Cleveland Sports Forum

more on Valera:

George Valera (What's My Ceiling?): I've been hyped the past two years only to have nagging injuries in both 2018 and 2019. What did scouts think about my tools when seeing me this summer? Do I remind some of a 17 year old GCL Juan Soto?

Justin Coleman: There is impact potential with the bat. Corner guy who shows power and makes loud contact with an easy trigger at the plate. Didn't get any fun comps.

I went out on a limb on this one, and he cut it off:


Elliot (Youngstown OH): Lindor is a free agent after 2021; does it make sense to rush Rocchio to Cleveland in 2022 before his bat is fully ready?

Justin Coleman: Not at all. Gotta get the reps in the minors. The game is so fast at the big league level, you don't want to harm his development at all. Even with his feel for the game, I doubt you see any "rushing" going on. Player development is the life breath of any organization, and they will call him up when they feel like he can handle it and is ready etc.

this is looking like mostly a Scrappers chat:

Juan (Cleveland): Thoughts on Cleveland's Carlos Vargas?
Justin Coleman: Pretty good arm, some reliever risk there though

Elliot (Youngstown OH): Rocchio, Valera and Hankins: all in the top 100?
Justin Coleman: Valera is already on it. Rocchio should get on there sooner rather than later I would think

more on Vargas; he is repeating answers on our guys. The rest of America is not paying attention to this chat apparently

Elliot (Youngstown OH): Carlos Vargas came into the season as a breakout candidate. He had a rough start but looked better later on. How's he rated at this point?
Justin Coleman: Got some solid reviews. Three pitch mix, SL and CH show some promise. As I said earlier, reliever risk is there for him.

he's done; didn't get comments on Hankins except for what we saw in the top 10 list.

Highlight? from AzLeague


CLE AFL Angulo, Argenis 0 2 4 4 3 0 8.31

Another exciting young SS rated in No. 15 in a really stacked Arizona summer league prospect list

15. Jose Tena, SS, Indians
Age: 18. B-T: L-R. Ht: 5-10. Wt: 160. Signed: Dominican Republic, 2017.

While Aaron Bracho and George Valera were the key members of Cleveland's 2018 international class, the Indians may have gotten another keeper for $400,000 in Tena. He hit .325/.352/.440 in his stateside debut. What reinforces Tena's projection is his lean, athletic body.

"He's got some length to his body, some length to his arms, and some height to his body," Indians Blue manager Larry Day said. "His ceiling, just from a body projection, is high."

Tena is an advanced, pure hitter, consistently looking to drive balls the other way with an approach that allows him to cover the whole plate. He's aggressive at the plate, not yet drawing many walks but putting balls in play even when he expands the zone. More power should come with added strength, and he's a plus runner. Tena is also an exciting player on the field, with projected plus range and an arm that plays up because of his good hands. Tena is the prototypical high-ceiling, low-floor prospect.

AB R H 2B 3B HR RBI BB SO SB CS AVG OBP SLG
191 30 62 7 6 1 18 6 44 6 2 .325 .352 .440

18 year old Aaron Bracho had 60% of his hits for extra bases, more walks than strikeouts. His prospect status is limited by his less exciting defensive skills. But a 2B with his power can be a terrific big leaguer. Stay healthy and he'll move up fast. Tyler Freeman may be our 2B for a year or two around 2021 until Bracho takes over.

0 0 1.26 9 9 0 28.2 21 4 4 0 5 41 .208


8. Aaron Bracho, 2B, Indians
Age: 18 B-T: B-R. Ht: 5-11. Wt: 175. Signed: Venezuela, 2017.

Bracho, who signed with the Indians in 2017, made his pro debut in 2019 after missing all of 2018 to an arm injury. Making up for lost time, Bracho showed advanced feel for hitting to rank as one of the Arizona League’s more impressive position players. He has plus instincts with plenty of bat speed and gets loft to his swing.

"What he did, more than anything for a young hitter who was so impressive, was his ability to control the zone, swing at strikes, take balls and put himself in good counts to hit,” Indians Blue manager Larry Day said.

A shortstop as an amateur in Venezuela, Bracho profiles now as an offensive-minded second baseman with good instincts in the field but with fringy hands and arm strength. He’s a tick below-average runner.

AB R H 2B 3B HR RBI BB SO SB CS AVG OBP SLG
108 25 32 10 2 6 29 23 21 4 1 .296 .416 .593

I had just submitted a sort of similar question

Nick (Ottawa): What does Aaron Bracho's power projection look like?

Bill Mitchell: Nick, the hittability and strength are there for Bracho to be an above-average power hitter. He has good hands at the plate and advanced feel to hit with plenty of bat speed from both sides of the plate. Hitting 8 home runs in only 38 games across two levels in his pro debut is a good start. Bracho won't provide as much defensive value as other players on this list, but the bat could be special.

[/My question: would he move up more quickly since he's not being groomed as a premiere SS? Of course he needs to be a decent 2B or perhaps LF

This one isn't me either. The Tribe were out in force for the NYPL and back again today

Indians Fan (How'd you rank...): the Indians trio of Valera, Rocchio, and Bracho? Even though Valera and Bracho were the big names in their 2017 class, is Rocchio currently the most complete player of the three?

Bill Mitchell: Continuing with Indians questions, that's a good trio of players for the lower levels of their system. I ranked Rocchio #1 on this list last year and I'm still a big fan, but I also like Valera and Bracho a lot. Yes, Rocchio is the most complete player because of everything he brings to the field, not just with his tools but with his intangibles and baseball smarts.

2 18 year olds and a 19 year old. It will be fun watching these 3 develop but we'll all grow impatient that they don't move up faster

He's going to frustrate fans of the rest of the world, but what do we care

Elliot (YOungstown OH): Not sure Daniel Espino pitched enough to qualify. Stats looked good; scouts impressed?

Bill Mitchell: Yes, very much so. I was at Espino's pro debut as were quite a few scouts, and he was very, very impressive, touching into the high 90s. I was reserving a spot in the AZL top five for him before the Indians promoted their top pick to the NYP League before he pitched enough innings to qualify for this list.

and my last one, then I don't need to check back

Elliot (YOungstown OH): So the Indians can't get everything right.... 2nd and 3rd round picks infielders Yordy Valdes and Christian Cairo sure looked miserable at the plate. With kids like Tyler Freeman and Brayan Rocchio and Aaron Bracho in the system, I'm not overly concerned but do you think they may be able to show some offensive skills?

Bill Mitchell: One more Indians question before we head to another organization. Yordys Valdes has the potential to be a special defender at shortstop, even drawing some Lindor comps with the way he played on the field. But the bat will be a question mark until he gets more experience and gains strength. He has a loose swing and is aggressive in the batters box with a little pop, but has not yet developed much feel to hit. He's a long-term project, and it wouldn't surprise me to see Valdes spending another year in the AZL. Based on his amateur career, I thought Cairo would hit better and will also certainly need more time in short-season ball. Scouts weren't overwhelmed with Cairo, projecting him more as a future utility player (similar to his father Miguel who made a 17-year MLB career in that role). He'll need to show more with the bat, but give him time.

BA has only the Midwest League to go, so here's a summary of how our guys have ranked on top 20 lists.

AAA: Mercado No. 5 Bradley No. 13
AA: Jones No. 6
Hi A: Jones No. 2 Freeman No. 10
Lo A: not published yet; in the running: Benson for a great 1st half; Naylor?
SS A: Rocchio No. 5 Valera No. 6 Hankins No. 8
R: Bracho No. 8 Tena No. 15 [Espino would have been No. 5 if he had a few more innings to qualify]

From The Athletic:

Carlos Vargas, RHP, Cleveland Indians: Age 19; posted 4.52 ERA in 78 innings in short-season-A with a 71/24 K/BB; key here is pure stuff, with a fastball that can hit 100 and a slider that flashes plus; needs to refine changeup and command but a very high ceiling arm; ETA 2023