Indians projected minor league rosters:

Class AAA Columbus (not officially announced): Position players: Gavin Collins, Ryan Lavarnway, Mike Rivera, Rene Rivera, Eric Rodriguez, Gabriel Arias, Bobby Bradley, Ernie Clement, Nolan Jones, Tyler Krieger, Owen Miller, Andruw Monasterio, Ben Gamel, Daniel Johnson, Oscar Mercado, Connor Marabell, Harold Ramirez, Bradley Zimmer.

Pitchers: Logan S. Allen, Robert Broom, Joey Cantillo, Kyle Dowdy, Anthony Gose, DJ Johnson, Kirk McCarty, Jean Carlos Mejia, Nick Mikolajchak, Eli Morgan, Scott Moss, Blake Parker, Dalbert Siri, Tanner Tully, Daniel Young. [Cantillo is a a surprise: has only 14 innings in High A] [Mikolajchak hasn't pitched ANY full season ball, but a well regarded reliever]

Akron: expect some from the Columbus list to wind up here, this team is a bit short

Class AA Akron: Position players: Will Benson, Trenton Brooks, Alex Call, Jose Fermin, Tyler Freeman, Marcos Gonzalez, Oscar Gonzalez, Steven Kwan, Bo Naylor, Richard Palacios, Josh Rolette, Chris Roller.

Pitchers: Manuel Alvarez, Skylar Arias, Dakody Clemmer, Justin Garza, Juan Hillman Jr, Eli Lingos, Shane McCarthy, Jake Miednik, Juan Mota, Aaron Pinto, Jonathan Teaney.

Class A Lake County: Position players: Mike Amditis, Aaron Bracho, Will Brennan, Raynel Delgado, Jonathan Engelmann, Gianpaul Gonzalez, Quentin Holmes, Bryan Lavastida, Joe Naranjo, Victor Nova, Brayan Rocchio, Daniel Schneemann, Jose Tena, George Valera, Austen Wade.

Pitchers: Logan T. Allen, Tanner Burns, Kevin Coulter, Hunter Gaddis, Nick Gallagher, Tim Herrin, Mason Hickman, Jared Jancak, Kevin Kelly, Nate Ocker, Francisco Perez, Thomas Ponticelli, Kellen Rholl, Alex Royalty, Matt Turner.

Class Low A Lynchburg: Position players: Will Bartlett, Christian Cairo, Yainer Diaz, Julian Escobedo, Korey Holland, Angel Martinez, Andres Melendez, Jhonkensy Noel, Alexfri Planez, Micha Pries, Gabriel Rodriguez, Jonathan Rodriguez, Yordys Valdes.

Pitchers: Jaime Arias, Trey Benton, Xzavion Curry, Daniel Espino, Daritzon Feliz, Zach Hart, Jordan Jones, Randy Labaut, Andrew Misiaszek, Eric Mock, Sergio Morillo, Jerson Ramirez, Lenny Torres, Miguel Vinicio, Joshua Wolf.

XZAVION and DARITZON head a pitching staff featuring 5 guys with Z in their names. 6 among the position players; plus plenty of Y's and W's and V;s. This team really tilts towards the bottom of the alphabet

I'll need to go through those lists and compare them with the 2019 rosters to figure out who's disappeared.

AAA active rosters will be affected by the taxi squads, so guys will probably be coming and going between Columbus and AKron. The roster posted above suggests a lineup for the Clippers:

C one of 5 listed, one of whom will be on the taxi squad, and one will be reassigned to Akron
1b Bradley with Marabell and Jones
2b Miller and Clement and Krieger
ss Arias and Monastios
3b Jones and Miller and Krieger
lf Gamel and Jones
cf Mercado and Zimmer
rf Johnson
dh Ramirez

Akron roster is not very impressive. The only among these guys on the Top 30 are Freeman and Naylor who rate among the top 5. :

Will Benson, Trenton Brooks, Alex Call, Jose Fermin, Tyler Freeman, Marcos Gonzalez, Oscar Gonzalez, Steven Kwan, Bo Naylor, Richard Palacios, Josh Rolette, Chris Roller.

C: Naylor and Rolette
1b: None of these guys are 1st baseneb, maybe Call or Brooks who are career ordinary OF's
2b: Fermin and Freeman
ss: Freeman and Fermin
3b: M. Gonzalez and Palacios? Gonzalez played 11 games with Lake County in 2019, 2018 in Arizona, nearly all at SS, 8 at third; Palacios last played in 2018 at Lake County almost all at 2nd]
lf: Oscar the G
cf: Kwan
rf: Benson
extra of: Roller Brooks and Call

1. Freeman
2. Fermin
3. Kwan
4. Oscar
5. Benson
6. Naylor
7. the 3rd baseman
8. the DH
9. the 1B

Lake County:

Mike Amditis, Aaron Bracho, Will Brennan, Raynel Delgado, Jonathan Engelmann, Gianpaul Gonzalez, Quentin Holmes, Bryan Lavastida, Joe Naranjo, Victor Nova, Brayan Rocchio, Daniel Schneemann, Jose Tena, George Valera, Austen Wade.

C: Lavastida and Gonzalez
1b: Naranjo
2b: Bracho
ss: Rocchio
3b: Tena
UT Inf: Delgado and Schneeman and Nova who also plays LF
lf: Wade
cf: Holmes
rf: Valera
UT OF: Brennan

How about:

1. Rocchio
2. Bracho
3. Valera
4. Naranjo
5. Lavastida
6. Tena
7. Delgado DH
8. Wade
9. Holmes

Lynchburg Top 30 prospects among this group are: GRod and Martinez. Diaz comes right of the end of some lists. Fan sites love Planez but not on the lists from the "experts". Valdes and Cairo were very high picks in 2019 and have not hit a bit.

Will Bartlett, Christian Cairo, Yainer Diaz, Julian Escobedo, Korey Holland, Angel Martinez, Andres Melendez, Jhonkensy Noel, Alexfri Planez, Micha Pries, Gabriel Rodriguez, Jonathan Rodriguez, Yordys Valdes.


c: Diaz and Melendez
1b: Noel
2b: Martinez
ss: Valdes and Cairo
3b: GRod
lf Planez Bartlett
cf Holland
rf: J. Rod
pinch runner Escobedo
OF: Pries

1. Holland
2. Martinez
3. G. Rod
4. Noel
5. J Rod
6. Diaz
7. Planez
8. Bartlett
9 Valdes

Columbus roster is all kinds of fun though!

I like the Lake County roster the best; the pitching staff is full of 2020 draftees who have leapt beyond where they'd usually be in the old minor league setup on their first full season.

Not finding as much about the upcoming Minor League season as I'd hope but BA is getting some stuff out. Article with the MLB Prospects with the Best Tools is posted. I'll list the Indians' prospects who make the lists.

Best Hitter

Wander Franco, Rays
CJ Abrams, Padres
Jarred Kelenic, Mariners
Tyler Freeman, Indians
Michael Busch, Dodgers

Best Defensive Infielder

Nick Allen, Athletics
Jose Garcia, Reds
Gabriel Arias, Indians
Geraldo Perdomo, D-backs
Anderson Tejeda, Rangers


Best Changeup

Jackson Kowar, Royals
Ryan Pepiot, Dodgers
Alexander Vizcaino, Yankees
Emerson Hancock, Mariners
Joey Cantillo, Indians [ Cantillo owns the best changeup among lefthanders.]

Opening Day all over the minors today, first minor league games in 20 months.

BA is not giving me the opening day roster analysis I've come to expect. I'd like to see their comments on our exciting Lake County team; thoughts on where various prospects have been slotted, e.g. Cantillo in AAA, Naylor in AA, Naranjo in High A, all skipping at least one level.

They do make an early stab at projecting Futures Game rosters and include one favorite Cleveland prospect:

OF — George Valera (CLE)

Valera’s career has been pockmarked somewhat by injuries, but he showed advanced plate discipline and power during his time in the short-season New York-Penn League in 2019 when he was just 18 years old. His skillset features five average or better tools across the board, fronted by a potentially plus hit tool.