzalez, not gotten very far so far
of Austen Wade, hasn't been healthy often
of Will Benson 1st round pick, hasn't got as far as success in High A
lhp Juan Hillman, had a pretty decent 2019 but hasn't reached AA and hasn't been a prospect list for several yeras
lhp Kirk McCarty Might be worth protecting [I was wrong about Shane McCarthy, only had 3 years in the minors]
rhp Luis Oviedo has had some very promising ratings but slipped back last season; might be worth protecting
lhp Ray Burgos, big guy who has had some success and some injuries
rhp Eli Morgan little guy who has pitched well. Spent the summer at alternate site,
lhp Ben Krauth reliever never made a prospect list but someone here is a fan, I forget who

Other than Arias there's no here who would be a big loss. Will probably add Clement. They could well tap Oviedo and Burgos for high ceilings, and Morgan for a good chance to reach the majors and be a minor player. McCarty sort of similar to Morgan although farther behind in his development.

BA is off and running with its top 10 lists and lengthy organizational chats. Starting with the AL East; Indians aren't yet on the schedule.
After a season in which no one played it's not going to be a very interesting update other than to see where they slot Arias Cantillo and Miller who were respectively nos 9 11 and 12 in a solid Padre list last year. Otherwise how can anyone move up or down if he didn't play? I don't think McKenzie had enough innings to "graduate" from the prospect list, only Karinchak would lose his rookie status. Rocchio never got of Venezuela so his season was more wasted than the other top prospects who at least got to spend time at the Alternate Site and then more who joined them for a few weeks of Instructional League.

In fact there are 5 kids on our top 30 prospect list who are subject to the Rule 5 draft. With only 34 guys on the 40 man roster now and including such stars as Beau Taylor, it is not going to be a challenge to protect all of them if desired.

Besides No 1 prospect Nolan Jones, there's SS Gabriel Arias who came in the Clevinger deal and mlb.com rates as our No. 6 prospect.
The rest are much farther down the list featuring 2 strong armed RH and a flailing No. 1 pick:

No. 22 Carlos Vargas 6-3 180 RHP with a fastball rated "70" on the 80 point scale. 21 year old with a high ceiling and little experience
No. 25 Luis Oviedo 6-4 170 21 year old RH who had a really good 2018 but not so hot at low A in 2019.
No, 30 Will Benson 6-5 220 22 year old OF with 4 very impressive tools but his strengths to date are limited to striking out and hitting below .200. His one solid stretch was on his return to Lake County in 2019 when for half a season he had a .272/371/604 with 18 homes and 12 doubles in 62 games. then he went up to Lynchburg and felt apart again with 189/290/304 and only 4 homers in 61 games. Strong arm; good defender; good speed; excellent power [sometimes]; can't hit.

"Each team's top rookie of the year candidate:

Indians: Nolan Jones, 3B (No. 1/MLB No. 38)
The Indians could be remaking their infield in 2021, which could include finding a spot for their top prospect, who theoretically also could shore up a weakness by shifting to an outfield corner. Drafted in the second round out of a Pennsylvania high school in 2016, Jones offers one of the best combinations of power and patience in the Minors as well as a plus arm.

[IF McKenzie still qualifies as a rookie, I'd vote for him as our top candidate. Jones probably won't be with Cleveland on opening day, McK will]

Minor League Free Agents:

Cleveland Indians (15): Argenis Angulo, Jodd Carter, Wilson Garcia, Kungkuan Giljegiljaw, Gianpaul Gonzalez, Anthony Gose, Henry Martinez, Andruw Monasterio, Anderson Polanco, Yojhan Quevedo, Jared Robinson, Cameron Rupp, Domingo Santana, Randy Valladares, Hunter Wood

Wood pitched for us some in 2019; Gose impressed in ST and along with Wood was at the Alternate Site. Jared Robinson occasionally impresses with his fast ball. I don't think we care about the rest. Never heard of Quevado

scanning the other 29 lists, other minor league free agents include a fairly small number of former Indians or Indians' minor leaguers:

Thomas Pannone, Dan Otero, Zach McAllister, Austin Adams, Ronny Rodriguez, Preston Guilmet, Martin Cervenka, Max Moroff, Yonder Alonso,

and the one who we are VERY GLAD GOT AWAY: Jonathan Lucroy

not a free agent, but stumbled upon Francisco Mejia, it was a big deal trading away a great minor league hitter and questionable catcher to get a closer and a bullpen helper. Mejia has had very litle success at all at the plate with the Padres who have acquired two other catchers since. In 2019 he hit 265/316/438. This summer he got 39 at bats and hit 077/143/179. Which makes Mercado look good.

Here's the state of the Indians' farm system by Jim Callis

Though the Indians have cut payroll and gotten younger in each of the last two seasons, they still managed to make the playoffs for the fourth time in the last five years and post a winning record for the eight straight time in 2020. They're shedding more salary and age this offseason, already declining options on Brad Hand and Carlos Santana, letting César Hernández head to free agency and reportedly preparing to trade Francisco Lindor.

The winning may continue, however, because Cleveland has a sneaky-good farm system. The prospects on MLB Pipeline's Indians Top 30 have an average age of 20 years and five months, making them the third-youngest group in the game. Many of their best prospects have yet to reach full-season ball, but others are ready to contribute in the near future.

Right-hander Triston McKenzie had missed most of the previous two seasons with forearm soreness and back issues before posting a 3.24 ERA and a 42/9 K/BB ratio in 33 1/3 big league innings this summer. Third baseman Nolan Jones offers a combination of power and patience and could shift to an outfield corner to plug a hole in Cleveland's lineup. Shortstop Tyler Freeman possesses some of the best bat-to-ball skills in the Minors.

Behind that trio, the Indians have a collection of promising young hitters (led by catcher Bo Naylor and outfielder George Valera), a surplus of sweet-swinging middle infielders (headlined by shortstops Gabriel Arias and Brayan Rocchio) and a pair of first-round right-handers (Daniel Espino and Ethan Hankins) who should help form a strong nucleus in the future. They bolstered their talent with one of the best Drafts in the game in June, starting with first-round shortstop Carson Tucker, and the Mike Clevinger trade with the Padres in August that netted Arias, two other prospects and three young big leaguers.

All in all, Cleveland's system hasn't been this strong in a decade. Ten years ago, Michael Brantley, Carlos Carrasco, Jason Kipnis, Corey Kluber, Lindor, José Ramirez and Santana were rising through the Minors, setting the stage for the Indians to become a perennial contender.

FARM SYSTEM RANKINGS

2020 Midseason: 14 | Preseason: 12
2019 Midseason: 12 | Preseason: NR
2018 Midseason: NR | Preseason: NR
2017 Midseason: NR | Preseason: NR
2016 Midseason: NR | Preseason: NR
2015 Midseason: NR | Preseason: NR

Only the top 10 systems were ranked from 2015 to 2019 preseason; the top 15 systems were ranked 2019 midseason.

TOP FIVE PROSPECTS

1) Nolan Jones, 3B (No. 38 on Top 100)
2) Tyler Freeman, SS (No. 92)
3) Triston McKenzie, RHP (No. 97)
4) Bo Naylor, C
5) George Valera, OF

NOTABLE ADDITIONS

Draft: Carson Tucker, SS, 1st round (No. 12); Tanner Burns, RHP, supplemental 1st round (No. 14); Logan Allen, LHP, 2nd round (No. 21); Petey Halpin, OF, 3rd round (No. 17); Milan Tolentino, SS, 4th round (No. 23); Mason Hickman, RHP, 5th round.

Trade: Gabriel Arias, SS (No. 6); Joey Cantillo, LHP (No. 15); Owen Miller, SS/2B (No. 18)

The Indians adeptly managed their bonus pool in the Draft, allowing them to assemble a balance of hitters and pitchers as well as high schoolers and collegians, all of whom stand out with their polish. The same is true of Cantillo and Miller, who arrived in the Clevinger deal along with Arias, who has some of the loudest tools in the system.


2021 IMPACT PROSPECT

Nolan Jones, 3B (No. 1): He has plus power and led the Minors with 96 walks in 2019, and he's athletic enough to shift to an outfield corner if Ramirez remains at the hot corner.

2022 TOP PROSPECT

George Valera, OF (No. 5): Scheduled to make his full-season debut at age 19 in the cancelled 2020 Minor League season, he has a pretty left-handed stroke that could translate into a .300 average with 25-30 homers per season.

BEST TOOLS

Hit: Tyler Freeman
Power: Bobby Bradley
Run: Quentin Holmes
but the can't steal first base
Arm: Gabriel Arias
Field: Gabriel Arias
Best athlete: Daniel Johnson

Fastball: Emmanuel Clase
Curveball: Triston McKenzie
Slider: Daniel Espino
Changeup: Eli Morgan
Control: Triston McKenzie

HOW THE TOP 30 WAS BUILT

Draft: 16
International: 8
Trade: 6

Eight of Cleveland's 14 best prospects were selected before the third round of the Draft: first-rounders Naylor, Espino and Tucker; supplemental first-rounders McKenzie and Burns; second rounder Jones and supplemental second-rounder Freeman.

TOP 30 BY POSITION

C: 1
1B: 1
2B: 1
3B: 1
SS: 9
OF: 4
LHP: 4
RHP: 9

The Indians lead all organizations with nine shortstops on their Top 30 and have another half-dozen who received strong consideration for the list.



Jim Callis is a reporter for MLB.com. Follow @jimcallisMLB on Twitter