Cleveland Sports Forum

Indians lose Flores and Espino

By Tony Lastoria

November 25, 2013

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The Indians have lost two of their better minor league free agents to free agency as right-handed pitcher Jose Flores has signed a minor league deal with the Athletics and right-handed pitcher Paolo Espino has signed a minor league deal with the Cubs.

Flores, 24, is a big, hard throwing righty that made 59 appearances at Double-A Akron and went 7-3 with a 2.71 ERA, and in 66.1 innings allowed 55 hits, 1 home run, 27 walks and had 87 strikeouts. He has been a consistent performer throughout his minor league career with the Indians, and even resigned with them last offseason as a he was a minor league free agent then as well. Some may remember he was picked up by the Mariners as a Rule 5 pick in December of 2010. He is currently pitching winter ball in Venezuela and has an 11.25 ERA in five appearances (4.0 IP, 6 H, 5 R/ER, 2 BB, 4 K).

Espino, who turns 27 years old in January, went 6-11 with a 4.72 ERA in 32 appearances (22 starts) last year between Double-A Akron and Triple-A Columbus. In 141.0 innings he allowed 156 hits, 16 home runs, 44 walks and had 141 strikeouts. He has been a solid, consistent performer in his Indians minor league career and mostly filled a swing role at Akron and Columbus the last few years as a depth arm. He is currently pitching winter ball in Venezuela and is 4-2 with a 6.35 ERA in eight starts (34.0 IP, 38 H, 8 HR, 9 BB, 38 K).

With limited opportunities to advance and the Indians flush with right-handed relief arms and depth starters in the upper levels, both Flores and Espino are looking for new opportunities with other teams and potentially a better chance to crack the big leagues.

Follow Tony and the Indians Prospect Insider on Twitter @TonyIBI. Also, his new book the 2013 Cleveland Indians Baseball Insider which profiles the Indians' Top 100 Prospects and more is available for sale.

Wendle is probably not a prospect; like Cord Phelps he's only a 2nd baseman, has no speed and is unexceptional defender. If nothing else he'll give the "RubberDucks" a solid hitter and perhaps he'll see an occasional opportunity in the majors.
Lindor could have won this award, but he wins all the other plaudits, so it's nice of Atkins to share the good words.

Anderson is not exceptional either, but he is effectively the only starting pitcher prospect from our AA or High A and probably our low A team, too, from 2013. With so little competition, it's easy for Cody to be our best pitcher of 2013.

Probably highlighted in Joe's winter ball reports, but BA notes that Aguillar hit his 13th winter homer on Thursday. That should mean Joe is selling Jesus as our opening day first baseman? Or are you willing to let him play in Columbus first?

Rule 5 notes:

The Indians have two vacant spots on their 40-man roster, making the team eligible to make a selection in Thursday's Rule 5 Draft at the Winter Meetings. Given Cleveland's need for bullpen depth, it would make sense for the club to possibly take a flier on a reliever. The Indians will have a pick within the top 10. Selections cost $50,000, and the player must remain on a team's active roster all season or be offered back to his original team for $25,000.

Among the Rule 5-eligible players from the Indians' system are right-handers Joseph Colon, Tyler Holt, Bryce Stowell, Enosil Tejeda and Giovanny Urshela; lefties Elvis Araujo, Matt Packer and Giovanni Soto; first baseman Chun-Hsiu Chen; outfielder LeVon Washington; and catcher Alex Monsalve.

I'd not like to lose Urshela or Monsalve, both of whom are potentially longshots to be drafted since they have reached AA. Tejeda has good relief stats but not a hard thrower so not a likely loss

A young Cuban player who signed a seven-figure contract last year is an unexpected entry in next month’s Rule 5 draft.

The Yankees signed Cuban lefthander Omar Luis last year for a $4 million bonus, with an official contract date of July 1, 2012, the day before the inaugural $2.9 million international bonus pools went into effect.

However, Luis and several other Cuban players also represented by Praver Shapiro Sports Management who were claiming permanent residency in Haiti ran into visa issues and were unable to get into the United States. When Luis arrived in the U.S. this year after spending eight months in Haiti, an unknown issue popped up in his physical, which led the Yankees to void the contract.

Luis signed a new contract with the Yankees for a reduced bonus—$2.5 million—on April 9, 2013. Since Luis signed his second contract with his original team and the Yankees did not place him on their 40-man roster, he is available in the Rule 5 draft, which is Dec. 12.

It may be a long shot that any team will draft Luis, however, given how far away he is from contributing. Luis, who turned 21 last month, struck out 43 batters in 31 2/3 innings in the Rookie-level Gulf Coast League, but walked nearly a batter per inning with 29 walks and a 5.68 ERA.

The stats were unusual for Luis, who was lauded for his pitchability and savvy on the Cuban junior national team, though the rust from spending eight months without picking up a baseball in Haiti was understandable and made him tricky to evaluate. A stocky 6 feet, 210 pounds, Luis did show swing-and-miss stuff with an 89-95 mph fastball, a slider and a changeup that can both flash average, with a head whack at the end of his delivery that affects his command.

The timing of Luis’ two contracts also forced MLB to make a decision regarding whether his contract would be subject to the international bonus pools. While his April 2013 contract falls within the 2012-13 signing window where every team had a $2.9 million bonus pool, because his initial agreement came just before the new system kicked in, MLB determined that Luis’ new contract was exempt from the bonus pools.

Had MLB decided to count Luis’ signing against the 2012-13 bonus pools, that would have put the Yankees well beyond their $2.9 million bonus pool and prevented them from signing anyone for more than $250,000 during the current 2013-14 signing period, which began on July 2. That, obviously, was not the case, as the Yankees signed toolsy Dominican center fielder Leonardo Molina for $1.4 million when he turned 16 on Aug. 1.

Luis’ case is not unprecedented. When the Brewers drafted righthander Cody Scarpetta out of high school with their 11th-round pick in 2007, Scarpetta initially signed for $325,000, but the Brewers voided that contract and re-signed him a few weeks later for $125,000 when he needed to have surgery on a pre-existing injury to his right index finger. Scarpetta became eligible for the Rule 5 draft the following year, and after he spent the 2009 season in low Class A Wisconsin, the Brewers placed him on their 40-man roster to protect him from the Rule 5 draft.

The Reds went through a similar situation with lefthander Ismael Guillon when they signed him out of Venezuela in Oct. 2008, voided his contract due to a torn elbow ligament that required Tommy John surgery, and then signed him to a new contract for a reduced amount in January 2009. After Guillon spent most of the 2012 season in the Rookie-level Pioneer League and made four starts in the low Class A Midwest League, the Reds placed him on their 40-man roster to protect him from the Rule 5 draft.

Mariners infielder Martin Esteilon Peguero is another example, as he initially signed with the Mariners out of the Dominican Republic for $2.9 million in Dec. 2010, then a few weeks later signed a new contract with the Mariners for $1.1 million. The reason for Peguero’s reduced bonus has never become public, but he is not on their 40-man roster and is subject to the Rule 5 draft, though he has descended into non-prospect status and won’t be selected.

As for Luis, while it’s unlikely he would be able to stick the entire 2014 season on a major league roster even hidden in a bullpen, he will always be subject to the Rule 5 draft going forward until the Yankees place him on the 40-man roster, which could force the Yankees to expedite his pace through the minors by starting his options sooner than they might want.

Luis only pitched briefly in Cuba’s top league, Serie Nacional, but he was one of the country’s best pitchers in his age group. He was an all-star at the 18U World Championship in Thunder Bay, Ont. in 2010, where he threw 137 pitches and struck out 10 in a complete-game shutout against Canada. He came back later in the tournament to beat Team USA in a 145-pitch complete game victory with five strikeouts and two walks in a 3-2 win. That game came two years after Luis threw eight scoreless innings with six strikeouts and two walks against Team USA at the 16 COPABE Pan American Championships in Mexico, though Cuba lost 3-1 in extra innings.

Some scouts’ passports will be getting a workout in the leadup to the Dec. 12 Rule 5 draft.

The Nov. 20 deadline to set 40-man rosters in advance of the draft gave scouts a chance to start setting their travel itineraries to try to check out Rule 5 eligibles playing in winter leagues.

While few impact players have been nabbed in the Rule 5 draft ever since eligibility rules gave teams an extra year of protection before players are eligible, the lure of adding talent inexpensively (the cost of a Rule 5 claim is only $50,000) will keep teams sorting to find a potential gem in a sea of middling prospects.

Over the years, there are several kinds of prospects who prove most valuable for the Rule 5 draft: power arms with above-average velocity, especially if they already have the makings of a second pitch; lefthanders with excellent pitchability, speedy middle infielders and center fielders who can help both with their glove and as pinch-runners; polished first baseman/corner outfielders who provide enough power to have value as a big bat off the bench.

Of the five Rule 5 selections that stuck last year without being offered back to their original team, those categories are well represented. There were the power arm relievers (Josh Fields, Hector Rondon, Ryan Pressly) and a somewhat polished first baseman (Nate Freiman) as well as a lefthander with excellent control (T.J. McFarland).

Here’s a look at a number of players who could hear their names called during the 2013 Rule 5 draft.

Junior Arias, of, Reds: Like many potential Rule 5 picks, Arias only fits on a team that is building for the future. Arias has yet to have an at-bat above Class A and he spent much of last year in low Class A Dayton. His bat is in no way ready to actually help a big league club in 2014. But Arias has a very useful combination of speed and power for a team looking for long-term help. Arias hit 15 home runs last year and stole 60 bases. A former shortstop/third baseman who was plagued with throwing errors, Arias quickly took to a move to center field this year. He still is a little raw in center, but his plus speed outruns a lot of his mistakes and his arm is above-average.

If a team picked Arias, he would be able to provide some value as a pinch-runner, late-inning defensive replacement and even an occasional pinch-hit appearance because of his pop. It would slow his long-term development, but a team looking to add athleticism to its outfield may be intrigued by Arias’ tools.

Danny Burawa, rhp, Yankees: After missing 2012 with a torn oblique and a cracked rib, Burawa finally made his Double-A debut last season. He sported a fastball that sat in the 92-97 mph range and sat comfortably at 95 on most nights while featuring average sink. He couples that with an inconsistent, sweepy, 83-86 mph slider that he tends to cast and a show-me changeup that sits between 83-87 mph.

His problem lies with control. His delivery features a long, hooking arm action in the back that lends itself to wildness. He started slowly in 2013 but came on strong in the second half with a 0.92 ERA and an improved strikeout-to-walk ratio from July 1 until season’s end. Velocity alone could earn him a look from a team looking for bullpen power.



Darrell Ceciliani, of, Mets: Any team with a gap in its system in terms of outfield depth could be enticed to gamble on Ceciliani, a fourth-round pick in 2009 who has a solid base of skills but no carrying tool. The 23-year-old bats lefthanded and has a full season of experience at Double-A Binghamton, where he ranked second in the Eastern League with 31 stolen bases. Scouts project Ceciliani to have three average tools: hitting, running and fielding, and while his walk rate dried up at Double-A, he did hit .276/.328/.390 versus righthanders and could be a functional extra outfielder.

Brody Colvin, rhp, Phillies: Once the top pitching prospect in the Phillies’ organization, Colvin’s career has been been on a decline the past two seasons. His control has fallen apart, partly because he has a wrap in his long arm action that makes it hard to repeat consistently. Colvin’s once well-above-average fastball now sits 90-92 more often, but it could play up a little bit in the bullpen. He still has a hard curveball that can be a strikeout pitch although his inability to get ahead in counts has made it hard to use it lately.

Colvin’s lack of control would make it hard for a team to use him in anything more than mop-up situations right now. A team who thinks they can fix his mechanical problems could take a chance on him.


Brian Fletcher, of/1b, Royals: Fletcher has been on the back end of the Royals’ Top 30 prospects list in both 2011 and 2012 thanks to his power potential. He hit well in a return to Double-A Northwest Arkansas, although he slumped after a midseason promotion to Triple-A Omaha.

Fletcher has played in some offensive ballparks during his pro career, but his .488 career slugging percentage is a reminder that he has above-average power. He swings and misses too much and doesn’t walk as much as teams would like. He has some position versatility, but he’s his well below average speed limits his range in the outfield and he has only limited experience at first base.

Mike Freeman, 2b/util, Diamondbacks: Freeman hit just .247 this year, and the 26-year-old doesn’t have the pop to be an everyday player for a championship-caliber team. He does fit the utility profile well, however. He bats lefthanded; he draws walks (65 with Double-A Mobile this season); he can fill in at shortstop in a pinch and played second base (his best fit), third base and left field in the Arizona Fall League. He also has a quick first-step that helps maximize his fringe-average speed, both in the field and on the bases, where he’s an efficient basestealer. In short, in an era of 12- and 13-man pitching staffs, Freeman could be a valuable Swiss Army knife on the bench.

Jae-Hoon Ha, of, Cubs: A former catcher, Ha has taken very well to a move to the outfield. Although he’s an average to tick-above average runner, he plays a very solid center field because he gets good jumps. He has enough arm strength to play right field as well.

Ha doesn’t have much power, but at his best the lefthanded hitter can draw some walks and get on base. He doesn’t profile as more than a backup outfielder long-term, but with more than 250 games in Double-A and above, he may be ready to fill that role in 2014, and teams would like his major league minimum salary.

Marcus Hatley, rhp, Cubs: The Cubs were already sitting at 37 players on their 40-man roster before they added Arismendy Alcantara and Dallas Beeler. That means that the club had to take a risk with a couple of other interesting prospects.

Hatley is probably the most interesting. A big (6-foot-5) righthander with a plus fastball (92-95 mph) that he throws with good downhill plane and an average slider and curve, Hatley ranked at the back end of the Cubs’ Top 30 prospects list after the 2011 and 2012 seasons. He struck out 74 batters in 61 innings between Double-A and Triple-A this year with adequate control (35 walks) and iffy command.

A Tommy John survivor, Hatley has good stuff and more than 150 innings of work in Double-A and Triple-A. Unlike most Rule 5 picks, he could potentially contribute more than just an occasional mop-up inning while making the major league minimum salary. Teams who want to get a closer look at Hatley can scout him in the Mexican Pacific League, where he’s 1-1, 2.57 with six saves in 14 innings with Culiacan. He’s struck out 18 and walked only four.

Marco Hernandez, ss, Cubs: Hernandez is a long ways away from being ready to actually help a big league club, but the switch-hitting shortstop has a lot of the attributes teams look for in a potential Rule 5 pick. He has defensive value because he can handle shortstop with range and a plus arm, he’s a tick-above average runner and he has some hitting potential with a solid swing from both sides of the plate. Like many Class A shortstops, he’s not sure-handed yet, so errors would be a problem whenever he played.

The bigger question a potential selecting team would have to ask is would they be ruining Hernandez’s long-term potential by picking him and then letting him rot on a big league bench. The year off would hurt him significantly as he needs plenty of minor league at-bats.

Tommy Kahnle, rhp, Yankees: Similar to Burawa, Kahnle is a hard-thrower who features premium velocity and spotty command. His heat ranges between 91-96 mph and sits comfortably in the mid-90s with a little sink. He complements the fastball with small, biting changeup and an average slider that he sometimes fails to stay on top of. Kahnle, who cuts a chiseled, imposing figure on the mound, spent the season as the closer at Double-A Trenton. His command faded as the year went on, including 12 walks in just more than 14 innings in August. Once again like Burawa, Kahnle’s velocity alone could earn him a look.








Stephen Kohlscheen, rhp, Mariners: Kohlscheen’s stuff might be a little less firm than the typical Rule 5 reliever, but it’s hard to argue with the results.

Pitching with an 89-92 mph fastball and a below average breaking ball and changeup, Kohlscheen went 7-3, 2.30 with 47 hits allowed in 67 innings at Double-A Jackson last year. He struck out 85 and walked 25. He’s struck out more than 10 batters per nine innings throughout his minor league career. Kohlscheen’s bigger problem is a tendency to give up home runs. At 6-foot-6, he’s an imposing presence on the mound, but his lack of a quality changeup makes him a comfortable at-bat for lefthanded hitters.

Freddy Lewis, lhp, Yankees: Lewis threw 78-86 mph as a high schooler and went to Tennessee Wesleyan, a strong NAIA program that also has produced four scouts who have won their organization’s scout of the year award in recent years. One of them, Jon Hendricks of the Blue Jays, coached Lewis in college and saw Lewis make adjustments to his delivery that eventually pumped his velocity up to 94 mph. A 47th-round pick in 2010,Lew is hit 96 as a reliever with the Yankees and sat in the 88-92 mph range while making five spot starts for Double-A Trenton, with good life down in the zone. Lewis threw well in the Arizona Fall League as well, tossing 11 scoreless innings and striking out 10, and showed his durability by tossing 70 innings overall on the year counting the AFL. His slider remains inconsistent and he throws a fringe-average changeup, but his attacking mentality helps him be more effective in 2013 against righthanded hitters (.632 OPS) than lefthanded ones (.790 OPS).








Matt Lollis, rhp, Padres: Though he has only one major league-caliber pitch, Lollis makes it count with a double-plus fastball he pumps up to 98 mph from a low three-quarters slot. The 6-foot-9, 250-pound behemoth pitched out of the bullpen exclusively in 2013, but that didn’t seem to help his secondary stuff (slider, changeup) play up, nor did it add to his deception. Both lefties (.888 OPS) and righties (.763) hit him hard across three levels, including a combined 35 appearances at Double-A and Triple-A. Still, physical relievers who throw hard, like Lollis, traditionally serve as prime Rule 5 bait.

Matt Loosen, rhp, Cubs: A righthander from Jacksonville, Loosen has very slowly climbed the minor league ladder, spending parts of three seasons in the Florida State League. He had to be demoted back to the FSL in 2013 after a rough start in Double-A, but he pitched well enough to return to Tennessee before the season ended. His second stint in Double-A went much better than the first, as he finished the season with 11 scoreless innings in his final two starts. He also was solid, if unspectacular, in an Arizona Fall League stint.

With an 89-94 mph fastball and a pair of erratic but promising breaking balls, Loosen might be served by a move to the bullpen, which would almost assuredly happen if he was picked in the Rule 5 draft.








Kevin Munson, rhp, Diamondbacks: A three-time member of the Diamondbacks’ Top 30 Prospects list, peaking at No. 13 in 2011, Munson’s stuff wasn’t always as firm in 2013 as it was in 2012, but he still pitched with a plus fastball (91-94) and an average-to-tick-above-average slider. He doesn’t always hit his spots, but he does throw strikes and he struck out 66 batters in 55 innings last season.

Hector Nelo, rhp, Dodgers: Nelo needs to develop a quality second pitch, but if you’re only going to have one plus pitch, a 95-98 mph fastball is a pretty good solitary pitch. A minor league Rule 5 draftee in 2012 by the Dodgers, Nelo has pitched effectively in Double-A in the past two seasons. He possibly could move up to the major league Rule 5 draft this year.

Angel Nesbitt, rhp, Tigers: Is Nesbitt ready to help a big league club? Probably not. But he fits the profile of the kind of power arm who teams take a good long look at picking when they are left unprotected.

Nesbitt has the build of a skinnier Bruce Rondon, and he has the fastball to match. But he doesn’t yet have a secondary pitch he can really rely on to go with it. Nesbitt can hit 95-97 mph with his fastball, but his slurve isn’t very advanced, which explains why he struck out 54 batters in 67 inning in low Class A.

The Tigers took an understandable gamble in leaving Nesbitt exposed, as unrefined low Class A power arms rarely can stick on a new team, even if they are picked. Cubs righthander Starling Peralta from last year’s Rule 5 draft is an example of that. But a team may take a chance on adding a righthander with potential long-term setup or closer potential.

Carlos Perez, c, Astros: Perez passed through the Rule 5 draft last year, but there’s a greater chance someone might roll the dice on him this time. Perez could be a fit for a rebuilding team with an established everyday catcher like, well . . . the Astros.

But given that Houston called up Max Stassi from Double-A and minor league veterans Cody Clark and Matt Pagnozzi late in the 2013 season, it wasn’t too much of a surprise that the Astros left Perez exposed. Perez, who turned 23 last month, is a dependable catcher who moves well behind the plate, blocks well and earns praise for how he handles a pitching staff. His arm is average and he gets rid of the ball quickly, helping him erase an impressive 47 percent of basestealers last year in Triple-A Oklahoma City.

The question scouts have on Perez is his offense. His bat speed is below-average, he has minimal power and his swing can get long. But Perez doesn’t swing and miss much and he controls the strike zone, which helped him hit a respectable .269/.328/.345 with 25 walks and 39 strikeouts in 75 games in Triple-A. If the power develops, he could be an everyday catcher, but he should at least get a chance in a backup role. When Perez originally signed with the Blue Jays out of Venezuela at age 17, Marco Paddy was Toronto’s top scout in Latin America. Paddy now runs the White Sox’s international operations as a special assistant to the general manager, and with Tyler Flowers and Josh Phegley, the organization could look for additional depth. The White Sox have the third pick in the Rule 5 draft (and the Astros are at No. 1), so Perez could go off the board early.

Boone Whiting, rhp, Cardinals: Smallish at 6-foot-1, 175 pounds, Whiting is a fly-ball pitcher who lacks plane on his fastball and doesn’t overpower hitters. His competitiveness, command, athleticism and feel for three average pitches helps him miss bats, as he has a career 9.31 SO/9 IP ratio. Whiting’s fastball sits in the 88-92 mph range and touches 93, and he locates it well. His changeup earns some above-average grades and is his best pitch. He throws a slurvy slider as well, and all three come out of the same over-the-top high arm slot, giving him deception. Whiting was homer-prone in Triple-A, giving up 11 in 106 innings, and profiles as no more than a fifth starter, but he’s close to that ceiling now. In Prospect Handbook terms, he’s a 40/Low.

CLE VEN Jesus Aguilar, 1B 3 1 1 3 .308 HR (14)

Someone get Joe his meds stat !




Twitter
paul hoynes


@hoynsie


Jose Ramirez injured left thumb sliding into a base. Will probably have surgery this week in Cleveland. Out 8 to 10 weeks . #indians

That should means Ramirez is healthy just in time for Spring Training.

Guess now they can't dump him at the Winter meetings.

I had heard Jose Ramirez for David Price but that is probably gone now !

Orioles sent INF Cord Phelps outright to Triple-A Norfolk.

The move clears him from the 40-man roster. Phelps was claimed off waivers from the Indians last month.


Dec 9 - 5:21 PM

Someone get Joe his meds stat !

Twitter
paul hoynes

@hoynsie

Jose Ramirez injured left thumb sliding into a base. Will probably have surgery this week in Cleveland. Out 8 to 10 weeks . #indians

Actually, this is old news. I reported his being sent back to Cleveland nearly two weeks ago. It only took two weeks for the scribes to wake up from their winter naps. By the way, I didn't need the meds then....don't need them now. The only thing I didn't know was the duration of time Ramirez would be lost. I was figuring on 4 to 6 weeks for a broken thumb. I didn't know it would require surgery.

I guess I don't understand why so many people have been adverse to seeing Jose Ramirez succeed when they've never seen him play.

Ramirez is really a pretty good ballplayer deserving of all that he has achieved so far.

I think I might know the answer though. Probably because I like him and would like him to succeed.

Have no problem with him succeeding. Have a problem with you thinking you find a player because you post articles about them.