Cleveland Sports Forum

2014 Minor League Spring Game Recap: March 25th

By Tony Lastoria

March 26, 2014

Share via: Share: Facebook Share: Twitter Share: Google Share: Pinterest Share: Print Share: Email

The Indians squared off with the Reds on Tuesday with all games split between the two complexes in Goodyear. Here is the recap of how all of the Indians hitters and pitchers did on the day, with some notes on some of the performances below each game.

Also, still no releases that I am aware of to report, though there will surely be at least one more round of cuts in the next day or so as rosters unveiled to players on Thursday or Friday.

Louisville 7, Clippers 3

BATTERS
David Murphy (DH) - 2-4, 1 R, 1 2B
Jose Ramirez (2B) - 1-2
Joey Wendle (2B) - 0-2, 1 K
Francisco Lindor (SS) - 0-2, 1 R
Ronny Rodriguez (SS) - 0-2
Jesus Aguilar (1B) - 1-2, 1 2B, 1 K
Bryan LaHair (DH) - 1-2, 1 R, 1 HR, 3 RBI, 1 K
Chun Chen (DH) - 0-0, 1 BB
Carlos Moncrief (CF) - 1-2
Ollie Lintion (CF) - 1-1, 1 SB
Giovanny Urshela (3B) - 0-3, 1 K
Jordan Smith (RF) - 0-2
Tim Fedroff (LF) - 1-1
Tyler Holt (LF) - 0-2
Roberto Perez (C) - 0-2, 1 K
Alex Lavisky (C) - 0-1
Charlie Valerio DH) - 0-3

PITCHERS
Trevor Bauer - 5.2 IP, 4 H, 2 R (both earned), 1 BB, 6 K
Enosil Tejeda - 0.2 IP, 5 H, 5 R (all earned)
Austin Adams - 1.2 IP, 2 K
Preston Gulimet - 1 IP, 1 H, 2 K

Notes: One thing to note, when the Major League guys come down to play in these games to get at bats, they are the second hitter in each inning so that they can get their four at bats in the first four innings and then go home for the day. Just another example of the leeway with minor league spring games. … Bryan LaHair connected for a three-run shot and essentially provided all of the Clippers offense on the day. … We all know that Jesus Aguilar will be the regular first baseman at Columbus, but it is going to be interesting to see how they fit Bryan LaHair, Chun Chen and David Cooper on the roster as there appears to only be room for one to be the regular DH and maybe another to mix in as well. To me, this spells trouble for Chun Chen making the Columbus roster. … Trevor Bauer had a solid outing that was just 12-for-22 with first pitch strikes and needed 87 pitches to get through his 5.2 innings and had to be pulled before the end of his inning due to pitch count. … This was a rather uncommon outing for Tejeda who faced eight batters and five of them reached on a hit and all scored. I hope he is healthy as these kind of out of nowhere bad outings can be a signal that something is wrong physically with a pitcher.

RubberDucks 4, Pensacola 3

BATTERS
Bryson Myles (CF) - 0-2, 2 K, 1 SB
Erik Gonzalez (SS) - 0-2, 1 K
Joe Sever (3B) - 0-1
Yandy Diaz (DH) - 0-2, 1 K
Alex Monsalve (C) - 0-2
Eric Haase (C) - 1-1, 1 R, 1 HR, 1 RBI
James Roberts (3B/SS) - 2-3, 2 R, 1 K
Logan Vick (RF) - 1-1, 1 R, 1 3B, 1 RBI, 1 BB,1 SB
Jerrud Sabourin (1B) - 0-2, 1 BB, 1 K
Brian Ruiz (LF) - 0-3, 1 RBI
Zach MacPhee (2B) - 0-1, 1 RBI
LeVon Washington (DH) - 0-2

PITCHERS
Giovanni Soto - 2 IP, 2 H, 1 R (earned), 1 BB, 1 K
Kyle Davies - 4 IP, 5 H, 1 R (earned), 2 BB. 2 K
Elvis Araujo - 1 IP, 1 H
Jordan Cooper - 1 IP, 1 H, 1 R (earned), 1 BB, 1 K
Anderson Polanco - 1 IP, 1 BB, 1 K

Notes: Maybe it is just me, but the Indians have really lacked many standout showings offensively this spring. Last year Nellie Rodriguez and Dorssys Paulino hit the cover off the ball, the year before Leonardo Castillo was impressive, and so on. But this spring no one has stood out and the hit and run totals in these games has been low. Another example of this is the four runs on four hits in the Akron game yesterday. … James Roberts was the top performer with two hits and two runs scored, and he looks like he will split time at third base and shortstop for High-A Carolina or Low-A Lake County. … It is nice to see Giovanni Soto stretched out to 30 pitches and more than inning. It shows he is healthy and might be an indicator of a guy being built up to potentially start again. … Anderson Polanco was a guy who stood out to me in camp. He’s not a big velocity guy but he has some deception from the left side and can get it up over the 90s. He’s a sleeper left-handed relief prospect to keep an eye on.

Mudcats 8, Bakersfield 6

BATTERS
Dorssys Paulino (SS) - 1-3, 1 R, 1 2B, 1 K
Ivan Castillo (SS) - 0-1
Yhoxian Medina (2B) - 1-3, 1 R, 1 BB, 1 K
Jeremy Lucas (DH/C) - 2-3, 2 R, 1 RBI, 1 BB, 1 K
Nelson Rodriguez (DH/C) - 2-4, 2 R, 1 2B, 1 HR, 3 RBI, 2 K
Richard Stock (C) - 1-2, 1 R, 1 2B, 1 RBI
Ryan Battaglia (PH) - 0-3, 2 K
Cody Ferrell (CF) - 1-3, 1 R, 1 BB, 1 K
Leonardo Castillo (1B) - 1-2, 1 2B, 2 RBi, 1 K
Nick Hamilton (1B) - 1-2, 1 2B, 1 RBI
Josh McAdams(RF) - 0-2, 1 K
Juan Romero (RF) - 0-2, 2 K
Jorge Martinez (LF) - 0-3, 1 K
Victor Cabral (LF) - 1-2
Paul Hendrix (3B) - 0-3, 3 K
Robel Garcia (3B) - 0-2

PITCHERS
Dylan Baker - 1.2 IP, 2 H, 3 R (all earned), 3 BB
Grant Sides - 1.1 IP, 2 BB, 1 K
Michael Peoples - 4 IP, 3 H, 3 R (all earned), 2 BB, 1 K
Wander Beras - 2 IP, 1 BB, 3 K

Notes: A rare good offensive showing as Carolina pounded out eight runs on 11 hits, though racked up 16 strikeouts at the plate. … Nellie Rodriguez had a much needed good game with a multi-hit game and homer run after Monday’s four-strikeout showing. … Josh McAdams and Juan Romero have been together in the box score on a daily basis and split time in right field, a clear indication that both are in consideration for a spot at Lake County and one will probably be the right fielder there to start the season. … Dylan Baker is working his way back after a small setback this spring when he had some mild arm soreness as he is up to 1.2 innings and threw 35 pitches. It looks promising that he should be able to start the season on time and go to Carolina, though may be limited with his pitch count in his first start or two. … Michael Peoples is another guy being built up to start as he threw 61 pitches over his four innings. The Indians plan to have a few piggyback situations at Carolina and Lake County where they potentially have 13-14 starters filling 10 rotation spots.

Dayton 8, Captains 4

BATTERS
Joel Mejia (RF) - 0-4
Yonathan Mendoza (3B) - 1-3, 1 R, 1 HR,1 RBI, 1 K
Peter Dolan (3B) - 0-1, 1 K
Yu-Cheng Chang (SS) - 0-3, 1 R, 1 K
Claudio Bautista (SS) - 0-1
Anthony Santander (DH) - 1-3, 1 K
Juan De La Cruz (DH) - 0-1
Francisco Mejia (C) - 2-3, 1 R, 1 2B, 1 RBI
Shane Rowland (C) - 0-1
Willi Castro (DH) - 1-3, 1 2B, 1 RBI
Ordomar Valdez (DH) - 0-1, 1 K
D'Vone McClure (LF) - 0-3, 2 K
Sicnarf Loopstok (PH) - 0-1
Garrett Smith (2B) - 1-3, 1 R, 1 2B
Takuya Tsuchida (2B) - Defensive Replacement Only, Did Not Bat
Emmanuel Tapia (1B 0 -0-3
Gerald Bautista (1B) - Defensive Replacement Only, Did Not Bat
Junior Soto (CF) - 0-2, 1 BB, 1 K

PITCHERS
Luis Lugo - 3.2 IP, 6 H, 3 R (all earned), 2 BB, 3 K
Anthony Vizcaya - 0.2 IP, 2 H, 2 R (both earned), 2 BB, 1 K
Juan Santana - 1 IP, 1 H, 2 BB, 1 K
Jose Zapata - 1.1 IP, 2 H, 1 R (earned), 1 K
Ramon Rodriguez - 1 IP, 1 K
Trevor Frank - 1 IP, 1 H, 2 R (both unearned), 1 BB

Notes: Francisco Mejia chips in with another multi-hit effort and an extra base hit. He is going to be a lot of fun to watch this season at Lake County. There will clearly be an adjustment he will have to undergo and he may struggle, but the tools with the bat and arm are exciting. ... Willi Castro is a name to file away for this summer as he will probably play all season in Arizona in extended spring training, then the Arizona Summer League and then in Instructional League in the fall. He is someone that several staffers have pointed out as a guy they are excited about. … It is going to be interesting to see what happens with D’Vone McClure. He’s not had a very good camp and his struggles with the bat last season are concerning. He’s an exciting talent and a nice guy off the field, but that only takes you so far. I’m a noted McClure fan, but I am worried about his future and hope things eventually click for him at some point this season so all of that talent can show itself. … Luis Lugo is getting ready to start as he threw 69 pitches over his 3.2 innings, though was just 3-for-19 with first pitch strikes – which is not good.

Follow Tony and the Indians Baseball 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.

Maybe it is just me, but the Indians have really lacked many standout showings offensively this spring

It's not only Tony. It's the lack of offensive talent. There are precious few position players of interest anywhere in the organization beyond Lindor and Frazier. Francisco Mejia probably rates up there, too, he had single and double and is a very young good fielding catcher who will debut in full league play as a teenager. Paulino also rates well, he had a double in yesterday's game, and the hot/cold Nellie Rodriguez homered, doubled and struck out twice.

The cold/cold high school draft choice failure D'Vone McClure again hitless with 2 k in 3 tries.

Cole Sulser and Josh Martin take part in morning PFPs

2014 Goodyear Notebook: March 25th

By Tony Lastoria

March 26, 2014

Follow on Twitter

Share via: Share: Facebook Share: Twitter Share: Google Share: Pinterest Share: Print Share: Email

We are at the tail end of spring training as just three days of games remain on Thursday, Friday and Saturday before minor league camp officially wraps up on March 30th. The anticipation of a new season is exciting, especially as we await the assignments of players to the various affiliates. Players should find out those assignments on Thursday or Friday.

I have since left Arizona and am back home, but here is one final update on the happenings out in Goodyear. I must say, compared to previous trips to the desert for spring training, this was a very mild camp as far as news goes. Hopefully that is a good thing - and it stays that way for the next few days as there are always last minute injuries that crop up.

As a sidenote, I will be at the Low-A Lake County and Double-A Akron exhibition game at Classic Park in Eastlake, Ohio on Tuesday. From there I will be traveling to High-A Carolina for their home opener in Zebulon, North Carolina and then will travel back home via Columbus to see Triple-A Columbus in their opening weekend of action. So in the span of six days I will see five games from all four full season affiliates.

Also, be on the lookout for the first Radar Report of the season sometime this weekend. I have radar readings for close to three dozen minor league pitchers that I recorded while out in Arizona.

Onto the notebook....

Releases: The Indians made three more releases on Tuesday, all of them pitchers, as they continue to sort through their pitching options for the season. They released lefties JD Reichenbach and Geoffrey Davenport and also released Daniel Carela. Reichenbach achieved a lot considering he was an undrafted free agent signing in 2010 and pitched three and a half seasons in the organization, but he was barely in the low 80s with his fastball in his last outing. Davenport is a mild surprise as he has performed well in the limited time he has been able to pitch, but unfortunately two serious elbow injuries pushed him way back on the backburner and he lost his opportunity. Carela was barely with the organization long as he was signed in the offseason because of his mid-90s fastball, but he struggled with walks all spring and the Indians let him go.

Upper level catching shakeout: We might have an answer to the catching surplus in the upper levels. From what I have heard, Luke Carlin and Roberto Perez will likely be the catching duo at Triple-A Columbus; however, most of the questions have centered around how the Indians will get Tony Wolters, Alex Monsalve and Jake Lowery onto the Double-A Akron roster. I feel that they will carry them all on there and have one of them DH, but Lowery has been absent from a lot of spring activities and only recently played a few innings in a game and was not in the lineup on Tuesday. Obviously he may be nursing a minor injury and the Indians are easing him back into the mix, but with camp set to break in a few days it would not be a surprise to see Lowery stick around in extended spring training for a week or so. Like I said, I expect Lowery to open at Akron, but would not be surprised to see him not open there as the Indians are typically overly cautious with these kinds of things.

Packer shut down: Lefty Matt Packer was slated to pitch on Sunday but something came up which prevented him from pitching and he has not been in a game since or been seen in morning workouts participating in the daily throwing program for the pitchers. I do not have any specific details at this time about the injury, but I think it does not look promising that he will be opening the season on time. Hopefully the setback is only minor and not something more significant that is going to cut into a large portion of his season.

No Sayles: Outfielder Silento Sayles has been missing in action all spring thanks to a lower leg injury he sustained very early in spring training. As a result, he has been resigned to a lot of rehab and strength and conditioning work during the morning workouts and doing a lot of sitting and watching during games while he waits to get healthy. The Indians are hopeful that he can return to game action sometime next week when extended spring training games start. There is no rush with him as the rookie level Arizona season does not start until June anyway, plus his legs are his what makes him special, so they want to ensure he is completely healthy so that he is not battling with a leg injury all season that affects his development and performance. On a sidenote, he was a quarterback in high school who ran the spread option and was a small forward on his basketball team – even at his small size he made up for the lack of height with his ability to jump.

TJ updates: Right-hander Mason Radeke and left-hander Michael Rayl had Tommy John surgery last summer and are progressing well in their rehabs. Rayl had his surgery in July last year and Radeke had his about three weeks later in August. Radeke threw his first bullpen on Tuesday and Rayl has already been throwing, though it will be a slow progression for both back to the mound for live games. The hope is that Rayl can pitch for rookie level Arizona when their season starts in June and then potentially go to a full season affiliate later in the year if he is healthy. Radeke could begin pitching for Arizona in July and potentially finish with an affiliate for the last few weeks of the season if he has no setbacks.

Luigi sidelined again: It has been a tough 10-12 months for outfielder Luigi Rodriguez. After earning a promotion to High-A Carolina in May he had a shoulder issue crop up in late May that sidelined him for two weeks and after returning for a few days he went back on the disabled list at the end of June and missed the rest of the season. He consulted with a shoulder specialist and he opted to let it heal naturally with rest and was back in action in Instructional League. He had been present in early spring workouts, but has been absent from action the past week or so because of an undisclosed injury. I am not aware of what the injury is, but do know it is not a recurrence of his shoulder injury from last season. He is looking like a guy who may open the season in extended spring training.

Haley progressing: I noted in an earlier notebook that right-handed pitcher Trey Haley is not in camp as he is recovering from a shoulder injury. Apparently, he had a bone spur that was removed last fall which is why he was shut down in the Arizona Fall League and why he has been home in Texas rehabbing. He should be back at the complex soon to begin his return to throw program and could be back in action as early as May or June.

Columbus rotations takes shape: Barring something crazy happening, the Triple-A starting rotation will be (in no particular order) Josh Tomlin, Trevor Bauer, TJ House, Tyler Cloyd and Travis Banwart. I do not expect Kyle Davies to make the roster at Columbus, though he may stick around as a depth starting option for Triple-A.

Follow Tony and the Indians Baseball 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.

2014 Minor League Spring Game Recap: March 26th

By Tony Lastoria

March 27, 2014

Follow on Twitter

Share via: Share: Facebook Share: Twitter Share: Google Share: Pinterest Share: Print Share: Email

The Indians squared off with the White Sox on Wednesday with Triple-A Columbus and Double-A Akron in Goodyear and High-A Carolina and Low-A Lake County in Glendale. Here is the recap of how all of the Indians hitters and pitchers did on the day, with some notes on some of the performances below each game.

Also, a few releases came out yesterday and were noted in the Gooyear Notebook. The players released were left-handed pitchers JD Reichenbach and Goeff Davenport as well as right-handed pitcher Daniel Carela. More cuts are expected in advance of the Indians breaking camp on Saturday.

Clippers 4, Charlotte 3

BATTERS
Joey Wendle (2B) - 0-3
Tyler Naquin (CF) - 3-3, 1 R, 1 2B, 1 HR, 1 RBI
David Cooper (DH) - 1-2
Bryan LaHair (1B) - 0-2
Tim Fedroff (LF) - 1-2
Ronny Rodriguez (SS) - 0-3, 3 K
Tyler Holt (RF) - 0-3, 1 K
Audy Ciriaco (3B) - 1-3, 1 K
Jake Lowery (C) - 0-3
Chun Chen (DH) - 0-2, 1 K

PITCHERS
Shaun Marcum - 2 IP, 1 H, 1 BB, 2 K
Tyler Cloyd - 5 IP, 4 H, 2 K
Mike Zagurski - 2 IP, 4 H, 3 R (all earned), 3 K

Notes: Big game for Tyler Naquin who was perfect at the plate and had two extra base hits. He had a solid showing in big league camp and is setting himself up well for a good season at Akron. If he can find a way to hone in on the strikeouts some this season and play like he did in the Arizona Fall League, then he might begin to win over some people. … Bryan LaHair got some time at first base and David Cooper at DH while Jesus Aguilar got a day off. I still think, if healthy, that LaHair factors into the big league mix soon. … Nice showing by Shaun Marcum who is probably set to go to Columbus by mid-April. The Columbus rotation should have Tomlin, Bauer, House, Cloyd and Banwart, but one of Cloyd or Banwart would be subbed out for Marcum when he is ready. … Speaking of Cloyd, this was a nice outing for him as he threw five shutout innings. He’s upper level starting depth and may still have a little upside left in him.

RubberDucks 4, Birmingham 4

BATTERS
Todd Hankins (2B) - 1-3, 1 R, 1 K
Justin Toole (2B) - 0-1
Logan Vick (RF) - 0-2, 1 BB, 2 K, 1 CS
Zach MacPhee (RF) - 0-1
Erik Gonzalez (SS) - 0-4, 2 K
Yandy Diaz (3B) - 3-3, 1 3B, 1 RBI, 1 BB
Tony Wolters (C) - 0-4, 1 K
Anthony Gallas (LF) - 0-3
Jerrud Sabourin (1B) - 0-3, 3 K
Paddy Matera (DH) - 1-3, 2 R, 1 HR, 1 RBI, 1 K
Ollie Linton (CF) - 0-3, 1 K
Yan Gomes (DH) - 2-2, 2 2B, 2 BB

PITCHERS
Brett Brach - 2 IP, 3 H, 1 R (unearned), 1 K
Nick Hagadone - 1 IP, 1 BB, 2 K
C.C. Lee - 1 IP, 1 H, 2 K
Scott Barnes - 2 IP, 2 H, 4 K
Tyler Sturdevant - 2 IP, 2 H, 3 R (all earned), 1 BB, 2 K
Francisco Valera - 1 IP, 1 K

Notes: Todd Hankins, Justin Toole and Zack MacPhee are in a tightly contested battle for the second base job at High-A Carolina or potentially a utility role, and it will be interesting to see who sticks around by the end of the week. It is interesting to see MacPhee in the outfield for this game as he has only played second base all camp. … Have I mentioned yet how much I like Yandy Diaz? Yesterday I mentioned how there have been no really impressive offensive showing this spring, but I take that back as I completely overlooked Diaz. He by far has been the most impressive bat this spring, some because of his allure as a new player but mostly because he’s hit the snot out of the ball and has several multi-hit games. … C.C. Lee pitched well in his first minor league game of the spring after his recent demotion, and I have to think that his time in Columbus will be short if he stays healthy and performs as he always does.

Mudcats 3, Winston-Salem 3

BATTERS
Cody Ferrell (CF) - 1-1, 1 R, 1 BB
Josh McAdams (CF) - 0-2
Yhoxian Medina (SS) - 3-5, 2 2B, 1 RBI, 1 K
Jeremy Lucas (DH) - 0-1, 2 BB
Richard Stock (DH) - 0-1
Nelson Rodriguez (1B) - 0-3, 2 K
Ivan Castillo (1B) - 0-1, 1 R
Grant Fink (3B) - 0-2, 2 BB, 1 E
Ryan Battaglia (C) - 0-4, 3 K
Robel Garcia (2B) - 1-2, 1 R, 1 HR, 2 RBI, 1 BB
Paul Hendrix (DH) - 0-2, 1 K
Nick Hamilton (DH) - 1-2, 1 SB
Juan Romero (RF) - 0-4, 2 K
Victor Cabral (LF) - 0-2
Brian Ruiz (LF) - 1-2

PITCHERS
D.J. Brown - 1.2 IP, 2 H, 2 R (both unearned), 1 BB, 1 K
Ben Heller - 1.1 IP, 3 H, 2 K
Josh Martin - 2 IP, 3 H, 1 K
K.D. Doane - 2 IP, 1 H
Benny Suarez - 1 IP, 1 H, 1 BB
Elvis Araujo - 0.2 IP, 1H, 1 R (earned), 2 BB, 1 K

Notes: Yhoxian Medina with three hits, something you don’t see from him often. He’s battling for a utility spot at High-A Carolina or Low-A Lake County, and while that decision of who would handle that role was probably already determined before spring training, such a performance could still possibly help. … It is feast of famine for Nellie Rodriguez as he went 0-for-4 with four strikeouts on Monday and went 0-for-3 with two strikeouts on Wednesday, yet had a multi-hit game and a homer on Tuesday. … Robel Garcia is a guy the organization still likes, but I wonder if their patience with him has run out considering he really flatlined as a prospect the last two years after an impressive showing in the AZL in 2011. … Lots of pen work from the Carolina pitchers in this one. All of these guys stand a good chance of opening the season at either Carolina or Lake County.

Kannapolis 10, Captains 6

BATTERS
Ordomar Valdez (3B) - 0-2, 1 BB,1 CS
Grofi Cruz (3B) - 1-1, 1 R, 1 HR, 1 RBI
Claudio Bautista (2B) - 3-3, 2 R, 1 3B, 1 HR, 3 RBI, 1 CS
Takuya Tsuchida (2B) - 0-0, 1 BB, 1 CS, 1 E
Yu-Cheng Chang (DH) - 1-3, 1 K, 1 CS
Shane Rowland (DH) - 0-1, 1 K
Jorge Martinez (RF) - 1-3, 1 R, 1 BB, 1 K
Willi Castro (SS) - 1-2, 1 R, 1 BB, 1 K, 2 SB
Yonathan Mendoza (SS) - 0-1
Gerald Bautista (1B) 1-2, 1 2B, 2 RBI, 1 K
Emmanuel Tapia (1B) - 0-1, 1 K
D'Vone McClure (LF) - 0-2, 1 K
Sicnarf Loopstok (C) - 0-2, 1 K
Juan De La Cruz (C) - 0-1, 1 K
Junior Soto (CF) - 0-2, 1 R, 1 BB, 2 K

PITCHERS
Jordan Milbrath - 4 IP, 8 H, 5 R (all earned), 2 BB, 7 K
Kenny Matthews - 2 IP, 3 H, 2 R (both earned), 1 BB, 3 K
Luis Gomez - 1.2 IP, 4 H, 3 R (all earned), 5 K
Cortland Cox - 1 IP, 3 H, 2 BB, 1 K

Notes: Grofi Cruz is a high profile Latin pickup in 2012 and one to keep an eye on this summer. He has been getting some at bats over the past few days and looks primed to make his stateside debut this year first in extended spring training and then in the Arizona League. … Claudio Bautista is one of my favorite lower level prospects. He is not very big, but his bat is impressive thanks to the aggressive way he attacks balls and showcases some nice bat speed and deceiving strength. … Takuya Tsuchida has made a few errors this spring and looks lost at second base, so I wonder if a position change is coming soon or if he is in danger of being released. … Jordan Milbrath looks all but certain to open the season in the rotation at Low-A Lake County as he is up to 77 pitches and went four innings. The performance was rough, but what is most interesting is how quickly he has grown in favor of the organization. They really like his stuff and his potential as a starting pitcher.

Follow Tony and the Indians Baseball 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.

Grofi Cruz was considered a risky pick when we signed him in 2012 and he hasn't done much so far.
DeVone McClure with a good day at the plate, only struck out once, but then he also only batted twice.

I continue to see few names in these boxes that impress me. Little to look forward to in the minors this season among position players. Hope some of the pitchers can keep their short season success as they move to full season roles

2014 IBI Positional Rankings: The Shortstops

By Tony Lastoria

March 27, 2014

Follow on Twitter

Share via: Share: Facebook Share: Twitter Share: Google Share: Pinterest Share: Print Share: Email

After kicking things off on Sunday with the first basemen and second basemen, today we move on to the shortstops in our IBI positional rankings.

The shortstop position is do doubt a position where the Indians are very strong, so much so they had to move a gifted shortstop in Tony Wolters out of the position last season in order to clear up some of the logjam at the position. They have four legit shortstop prospects in the system that will be at a full season affiliate to start the season, and they also have another two or three high upside shortstops that they are excited about that will be in Arizona this summer (they are not featured here and will be in an upcoming piece).

With Asdrubal Cabrera nearing free agency, this is a great position to have a lot of depth as they have several alternatives they can turn to after the 2014 season - namely their top prospect Francisco Lindor. But there are other options that can factor into things including Jose Ramirez who was featured in the second base rankings because that is his best position and where he profiles best as an everyday player.

Here are the shortstops...
1. Francisco Lindor

Born: 11/14/1993 - Height: 5’11” - Weight: 175 - Bats: Switch - Throws: Right
2013 Stats: .303/.380/.407/.787, 65 R, 22 2B, 7 3B, 2 HR, 34 RBI, 49 BB, 46 K, 25 SB

Lindor was selected in the 1st round of the 2011 Draft out of Montverde Academy High School (FL). He is a franchise middle of the diamond player who can impact in nearly every phase of the game. He has a very professional line drive approach and good plan when he steps up to the plate with good instincts and solid hitting skills to work to the middle of the field, and has strong, quick hands and good footwork throughout his swing to go along with some above average bat speed from both sides of the plate. He displays good patience where he limits strikeouts and is willing to work counts to get a good pitch to hit or take a walk, and shows a good ability to work the outer half of the plate and go the other way. While his offensive game is very good, it is his defense at a premium position that carries the most value for him and is his greatest skill. He is a Gold Glove caliber defender who is a confident defender, displays very good actions, has an excellent feel for the game, very good quickness, athleticism, and plus hands and feet. He also has an above average arm with a lightning quick release that is very accurate, and is a plus runner who is aggressive with good instincts. His makeup is off the charts as he is very mature and is a tireless worker who always works at his craft to try and get better and be more consistent in all phases of the game. While he has few if any limitations, he does work so hard that sometimes it can have a negative impact on him and the Indians are working to curtail some of his extra work before and after games to keep him healthy and strong all season. The Indians are in no rush to promote him because of the presence of Asdrubal Cabrera, but as soon as Cabrera leaves Lindor should become the starting shortstop in Cleveland or very soon after and stay there for a long time.
2. Dorssys Paulino

Born: 11/21/1994 – Height: 6’0” – Weight: 175 – Bats: Right – Throws: Right
2013 Stats: .246/.297/.349/.646, 56 R, 28 2B, 3 3B, 5 HR, 46 RBI, 30 BB, 91 K, 12 SB

Paulino was signed by the Indians as an undrafted free agent out of the Dominican Republic in July of 2011 for $1.1 million. He is one of the more gifted hitters to come out of Latin America for the Indians in some time as he shows an advanced approach at a young age and has some good power and athleticism. He has the potential to be a special offensive player because of his good feel for the bat head, bat speed, and impressive hand-eye coordination. He has a consistent, simple swing that is short, effortless and compact that he repeats well and does not get overaggressive with. He has slightly above average power, but as he continues to mature and get stronger the belief is he will have true plus power. His defense still has a lot of room for improvement in order to become average at the shortstop position, but he has the skills to play shortstop and stick there because of some quickness and athleticism, solid lateral movement to his left and right, and a very good arm. While the Indians have maintained a commitment to him as a shortstop, as he fills out his frame his size and overall strength could eventually push him to a less demanding defensive position, which is why many feel that he will eventually move to third base or a corner outfield position. He is an average runner who has some quickness and improving base-running skills. He needs to overcome his perpetual defensive issues and start showing more consistency. A lot of his errors are not physical; they are more mental because of limited experience, a lack of focus or the game speeding up on him. Even with the poor showing last season, he was the youngest player in the league and scouts still like his potential with the bat and his prospect value has not diminished very much.
3. Ronny Rodriguez

Born: 04/17/1992 - Height: 6’0” - Weight: 170 - Bats: Right - Throws: Right
2013 Stats: .265/.291/.376/.667, 62 R, 25 2B, 6 3B, 5 HR, 52 RBI, 16 BB, 76 K, 12 SB

Rodriguez was signed by the Indians as a free agent in October of 2010 out of the Dominican Republic. He is an exceptionally talented player who is physically gifted and just oozes athleticism and tools. He has a very good swing that results in good, hard contact when he stays within the zone, and he has some surprising natural strength and plenty of bat speed that generates good power to all fields. He is an aggressive hitter who goes up to the plate swinging so he does not walk much and he is susceptible to strikeouts, but over the last two seasons he has shown more patience and improvement in his willingness to drive the ball to the opposite field, be a little more selective, and not be as overly aggressive early in the count. He has the makings of a good defender with the tools to play any of third base, shortstop or second base at the Major League level and be at least a solid average defender at all three spots. He has exceptionally quick hands and feet with excellent instincts and plus range to really cover a lot of ground, and combines that with a lightning fast release with tons of arm strength to throw strikes over to first base. On the bases he is an above average runner with solid speed and quickness with the ability to steal some bases. Plate discipline continues to be a significant area of focus for him as the Indians would like to see him add more discipline into the mix – not necessarily to take pitches and walk, but learning the strike zone, building a more professional routine and approach, improving his pitch recognition skills and being aggressive on pitches that he can drive. He took a slight step back in 2013, but that step back may have been needed in order to take a few steps forward this coming season.

4. Erik Gonzalez

Born: 08/31/1991 – Height: 6’1” – Weight: 165 – Bats: Right – Throws: Right
2013 Stats: .254/.293/.417/.710, 75 R, 32 2B, 12 3B, 9 HR, 76 RBI, 29 BB, 109 K, 11 SB

Gonzalez was signed by the Indians as an undrafted free agent in August 2008 out of the Dominican Republic. He is an athletic and toolsy player who made significant strides over the course of the 2013 calendar year and shows power and life in his bat. He added a little bit of a leg kick last season which helped him out with his timing and his shift into a load position, and he refined his swing and has become more consistent with his bat path and it in turn has helped unleash some of his raw power. He has made strides defensively and shows outstanding range, good side to side agility, a strong arm and very good hands along with exceptional athleticism, jumping ability, and a solid average run tool. While the Indians are concentrating on developing him as a shortstop this coming season, it is his versatility that makes him valuable as a utility player as he can play any infield position except catcher and can even play the outfield if needed. In order to reach the big leagues he is going to have to make some significant strides with his approach at the plate and improve his strike zone discipline. Bottom line, 53 extra base hits from a middle of the diamond player along with run production is pretty special, even if the plate discipline and bat to ball are questionable. The Indians really love his athleticism and believe he can be a major league shortstop and will give him every opportunity to prove it.
5. James Roberts

Born: 12/11/1991 – Height: 6’2” – Weight: 180 – Bats: Right – Throws: Right
2013 Stats: .235/.315/.274/, 15 R, 4 2B, 0 3B, 1 HR, 18 RBI, 12 BB, 28 K, 2 SB

Roberts was selected in the 15th round of the 2013 Draft out of the University of Southern California. He is a steady player from a good college baseball conference who has a solid approach and competed well with the bat in his pro debut last season at short season Single-A Mahoning Valley. The bat needs some work and the power is limited, but he works the middle of the field well and displays some solid plate discipline skills. He has some arm strength and the Indians really like his size and makeup. Maybe his greatest asset is his versatility as he is a bigger guy along the lines of former Indians prospect Juan Diaz who can play shortstop but has the strength, athleticism, footwork, and arm to move around the diamond to other infield positions – and may actually play more third base this season. He needs a lot of work with the consistency of his swing and there are some mechanical things he needs to iron out that may free him up to allow for more power. Even though his numbers tailed off toward the end of last year the Indians liked the foundation he built in his pro debut.

6. Ivan Castillo

Born: 05/30/1995 – Height: 5’11” – Weight: 150 – Bats: Switch – Throws: Right
2013 Stats: .231/.258/.269/.527, 25 R, 6 2B, 0 3B, 0 HR, 12 RBI, 4 BB, 23 K, 13 SB

Castillo was signed by the Indians out of the Dominican Republic in January 2012. He is a raw, switch-hitting middle infielder that has some ability to control the bat and has some speed, but has almost no power. The strength of his game is his defense as he is a gifted defender with natural instincts at shortstop and is considered one of the Indians top defensive middle infielders in their system showing good athleticism, quickness, and a very strong arm. He is continuing to work on adding strength and has added around 15 pounds since being signed by the Indians. His defensive ability, versatility to play anywhere in the infield and above average running ability create value for him, but he ultimately at best may be a utility player the higher he moves up in the system. He reminds a lot of people of former Indians prospect Ivan Ochoa from a few years back.

7. Audy Ciriaco

Born: 06/16/1987 – Height: 6’3” – Weight: 195 – Bats: Right – Throws: Right
2013 Stats: .227/.292/.338/.630, 35 R, 7 2B, 2 3B, 6 HR, 29 RBI, 22 BB, 45 K, 7 SB

Ciriaco was signed by the Indians as a minor league free agent in January of 2014. He is a very good athlete with a good body, and has a quick bat with some strength where he flashes some average power and can drive the ball into the gaps. He is a versatile defender who has the hands and range to handle shortstop, but has the athleticism, speed and a plus arm to handle almost any position on the field. He is an above average runner who shows good instincts on the bases, and is a hardworking good makeup guy. He has struggled with the bat and not developed as originally hoped thanks to an over-aggressive approach at the plate. His bat has been inconsistent throughout his minor league career because he struggles with pitch recognition and expands the zone too much. He needs to continue to work on the consistency of his defense with his pre-pitch setup, his first step quickness and the accuracy of his throws. He is an upper level minor league depth option for the Indians who likely will not factor into the Major League mix but will serve an organizational role throughout the year as a reserve player.

8. Justin Toole

Born: 09/10/1986 – Height: 6’0” – Weight: 180 – Bats: Right – Throws: Right
2013 Stats: .253/.296/.287/.583, 27 R, 11 2B, 0 3B, 0 HR, 32 RBI, 20 BB, 37 K, 5 SB

Toole was signed by the Indians as an undrafted minor league free agent in June of 2009 out of the University of Iowa. He does a solid job handling the bat, though has no power and lacks much patience and has below average pitch recognition skills. He is an average runner whose speed plays up on the basepaths because of his intelligence and instincts. He has the ability to play any position in the infield and is a solid average defender overall, and even has experience playing every position on the field having once played all nine positions in a single game for Carolina in 2012. Even though he is an older player with little if any upside, he has carved a niche in the organization as a reliable, positive player that has a lot of versatility and understands his role as an organizational player that fills in where necessary. He is a favorite in the organization both among players and coaches because of his outstanding makeup and self-confidence, which is a big reason he has stuck around as long as he has - some even believe that he will end up as a coach at some point.

Follow Tony and the Indians Baseball 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.

For once I think Tony somewhat undersold a player in his comments on Paulino; yes his offensive numbers were not very impressive in 2013 but they significantly improved over the course of the season. He hit virtually nothing in April and his power was shutoff until nearly midway through the year. He adjusted pretty well and became a much more valuable hitter in the second 1/2 or 2/3 of the year. Still rates as probably our 3rd or 4th best position player prospect behind Lindor, Frazier and possible F. Mejia.

Month Avg On Base Slugging
April 208 288 208
May_ 223 284 330
June 250 255 406
July 255 317 373
Aug_ 281 330 385

2014 Minor League Spring Game Recap: March 27th

By Tony Lastoria

March 28, 2014

Follow on Twitter

Share via: Share: Facebook Share: Twitter Share: Google Share: Pinterest Share: Print Share: Email

The Indians had a camp day on Thursday as Triple-A Columbus and Double-A Akron squared off on one field and High-A Carolina and Low-A Lake County squared off on the other. Here is the recap of how all of the Indians hitters and pitchers did on the day, with some notes on some of the performances below each game.

Also, a few things to note. One, with a camp day yesterday, organizational personnel met after the games to finalize the rosters for the full season teams and make some final decisions on cuts. Players should find out where they are going today and there may be some final releases conducted over the next 24-48 hours before camp breaks Saturday afternoon.

The other thing to note is Chun Chen was released on Wednesday night. I noted in this space several times earlier this week when David Cooper and Bryan LaHair were both assigned to Columbus that it spelled doom for Chen, and it unfortunately did. Hopefully he lands on his feet somewhere.

RubberDucks 5, Clippers 2

CLIPPERS BATTERS
Jose Ramirez (2B) - 2-2, 1 R, 1 2B
Audy Ciriaco (2B/3B) - 0-1
Francisco Lindor (SS) - 0-3, 2 K, 1 E
Bryan LaHair (DH) - 1-3, 1
Jesus Aguilar (1B) - 0-3, 2 K. 1 E
Carlos Moncrief (RF) - 0-0, 1 BB, 1 SB
Jordan Smith (RF) - 0-1, 1 BB, 1 K
Giovanny Urshela (3B) - 0-2, 1 K
Tyler Naquin (CF) - 1-1, 1 BB
Jerad Head (LF) - 0-2, 1 K
Alex Monsalve (C) - 2-2, 1 R, 1 3B
David Cooper (DH) - 1-1, 1 RBI

CLIPPERS PITCHERS
Cody Anderson - 5 IP, 6 H, 3 R (all earned), 1 BB, 5 K
Alexis Paredes - 2 IP, 3 H, 2 R (1 earned), 1 K

Notes: Jose Ramirez is now 11-for-28 at the plate this spring (.393) and has still not seen any action at shortstop. Last year he played a lot of shortstop in spring training and it set him up for some time there at Akron, so it will be interesting to see just how much time if any he gets at shortstop at Columbus early in the season. … No, that is not a typo. Yes, that is Jerad Head in the box score. He is back in the fold after signing a minor league deal with the Indians on March 19th and it looks like he might be a depth guy to fill in at Triple-A Columbus as needed this season. … Cody Anderson made his final start before his first one of the season, though may throw in the exhibition game at Classic Park on Tuesday since it would be right in line with his next scheduled start day.

RUBBERDUCKS BATTERS
LeVon Washington (LF) - 2-4, 1 2B
Erik Gonzalez (SS) - 0-4, 2 K
Joe Sever (1B) - 2-3, 2 R
Yandy Diaz (3B) - 0-1, 1 R, 1 BB, 1 K
Paddy Matera (3B) - 1-1, 1 R
Bryson Myles (RF) - 2-2, 1 R, 1 2B, 1 RBI
Ollie Linton (assumed RF) - 0-1
Anthony Gallas (DH) - 2-2, 1 2B, 2 RBI
Brian Ruiz (DH) - 0-0, 1 RBI
Roberto Perez (C) - 0-3
Logan Vick (CF) - 0-2, 1 K
Zach MacPhee (CF) - 0-1
Justin Toole (2B) - 1-3, 1 K, 1 CS

RUBBERDUCKS PITCHERS
Travis Banwart - 5 IP, 6 H, 2 R (both earned), 3 BB, 6 K
Nick Hagadone - 1 IP, 1 H, 1 BB
Trevor Frank - 1 IP

Notes: Erik Gonzalez has a whopping 17 strikeouts in 40 at bats this spring. Ouch. He’s a good talent with lots of athleticism and ability, but that plate discipline was a serious concern last season and continues to be a concern. … Yandy Diaz is 12-for-26 this spring (.462) with 7 walks and 3 strikeouts. No doubt the bat has been impressive, just now he needs to carry it into the season – likely at High-A Carolina – and also find a position on the diamond – likely third base to start. … Anthony Gallas has had a strong camp. While he is only 8-for-27 at the plate (.296), five of his eight hits are for extra bases and he has 7 RBI. He’s fighting for that extra outfielder spot at Double-A Akron or High-A Carolina. … Barring something crazy happening, Travis Banwart will open the season as one of the five starters at Triple-A Columbus. This was his last start of the spring and he needed 84 pitches to get through five innings.

Mudcats 5, Captains 3

MUDCATS BATTERS
Dorssys Paulino (SS) - 0-4, 1 K
Paul Hendrix (2B) - 2-2, 1 2B
Robel Garcia (2B) - 1-2, 1 R, 1 RBI, 1 K
Jeremy Lucas (C) - 0-1, 1 BB
Richard Stock (C) - 2-2, 1 R, 1 3B, 2 RBI
Ronny Rodriguez (DH) - 0-2, 2 K
Ryan Battaglia (DH) - 1-2, 1 2B, 1 RBI, 1 K
Grant Fink (3B) - 1-1, 1 1B
Yhoxian Medina (3B) - 0-2
Cody Ferrell (CF) - 0-3, 1 BB, 2 K
Leonardo Castillo (1B) - 2-2
Nick Hamilton (1B) - 0-1, 1 K
Jorge Martinez (RF) - 1-2, 1 R, 1 Hr, 1 RBI
Juan Romero (RF) - 0-1, 1 R
Victor Cabral (LF) - 0-1, 1 R, 2 BB

MUDCATS PITCHERS
Ryan Merritt - 5 IP, 7 H, 3 R (2 earned), 3 K
Justin Brantley - 1 IP, 2 K
Jose Zapata - 1 IP, 2 K
Carlos Melo - 1 IP, 2 K

Notes: Dorssys Paulino has had an awful spring as he is just 4-for-27 at the plate (.148) with 5 strikeouts. I would be surprised if he does not open the season with a return to Low-A Lake County. … Speaking of rough springs, Paul Hendrix has had a rough go of it as he was just 1-for-27 going into this game and is now 3-for-29 (.103) with 13 strikeouts. … Richard Stock has performed well going 10-for-29 at the plate (.345) and is fighting for a reserve spot on the High-A Carolina roster. … Ryan Merritt was solid throwing 68 pitches over his five innings of work and is in line to open the season in the High-A Carolina rotation.

CAPTAINS BATTERS
Clint Frazier (CF) - 1-2, 1 R, 1 2B
Junior Soto (CF) - 0-1
Claudio Bautista (2B) - 1-2, 1 R, 1 3B, 1 RBI
Garrett Smith (2B) - 0-1
Yu-Cheng Chang (SS) - 1-2, 1 R
Yonathan Mendoza (SS) - 0-1
Anthony Santander (DH) - 0-3, 1 RBI, 2 K
Francisco Mejia (C) - 1-2, 1 3B, 1 RBI
Shane Rowland (C) - 0-1, 1 K
Josh McAdams (RF) - 0-3, 1 K
Grofi Cruz (3B) - 0-2
Willi Castro (assumed 3B) - 0-1, 1 K
D'Vone McClure (LF) - 0-3, 2 K
Emmanuel Tapia (1B) - 2-2
Gerald Bautista (1B) - Defensive Replacement Only, Did Not Bat
Sicnarf Loopstok (DH) - 1-2, 1 2B, 1 K

CAPTAINS PITCHERS
Robbie Aviles - 3 IP, 3 H, 1 R (earned), 2 BB, 3 K
Jacob Lee - 2 IP, 1 H, 2 BB, 1 K
Rob Nixon - 1 IP, 2 H, 1 R (unearned), 2 K
Casey Shane - 1 IP, 2 H, 3 R (all earned), 1 BB, 1 K
Naoki Hashimoto - 1 IP, 1 K

Notes: Clint Frazier returned to action for the first time in about 10 days and will be eased back into action over the next week or two. Things can always change, but he is likely to open the season in extended spring training and as long as there are no setbacks he should join Low-A Lake County later in April. … Another day and another extra base hit for the machine that is Francisco Mejia. He was limited the first week of games but has shown no rust at the plate at all as he is 8-for-14 (.571) with four extra base hits. Lake County, here he comes. … Robbie Aviles looks to be in the starting mix at High-A Carolina, though may be in a piggyback role. He made 44 pitches over his three innings and was just 5-for-11 in first pitch strikes.

Follow Tony and the Indians Baseball 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.

Chen was my breakout play a few years ago.

Civ,

I don't think we can be too critical when it comes to Tony's assessments. He's done a great job on these reports. Where else can we get this kind of coverage on minor league baseball? I don't think very many teams have this kind of coverage on this scale. There is a lot of time and effort that goes into these reports. Believe me, we should know.

Tony devotes lots of time and energy to keep us informed. He's overly optimistic in most of his reports, but that's obviously his nature. I believe he is a cancer survivor and I'm sure his optimism is a good way of dealing with life's trials.

Barring something crazy happening, Travis Banwart will open the season as one of the five starters at Triple-A Columbus. This was his last start of the spring and he needed 84 pitches to get through five innings.

This is one guy I am hoping we never get so desperate as to bring up to Cleveland.

I didn't know that about Tony.

2014 Minor League Spring Game Recap: March 28th

By Tony Lastoria

March 29, 2014

Follow on Twitter

Share via: Share: Facebook Share: Twitter Share: Google Share: Pinterest Share: Print Share: Email

The Indians squared off with the Rockies on Friday with Triple-A Columbus and Double-A Akron going to Scottsdale and High-A Carolina and Low-A Lake County at home in Goodyear. Here is the recap of how all of the Indians hitters and pitchers did on the day, with some notes on some of the performances below each game.

Today is the final day of spring training for players as they will be in Goodyear for a camp day so the day can be wrapped up early and they can pack and get ready for their flights to their full season destinations which should depart early Sunday morning.

The Indians also made some more cuts yesterday as they released infielders Paddy Matera, Robel Garcia and Zack MacPhee along with catcher Mitch Nilsson.

Clippers 9, Colorado Springs 2

BATTERS
Jose Ramirez (SS) - 1-3, 1 R, 1 HR, 3 RBI, 1 K
Francisco Lindor (SS) - 0-2
Tyler Naquin (CF) - 1-3
Carlos Moncrief (LF/CF) - 2-3, 1 R, 1 3B, 1 BB
Jesus Aguilar (DH/1B) - 1-4
David Cooper (1B/DH) - 1-3, 1 R, 1 2B, 1RBI, 1 K
Giovanny Urshela (3B) - 2-2, 1 RBI
Audy Ciriaco (3B) - 2-2, 1 R
Joey Wendle (2B) - 1-4, 2 R
Jordan Smith (RF) - 1-3, 2 R, 1 HR, 2 RBI, 1 BB
Jake Lowery (C) - 1-2, 1 RBI
Alex Lavisky (C) - 1-2, 1 K
Charlie Valerio (DH) - 0-0, 1 R
Jerad Head (DH/LF) - 0-2

PITCHERS
T.J. House - 5 IP, 4 H, 1 R (earned), 1 BB, 3 K
Colt Hynes - 1 IP, 2 H, 1 R (earned), 3 K
Frank Herrmann - 2 IP, 1 K
C.C. Lee - 1 IP, 2 K

Notes: And we have our first sighting of Jose Ramirez at shortstop this spring. It looks like it also brought out the big lumber for him as he went yard for the first time this spring. … The Milkman, aka Jordan Smith had another good game yanking a homer out and reaching base in two of his four plate appearances. … TJ House was sharp on the afternoon as he only needed 61 pitches to get through his five innings of work and was 15-for-19 in first pitch strikes. … CC Lee took out any frustrations he may have about not making the Cleveland opening day roster on the Rockies hitters needing just 12 pitches to dispose of them.

RubberDucks 5, Tulsa 2

BATTERS
Todd Hankins (2B) - 1-4, 1 R, 1 K, 1 SB, 1 E
Erik Gonzalez (SS/DH) - 1-4, 1 RBI, 2 K
Joe Sever (1B) - 0-4
Yandy Diaz (3B) - 0-3, 1 R, 1 BB, 1 K, 1 SB
Anthony Gallas (RF) - 1-4, 1 R
Bryson Myles (LF) - 2-3, 2 R, 1 3B, 1 RBI, 1 BB
Eric Haase (C) - 3-4, 1 2B, 1 RBI, 1 SB
Logan Vick (CF) - 0-4, 2 K
Justin Toole (DH/SS) - 1-3, 1 RBI, 1 K
Ollie Linton (DH/SS) - 0-1, 1 K

PITCHERS
Shawn Morimando - 5 IP, 2 H, 1 R (earned), 1 BB, 5 K
Preston Gulmet - 1 IP, 1 H, 1 R (unearned), 1 BB, 1 K
Austin Adams - 1 IP, 1 K
Shawn Armstrong - 1 IP, 2 K
Kyle Crockett - 1 IP, 2 BB

Notes: That very well could be the starting lineup for High-A Carolina to open the season. … Bryson Myles with a multi-hit effort and another sound game this spring. He’s had a nice showing this spring and maybe this is the season when he finally puts it all together for a full year. … Eric Haase was back in the lineup on Friday and collected three hits. He is going to be one of the main driving forces offensively for Carolina this season. … Shawn Morimando needed 68 pitches to complete his five innings of work and was 13-for-18 on first pitch strikes.

Mudcats 3, Modesto 3

BATTERS
Dorssys Paulino (SS) - 0-3, 1 R
Yhoxian Medina (2B) - 1-2, 1 R
Paul Hendrix (2B) - 1-1
Jeremy Lucas (DH) - 1-2, 1 RBI
Nick Hamilton (DH) - 0-0, 1 BB
Nelson Rodriguez (1B) - 0-1, 1 RBI
Leonardo Castillo (1B) - 0-1
Grant Fink (3B) - 0-2, 1 BB, 1 K
Richard Stock (C) - 1-2, 1 RBI
Ryan Battaglia (C) - 0-1
Cody Ferrell (DH) - 0-3, 2 K
Josh McAdams (CF) - 1-3, 1 K
Brian Ruiz (LF) - 0-2, 1 BB
Victor Cabral (RF) - 1-2, 1 R, 1 2B, 1 BB

PITCHERS
Adam Plutko - 5 IP, 6 H, 2 R (both earned), 4 K
Cole Sulser - 4 iP, 5 H, 1 R (earned), 1 BB, 3 K

Notes: Not much offensively for Carolina in this one as they had just six hits and scored only three runs. … Adam Plutko led the charge on the mound as he allowed 2 runs to be scored in his five innings of work, and needed 68 pitches, walked no one, and was 13-for-21 in first pitch strikes. … Cole Sulser had another solid showing on the mound as he allowed just one run in 4.0 innings. He was up to 60 pitches and was 11-for-16 in first pitch strikes, and that pitch count is a great indicator that he will be in the rotation at either Carolina or Lake County

Captains 4, Asheville 4

BATTERS
Ordomar Valdez (2B) - 0-3
Takuya Tsuchida (2B) - 0-1, 1 K
Claudio Bautista (DH) - 1-3, 1 K
Shane Rowland (DH) - 1-1, 1 R, 1 HR, 1 RBI
Francisco Mejia (C) - 0-2
Juan De La Cruz (C) - 0-2
Anthony Santander (DH) - 0-3
Willi Castro (DH) - 0-1, 1 K
Jorge Martinez (RF) - 3-3, 1 R, 1 3B, 1 BB
Yonathan Mendoza (SS) - 1-3, 1 R
Yu-Cheng Chang (assumed SS) - 0-1
Garrett Smith (3B) - 0-2, 2 K
Grofi Cruz (3B) - 2-2
D'Vone McClure (LF) - 2-3, 1 R, 1 RBI, 1 K
Emmanuel Tapia (1B) - 1-2, 2 RBI
Gerald Bautista (1B) - 0-2
Junior Soto (CF) - 0-3, 1 K

PITCHERS
Caleb Hamrick - 3.1 IP, 4 H, 2 R (both earned), 2 BB
Mitch Brown - 2.2 IP, 3 H, 2 R (both earned), 7 BB, 1 K
Tom Pannone - 1 IP, 1 H, 1 BB, 1 K

Notes: Shane Rowland went yard, which is something he does not do very often. He’s actually swung the bat well this spring. He probably does not have a shot to make a full season roster, but he’s a capable fill in this season if needed. … Jorge Martinez put together what was arguably his best game performance of the spring going 3-for-3 with a walk on top of it. He did not have very many multi-hit games last season and really struggled at Lake County, so it will be interesting to see how he performs this season in a return trip there. … Caleb Hamrick threw 62 pitches and Mitch Brown threw 84 pitches, so both look to be in line to make the Lake County rotation.

Extra Game (For pitching)

BATTING STATISTICS NOT PROVIDED

PITCHERS
Sean Brady - 2 IP, 2 H, 1 R (earned), 1 BB, 3 K
Jordan Cooper - 2 IP, 1 H, 1 BB, 1 K
Grant Sides - 1 IP, 1 BB, 1 K
Enosil Tejeda - 1 IP, 1 H, 2 K
Joseph Colon - 5 IP, 6 H, 2 R (both earned), 5 K
Louis Head - 1 IP, 2 K

Notes: A final tuneup for Joe Colon who looks to be in line for a rotation spot at Akron. He threw 65 pitches over his five innings of work and threw first pitch strikes to 16 of the 21 batters he faced. ... Good to see Enosil Tejeda back out there and have a good outing. He really struggled his last time out, which was out of the norm for him and suggested he might be pitching hurt. ... Sean Brady threw 27 pitches over his two innings and it does not look like he is being built up to start the season in Lake County. Perhaps he shows up in May after having his inning monitored the first five or six weeks of the season like Shawn Morimando did two years ago.

Follow Tony and the Indians Baseball 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.

Nice work again by Morimando; a terrible outing by another miserable second round pick: Mitch Brown who walked 7 in a couple innings.