Cleveland Sports Forum

2014 Minor League Spring Training stats

By Tony Lastoria

April 1, 2014

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Indians minor league spring training wrapped up over the weekend, and here are the final unofficial stats from Indians camp. Thanks as always to the great Arthur Kinney for his help on this project

[NOTE: I DON'T HAVE THE TIME TO FORMAT ALL OF THESE STATS - SUBSCRIPTION REQUIRED TO VIEW STATS]

Hitters

Pitchers 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

Actually not sure why Morimando is returning to Carolina. He pitched all of 2013 there and was pretty good, 3.73 WHIP of 1.41, avg against 231, too many walks 76 in 135 IP. Actually those numbers are not all that great. Now I know why's he going back.

Sort of surprised Adam Plutko is not starting at Carolina but that could be because he didn't pitch at all last year after signing late. He could move there soon

Since no one much good is at Carolina, that leaves plenty of prospects crowded onto 3 rosters, or staying for XST and later assignments. Not listed is Frazier, so I assume will get to Lake County after a little more game time in Arizona. Also Mejia but at age 18 it would be a stretch to assign him to a full season time in April.

Lake County has a fair number of prospects:
1B: Nellie Rodriguez Rated No. 27
ss: Paulino, Rated No. 6
rf: Santander Rated No. 20
cf: in a while Frazier Rated No. 2
Pitchers:
Kime No. 16
Plutko No. 18
Lugo No. 21
Brown No. 24


Akron's ranked prospects are:
c: Wolters No. 25
2b: Wendle No. 17
ss: Lindor No. 1
ss/2b: Ronny Rodriguez No. 7.
cf: Naquin No. 4
Pitchers:
Cody Anderson, Starter, No. 5
Kyle Crockett, Reliever No. 11
Scott Armstrong, Reliever, No. 29;

At Columbus:
1b: Aguillar (15)
2b/ss: Ramirez (9)
rf: Moncrief (11)
Starter: Bauer (3)
Relievers: Lee (8), Austin Adams (10)
Is Haley (28) here or Akron?

Unassigned:

Pitchers Sean Brady (30) and Casey Shane (23)
OF Luigi Rodiguez rehabbing again (13) probably headed back to Carolina soon I hope

Eric Haase (Photo: Lianna Holub)

2014 IBI Positional Rankings: The Catchers

By Tony Lastoria

April 1, 2014

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Earlier this week we kicked things off with the first basemen, second basemen, shortstops, and third basemen, and today we move on to the catchers in our IBI positional rankings.

Unlike the third base position, the catching position is one of the strongest in the Indians farm system. Four catchers ranked in the IBI top 50 and a few outside the top 50 have the ability to reestablish themselves as prospects if a few things go right.

The team also has Yan Gomes locked into a long-term contract at the major league level, furthering the depth in the system. Assuming this catching depth continues to grow and play well this is a position that the front office could use in trades to bolster the major league roster.

Here are the catchers…
1. Francisco Mejia

Born: 10/27/1995 – Height: 5’10” – Weight: 175 – Bats: Switch – Throws: Right
2013 Stats: .305/.348/.524/.872, 16 R, 9 2B, 1 3B, 4 HR, 5 BB, 18 SO, 3 SB

Mejia was signed by the Indians as an undrafted free agent out of the Dominican Republic in July of 2012 for $350,000. He does not have the typical size a team looks for in a catcher, but he is athletic and unbelievably strong for his age and even though he is very young he has made some significant strides in his development. He has an exceptional cannon for a throwing arm with raw arm strength to add even more as he continues to mature. He shows some good, developing catching skills behind the plate and has already made some significant strides as a defender with his receiving and blocking. The bat stood out from the day the Indians signed him because of his good hit ability but mostly because of some very good raw power despite his smaller size. The swing is continuing to be refined but he already shows a good feel for the bat head with good plus power from both sides, uses the whole field well and has some bat-to-ball ability. He is focusing in on learning to pick up a lot of little things such as how to handle a staff, the communication aspect, understanding what it means to be a leader, and learning English. Even after an aggressive push stateside to the Arizona League in his first pro season last year, he lived up to the hype and showcased a bat and arm combination that have the potential to be special.
2. Tony Wolters

Born: 06/09/1992 – Height: 5’10” – Weight: 180 – Bats: Left – Throws: Right
2013 Stats: .277/.369/.353/.722, 36 R, 13 2B, 0 3B, 3 HR, 41 BB, 58 SO, 3 SB

Wolters was selected in the 3rd round of the 2010 Draft out of Rancho Buena Vista High School (CA), and had an Tony Wolters (Photo: MiLB)agreement to attend the University of San Diego but signed with the Indians for $1.35 million. He has a strong, compact body and is an athletic, fundamentally sound player who has a well-rounded skillset and lots of intangibles to become a solid average Major Leaguer both offensively and defensively. He has an advanced approach at the plate where he puts up a quality at bat and has some good, natural hitting skills with good hand-eye coordination and a line drive swing that allows him to use the entire field and pound the gaps. He has worked on a transition from the middle infield to catcher over the past year and shows the potential to be a plus receiver. He shows a lot of agility, quick feet, extremely quick hands, controls the running game well, and has a very good transfer and strong arm. In order to handle the wear and tear that comes from catching he is going to need that additional size and strength, and will need to take his workouts to another level in order to get bigger and stronger. He is also still picking up the physical aspects of catching such as blocking, receiving, and throwing, and has to pick up the mental aspects of the position such as calling games, handling a pitching staff, and so on. He is flashing some impressive ability behind the plate that has scouts believing he truly can play the position someday at the highest level.
3. Eric Haase

Born: 12/18/1992 - Height: 5’10” - Weight: 180 - Bats: Right - Throws: Right
2013 Stats: .250/.322/.439/.761, 49 R, 23 2B, 3 3B, 14 HR, 40 BB, 117 SO, 2 SB

Haase was selected in the 7th round of the 2011 Draft out of Divine Child High School (MI). He had a commitment to Eric Haase (Photo: MiLB)attend Ohio State University but signed with the Indians for $580,000. He is a tough out who puts up a quality at bat on a consistent basis. He has a good swing that is aggressive with good bat speed. He has really learned to use his lower half better, stay more balanced, and drive balls using some of his natural strength. His power is still developing, but he has solid average power potential and the ability to hit the ball out to all fields. He has a solid run tool and shows some good instincts on the basepaths. He has the instincts, work ethic and upside that make the Indians believe he can stay behind the plate and could become at least a solid average Major League backstop. His best skill might be his catch and throw skills as he combines a quick release, an extremely strong arm and the athleticism to really make strong, accurate throws. As with all young hitters, the plate discipline is something that the Indians continue to try and reinforce with him. He has a tendency to expand the zone, so he is working to not only swing at strikes but do damage on pitches that he can do damage with. At this stage with his age and where he is at, the Indians are excited to see where his talent takes him going forward in his baseball development path.
4. Jake Lowery

Born: 07/21/1990 – Height: 6’0” – Weight: 195 – Bats: Left – Throws: Right
2013 Stats: .264/.359/.437/.796, 26 R, 23 2B, 2 3B, 7 HR, 42 BB, 78 SO, 0 SB

Lowery was selected in the 4th round of the 2011 Draft out of James Madison University (VA) and signed for $220,000. Jake Lowery (Photo: MiLB)He is an offense-oriented catcher who has a compact frame and good overall strength. He has a very patient approach as he is willing to take pitches and walk, and when he swings he shows an easy line drive oriented swing with plus power to all fields. As a defender, he shows the defense and abilities behind the plate to be an average major league defensive backstop. His receiving, blocking and game calling skills are still developing and need smoothening out. As a thrower he displays good hands, a quick release, a plus arm and some improving accuracy where he does a good job of controlling an opposing team’s running game. His makeup is off the charts and he has some of the best leadership qualities in the entire player development system. He needs to continue to work on shoring up both his approach at the plate and his defense behind it. The bat is going to be what carries him so he needs to work on his plate discipline with getting better at identifying breaking balls, staying in the zone and relaxing. He is a very intriguing catcher prospect for the Indians because of his left-handed power, approach, work ethic and makeup.
5. Alex Monsalve

Born: 04/22/1992 – Height: 6’2” – Height: 225 – Bats: Right – Throws: Right
2013 Stats: .286/.301/.418/.719, 10 R, 4 2B, 1 3B, 2 HR, 2 BB, 16 SO, 0 SB

Monsalve was signed as a free agent in July of 2008 out of Venezuela. He has a big, strong frame that is a Major Alex Monsalve (Photo: MiLB)League body who is one of the most physical players in the entire Indians system. He has lots of size and strength with some upside to have above average power as he matures and refines his swing and approach to be more consistent with them. He is an aggressive hitter who uses his hands well in his swing and displays good acceleration of his bat through the zone. He shows a natural ability to catch with solid arm strength, lots of athleticism and handles himself well behind the plate, and is still developing as a receiver, blocker, and game caller. He suffered a UCL injury to his right elbow on the first day of spring training last season and missed most of the season because of it, so he has to come back this season and prove he is healthy and will need to make some considerable strides in order to make up for the lost development time last season. He has the goods to be a solid Major League catcher both offensively and defensively, but he is still a little rough around the edges and needs more time to refine his skills and mold himself into a consistent player on both sides of the ball.
6. Alex Lavisky

Born: 01/13/1991 – Height: 6’1” – Weight: 209 – Bats: Right – Throws: Right
2013 Stats: .220/.284/.329/.613, 22 R, 9 2B, 0 3B, 3 HR, 12 BB, 36 SO, 0 SB

Lavisky was selected in the 8th round of the 2010 Draft out of St. Edward High School (OH) and signed for $1 million. Alex Lavisky (Photo: MiLB)He is a high charisma player in the organization with all of the intangibles as a defender and leader to impact whatever team he plays on. He is a good all-around receiver with soft hands, moves well behind the plate, has very good athleticism, and has very good arm strength. He is a very good blocker and receiver, calls a good game, and handles a pitching staff well. He has good catch-and-throw skills with a smooth transfer and a strong, accurate arm. At the plate he has some solid raw power thanks to some good upper body strength and a knack for barreling up the ball. He shows good power to all fields, though has above average power pull side to left and left center. He has worked on his approach to be more middle and gap to gap and to cut down on the swing in order to let his raw power naturally show itself rather than trying to force it. Last season he went on the disabled list in early April with a fractured left big toe which really set him back and forced him to miss a big chunk of the season. Now that he is healthy he is looking to carve a niche as an upper level backup catcher and potentially make it to the big leagues in such a role.
7. Roberto Perez

Born: 12/23/1988 – Height: 5’11” – Weight: 225 – Bats: Right – Throws: Right
2013 Stats: .200/.337/.286/.623, 26 R, 18 2B, 0 3B, 2 HR, 54 BB, 84 SO, 1 SB

Perez was selected in the 33rd round of the 2008 Draft out of Lake City Community College (FL). He is a gifted Roberto Perez (Photo: MiLB)defensive catcher who is a well above average defender behind the plate with his blocking, game-calling and catch and throw skills. He handles a pitching staff well, shows good leadership qualities, is a very good blocker, calls a good game, and has a lot of confidence behind the plate. He dominates a game with his receiving and throwing ability where he makes outs by throwing behind runners and shuts down an opposing team’s running game with a quick, powerful, accurate right arm. His bat is inconsistent, but he shows exceptional plate discipline with a patient approach where he walks over 20% of the time. He puts up a quality at bat, is not afraid to hit with two strikes, uses the middle of the field well, and has some raw power that will get in his way sometimes. The defense is without question Major League caliber, so he needs to really focus in on his bat to be more consistent with his swing. He is the consummate backup catcher with his plus defensive skills but limited bat, and might get a short term look in the big leagues in such a role.
8. Jeremy Lucas

Born: 01/10/1991 – Height: 6’1” – Weight: 205 – Bats: Right – Throws: Right
2013 Stats: .270/.384/.421/.805, 37 R, 18 2B, 3 3B, 6 HR, 49 BB, 55 SO, 1 SB

Lucas was selected by the Indians in the 12th round of the 2012 Draft out of Indiana State University. He is a good Jeremy Lucas (Photo: MiLB)sized catcher with college experience who is more of an offensive-oriented player. He shows patience and discipline in his advanced approach at the plate knowing what he is looking for and what pitches he can drive. He makes consistent contact and shows some skill to control the strike zone and flashes some average power. While his offense is ahead of his defense, since turning pro he has shown some development behind the plate and has the tools to be a solid average defensive catcher who brings some offense to the plate. He has a solid average arm and is a solid receiver. The Indians have a lot of catching depth in the lower levels, so he is going to need to separate himself this season in order to continue to get opportunities beyond the Single-A level.
9. Richard Stock

Born: 02/08/1991 – Height: 6’2” – Weight: 190 – Bats: Left – Throws: Right
2013 Stats: .280/.317/.456/.773, 24 R, 8 2B, 1 3B, 8 HR, 8 BB, 52 SO, 1 SB

Stock was selected by the Indians in the 23rd round of the 2012 Draft out of the University of Nebraska. He is an Richard Stock (Photo: MiLB)offensive oriented player who has some power and good bat speed from the left side of the plate, though is a free swinger and is not as advanced in his approach at the plate. He owns a career 11-69 walk to strikeout ratio in 271 at bats as a professional, so developing his approach to swing at good pitches and refining his plate discipline to put himself in good hitter’s counts will continue to be his main area of focus. An injury in college in 2012 forced him out from behind the plate so he has played some first base and mostly been limited as a designated hitter only as a pro. He has a plus arm and some athleticism to handle the catching position. The offense Stock provides is interesting and one where he should be given a chance to be a regular in the lineup and get a chance to perform while the Indians find a position for him.
10. Martin Cervenka

Born: 08/03/1992 – Height: 6’1” – Weight: 175 – Bats: Right – Throws: Right
2013 Stats: .185/.271/.221/.492, 13 R, 4 2B, 0 3B, 1 HR, 24 BB, 45 SO, 0 SB

Cervenka was signed by the Indians as a free agent in January of 2009 out of the Czech Republic. He is a very Martin Cervenka (Photo: MiLB)physical, athletic and strong individual who has a projectable body with room for more growth and strength. He is raw at the plate and lacks much experience as a hitter, but shows the makings of a solid, patient approach and some decent plate discipline as well. He leverages the baseball well when he swings, which could allow for more power as he gains experience with the bat and refines his approach. His defense and intangibles behind the plate is what the Indians really like as he has nice size, some good raw strength, calls a good game, handles a pitching staff well, and has a strong arm. He has started to learn a little more about his approach offensively and things behind the plate defensively, so now he needs to put it all together this season and make a significant step forward to remain an option in the Indians system.
11. Charlie Valerio

Born: 11/07/1990 – Height: 6’0” – Weight: 204 – Bats: Switch – Throws: Right
2013 Stats: .238/.305/.346/.651, 21 R, 12 2B, 1 3B, 2 HR, 20 BB, 48, 0 SB

Valerio was signed as a free agent in May of 2010 out of the Dominican Republic. He has good size and strength, and Charlie Valerio (Photo: MiLB)brings some offense to the catcher position. He puts up consistent at bats and has a solid approach from both sides of the plate. He has some thump in his bat showing solid average power potential, and shows a good feel for hitting. He came into the organization as a first baseman but was quickly converted to a catcher, so he is still raw to the position and picking up a feel for his overall catching game. He has made solid progress and has the tools, size, and arm to be a fringe average defensive backstop. His biggest strength is how well he handles a pitching staff and the excellent leadership skills he displays on the field. He has power, hands and everything else needed, but it is just a matter of him being able to go out there and consistently stay on the field and prove what he can do.
12. Ryan Battaglia

Born: 06/29/1992 – Height: 6’1” – Weight: 202 – Bats: Right – Throws: Right
2013 Stats: .212/.326/.363/.689, 10 R, 8 2B, 0 3B, 3 HR, 13 BB, 51 SO, 0 SB

Battaglia was signed by the Indians as a free agent out of Australia in November of 2009. He did not spend much Ryan Battaglia (Photo: MiLB)more than eight weeks with the organization in 2010 because of school commitments in Australia, so he did not make his organizational debut until 2011. He is still behind in his development as both a hitter and catcher, but he shows good raw power and has a lot of power in his arm. His plate discipline and approach has not developed as hoped as he does not make consistent, hard contact and is prone to a high amount of strikeouts. He shows a good feel for receiving and blocking to go along with his strong throwing arm, but needs to be much more consistent as a defender to be an average defensive catcher. He is still young and the power combination with his bat and arm are interesting.

13. Shane Rowland

Born: 11/22/1991 – Height: 6’0” – Weight: 200 – Bats: Left – Throws: Right
2013 Stats: .218/.390/.295/.685, 7 R, 3 2B, 0 3B, 1 HR, 21 BB, 20 SO, 0 SB

Rowland was selected by the Indians in the 20th round of the 2013 Draft out of the University of Tampa (FL). He is the son of Donny Rowland, the Yankees Director of International Scouting, so he has been around the game for a long time and has a good understanding for it. He is a small, athletic player who has a questionable bat and is the part of his game which really has to come on for him to advance up the system. He needs experience with the bat as he knows the strike zone, does not give away at bats and there is a little bit of raw power in there. The Indians scouted him a lot and took him almost solely because of his defensive abilities and advanced feel for the catching position. His glove is his most valuable tool and he has good catch and throw skills with plus arm strength. He has leadership intangibles, knows the game and has a good baseball IQ. His standing in the organization at the moment is as an organization catcher, so he figures to be a solid backup in the early going.
14. Sicnarf Loopstok

Born: 04/26/1993 – Height: 5’11” – Weight: 195 – Bats: Right – Throws: Right
2013 Stats: .205/.247/.247/.493, 4 R, 1 2B, 1 3B, 0 HR, 4 BB, 14 SO, 0 SB

Loopstok was selected by the Indians in the 13th round of the 2013 Draft out of Western Oklahoma State College. His Sicnarf Loopstok (Photo: MiLB)first name is actually the name “Francis” spelled backwards. He is physical with some good strength and athleticism, and is a very raw player who is still learning to tap into an interesting set of tools. His bat is inconsistent but he has some decent speed and some good raw power. The Indians like his catching ability and believe he has the ability to stay behind the plate as he has solid average arm strength, he is very intelligent and he has the characteristics and ability to catch. He also has some versatility where his athleticism and tools could allow him to play somewhere in the infield if the Indians move him out from behind the plate or look to add to his versatility. He is a bit of a project just with his background, but is a guy who has some upside with his defense and can hopefully hit for some power as well as improve his pitch recognition skills. He shows all the raw ability, but now it is about getting the fundamental exposure and teaching to see what he learns, what his aptitude is and how mentally strong he can be.

15. Gerald Bautista

Born: 07/20/1994 – Height: 6’0” – Weight: 190 – Bats: Right – Throws: Right
2013 Stats: .256/.360/.326/.686, 18 R, 7 2B, 1 3B, 0 HR, 18 BB, 36 SO, 1 SB

Bautista was signed by the Indians as an undrafted free agent in August of 2012 out of Steinbrenner High School (FL). The Indians had originally agreed to terms on an international free agent deal in August of 2011 after his junior year of high school, though he backed out and opted to return to school for his senior year. He is the son of former major league player Danny Bautista. He has a lot of tools though does not have a tool that stands out. He is viewed more as a corner infielder that has a little bit of pop in his bat and has a little more polish and baseball experience than most Latin American signings. Even though the bat has to come a little bit, it has some projection and the Indians believe he has a chance to hit in the future. He is a solid average fielder with solid average arm strength, and is an average runner who can move around between second, short and third and provide utility depth. He is bilingual and can speak both English and Spanish. He is a little off the radar at the moment, but is working on a transition to catcher that started this spring.

16. Juan De La Cruz

Born: 08/05/1993 – Height: 6’1” – Weight: 195 – Bats: Switch – Throws: Right
2013 Stats: .294/.433/.412/.845, 8 R, 6 2B, 0 3B, 0 HR, 12 BB, 5 SO, 1 SB

De La Cruz was signed by the Indians out of Venezuela in August 2009. The bat is inconsistent and he lacks much power, but he shows the makings of a very good, patient approach where he is not afraid to work counts. He is a solid receiver with the potential to be more and has some physicality. He is a player that Indians Director of Latin Operations Ramon Pena loved both from a baseball and makeup standpoint when he signed him, and since coming into the organization he has shown some very good leadership qualities and acts as an extension of the coaching staff on the field.

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 Akron RubberDucks Preview

Top prospects Lindor, Anderson headline the 2014 RubberDucks roster

By Jim Piascik

April 1, 2014

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The 2013 Akron Aeros failed to repeat as Eastern League champions, finishing with a 68-73 record, but the first year under new owner Ken Babby proved to be a success. Babby brought a new energy to Canal Park, an energy that spread into the offseason.

Canal Park now features a new restaurant above right field, picnic and premium seating in the outfield, and most importantly, a rebranded team: the Akron RubberDucks.

The RubberDucks will make their debut in Binghamton Thursday night, starting the season with a seven-game road trip. Their first home game is next Thursday, April 10 against the Bowie Baysox.

Note that 26 players are listed; the team still has to make a move before Thursday's game.

Catchers

Alex Lavisky (23), Jake Lowery (23), Tony Wolters (21)

Tony Wolters (Photo: MiLB)After successfully making the transition from middle infielder to catcher last season, Wolters is the marquee name to watch here. Wolters posted a .277/.369/.353 line in High-A Carolina in 2013, results that are even more impressive considering he was learning a new position on the fly. There was not much power in Wolters' bat, but considering the low offensive threshold for catchers and Wolters' ability to control the zone (58:41 SO:BB in 340 plate appearances), he should be fine. The early returns on Wolters' defense are strong and he should continue that all-around growth this year.

Lowery had a surprising showing last year in Akron (.275/.363/.449 line in 70 games), but he is hurt by his struggles on defense. There is some question as to whether Lowery can stay behind the plate long-term and Wolters' presence on the roster may accelerate his move to a new position. Lowery should still see some time behind the plate, but Wolters is the main guy here.

Lavisky has the local angle, graduating from St. Edward's in Lakewood, but following a broken toe early in 2013, the catcher lost a lot of ground. He is the clear backup and has seen his stock fall greatly, especially considering how many catchers the organization has pressing up through the system.

Infield

Francisco Lindor (20), Ronny Rodriguez (21), Jerrud Sabourin (24), Justin Toole (27), Giovanny Urshela (22), Joe Wendle (23)

Francisco Lindor (Photo: MiLB)Lindor is Lindor; what more do you want to see here? The switch-hitter is ready for the majors on defense, posted a .303/.380/.407 line in 104 games between High-A and Double-A in 2013, and is one of the top prospects in baseball. Go see him now so when he is the starting shortstop in Cleveland you can say you saw him before he was a star. There is some concern after Lindor ended 2013 early with a back injury, but as of right now, that issue seems to be a one-time thing.

Following an offensive explosion in High-A in 2013 (.295/.372/.513 line in 104 games), Wendle should be the starter at second base. Wendle was a little old for High-A last year, but Rodriguez and Jose Ramirez were blocking any promotion to Akron. Plus, in only his first full professional season, the organization let Wendle settle in at Carolina and make it through the year without any massive changes. Wendle is a work in progress defensively, and with hitting as his calling card right now, success at Double-A will help the second baseman prove he was not just an advanced college bat taking advantage of younger pitching last year.

Normally, Rodriguez would get playing time up the middle, but Lindor and Wendle seem to have squeezed him out. There is still plenty of potential with Rodriguez, especially considering how he has cut down on strikeouts every year despite graduating up a level each season. But the offense has not come together yet (.265/.291/.376 line in 116 games), nor has the consistency on defense. Right now it appears he will play second base and shortstop when Lindor and Wendle need a day off, possibly fill in for Urshela at third from time to time, and DH to get at bats. Rodriguez is still young, but right now, circumstances could force him into a utility-type role, at least in the short-term.

Urshela remains an interesting prospect despite stumbling on offense in 2013, posting a .270/.292/.384 line in 116 games. The glove is there for Urshela; if he takes another step forward with the bat, he will find himself in the major league mix.

Sabourin has been a great veteran to have around in recent years, but his lack of power as a first baseman could catch up to him this year (.079 career ISO). It is conceivable that the Sabour-Tooth Tiger will cede time to Lowery at first base throughout the year. The other infielder, Toole, remains the most versatile man in the system and will get time backing up every position on the diamond.

Outfield

Tyler Holt (25), Bryson Myles (24), Tyler Naquin (22), Jordan Smith (23)

Tyler Naquin (Photo: MiLB)In his first full professional season, Naquin had a decent year (.277/.345/.424 line in 108 games in Carolina), though his late season callup to Akron left something to be desired (.225/.271/.300 line in 18 games). Naquin worked through some swing adjustments last year, and with a full season under his belt, could see some payoff in 2014. Despite being a college draft pick, Naquin only turns 23 later this month; starting the year in Double-A is essentially right on schedule for the 2012 first round pick.

Everyone is still waiting to see some more power out of Smith (.108 ISO in Carolina in 2013), but his overall package is still appealing without the pop. Smith limits his strikeouts, knows how to draw walks, and posts consistently high on-base percentages thanks to a BABIP regularly in the .330-range. Much like Michael Brantley, Smith does not fit the traditional profile of a corner outfielder, but he could find a way to make it work without the power.

Myles, on the other hand, has power, speed, and everything else you want out of a corner outfielder. The problem for Myles has been health. Injuries have cost Myles precious development time, something especially harmful considering how raw he was when he came into the organization. Still, when Myles is on the field, he has played well (.285/.357/.427 line in 92 games in 2013 in Carolina) and should continue developing in 2014.

Holt is one of the best defensive outfielders in the system and should spend his time in Akron refining his ability in the corners (Holt has spent 343 of 397 games in center field). His bat has never been elite, but Holt has improved his offense (.267/.338/.359 line in 133 games last year in Akron) and should hit enough to make a run at a major league fourth outfielder spot.

Starting Rotation

Cody Anderson (23), Gabriel Arias (24), Joseph Colon (24), Kyle Davies (30), Will Roberts (23)

Cody Anderson (Photo: MiLB)Along with Trevor Bauer, Anderson is the top pitching prospect in the entire organization. The 23-year-old broke out in Carolina last year, posting a 2.34 ERA, 2.89 FIP, and 112:31 SO:BB in 123.1 innings. Listed at 6'4", 220 pounds, Anderson has the size to haul innings and pitch in Cleveland for years to come. He is still fairly inexperienced on the mound (last year was only his fourth year as a pitcher) and the right-hander will look to continue on his quick learning curve in 2014. Anderson's first taste of Double-A was less than pleasant (5.68 ERA, 5.81 FIP in 12.2 late-season innings), though that could just be the right-hander tiring at the end of his longest season to date.

Like Anderson, Colon has not been a pitcher all that long and is showing some pretty impressive stuff. His velocity jumped up from the low-90s to the mid-90s in 2013, a result of working hard in the offseason. What that work was not able to do, however, was keep Colon healthy, as the right-hander only had 17 starts in 2013. Colon has always been good when he is on the mound (3.61 ERA, 3.48 FIP in 327.0 career innings) and gets a ton of groundballs. Provided he stays healthy, Colon could turn some heads in 2014.

Roberts is not an overpowering pitcher (6.04 SO/9 in 134.0 innings in Akron last year), but the right-hander limits walks and posted a decent 3.86 FIP in 2013. The right-handed had issues limiting runs (4.57 ERA), however, which was also a problem in High-A in 2012 (5.68 ERA, 3.86 FIP in 122.0 innings). Roberts has improving velocity, and while he does not necessarily stand out in any one area, his overall package could turn into something valuable assuming the ERA starts to fall in line with his FIP.

Arias is still relatively young and has some intriguing stats in his career (2.52 ERA, 2.54 FIP in 385.1 innings), but the right-hander was never a top-30 prospect in the Phillies organization and was let go following 2013. Cleveland signed him as a minor league free agent -- which says something about his value -- but he will get a chance. Davies, on the other hand, is an older major league veteran looking to make a comeback. He last pitched in the majors in 2011 with the Royals (6.75 ERA, 4.39 FIP in 61.1 innings).

Bullpen

Shawn Armstrong (23), Jordan Cooper (24), Kyle Crockett (22), Toru Murata (28), Giovanni Soto (22), Tyler Sturdevant (28), Enosil Tejeda (24), Francisco Valera (24)

Kyle Crockett (Photo: MiLB)Crockett ended his meteoric rise through the system last year in Akron, posting a 0.36 ERA and 1.86 FIP in 24.2 innings between Mahoning Valley, Lake County, and Akron. Picked in the fourth round of the 2013 draft, Crockett has quickly established himself as the best left-handed relief prospect in the system and could see the majors as soon as this season.

Even though he is one of the youngest reliever in the bullpen, this will be Armstrong's third season in Akron. The right-hander has the stuff to be an impact arm, but he is still working on limiting his walks (5.73 BB/9 in 33.0 innings last year in Akron) and his emotions after a self-inflicted hand injury cost him 10 weeks of the 2013 season.

On the opposite side of the spectrum, Tejeda has done nothing but perform in his minor league career (1.74 ERA, 2.10 FIP in 196.1 innings), though a lack of raw stuff has held him back. He may not have much projection, but Tejeda is another minor league reliever in the mold of Preston Guilmet and Jose Flores who does more with less.

Soto missed most of last year with a back injury, but the 22-year-old left-hander still has an elite weapon in his cutter that should make him at least a major league LOOGY. There is a chance he will be stretched back out as a starter or piggyback with someone like Arias or Davies, but for now, he is in the bullpen.

Cooper is in a similar situation as Soto in that he started 14 games last year but finds himself listed in the bullpen. The right-hander posted a strong 3.11 ERA in 72.1 Akron innings last season, though his 4.15 FIP was less impressive.

Following shoulder surgery that cost him all of 2013, Sturdevant will look to recapture the 2011 form that got him on the major league radar (2.65 ERA, 2.68 FIP in 73.2 innings between High-A, Double-A, and Triple-A). Like Sturdevant, Murata is 28 years old, though while Sturdevant still has some major league potential due to his past performance, Murata's future is likely limited to minor league swingman. Valera is four years younger than Sturdevant and Murata, and though he does not have the best stuff, he did find success last year (2.98 ERA, 3.19 FIP in 81.2 innings between Lake County, Carolina, and Columbus).

Coaching Staff

Manager David Wallace, Pitching Coach Jeff Harris, Hitting Coach Rouglas Odor

Wallace, a former Cleveland minor league catcher, has moved steadily up the ranks since retiring following the 2008 season. The 34-year-old has managed at Mahoning Valley in 2011, Lake County in 2012, and Carolina in 2013. In his three-year managing career, Wallace is 169-185, though he has gained a reputation of helping prospects develop (which is, after all, the point of the minors).

Harris was Wallace's pitching coach in 2013 and is also a former Cleveland minor leaguer. The 39-year-old pitched in the majors with Seattle in 2005-06, posting a 4.26 ERA and 5.38 FIP in 57.0 innings. Harris ended his career in 2007-08 with the Buffalo Bisons, then Cleveland's Triple-A affiliate.

Odor was Akron's hitting coach in 2012 before filling that role with Wallace in Carolina in 2013. The 45-year-old has spent the last 26 years in the organization as either a player, coach, or manager and is the uncle of Baseball America's #1 Texas Rangers prospect Rougned Odor.

Lots of great catchers Tony tells us. For example:

Jake Lowery "His makeup is off the charts and he has some of the best leadership qualities in the entire player development system."

Alex Lavisky: "He is a high charisma player in the organization with all of the intangibles as a defender and leader to impact whatever team he plays on" [although to the objective observer his career appears to be going nowhere slowly]

Gerald Bautista: "He is bilingual and can speak both English and Spanish." [unlike Martin Cervenka who can speak Czech and English, which probably is less useful in communicating with pitchers.]

Akron rotation of Cody Anderson (23), Gabriel Arias (24), Joseph Colon (24), Kyle Davies (30), Will Roberts (23)
has one prospect and a lot of filler. Like most of the Indians system the prospects here are pretty much restricted to middle infielders and middle OF and perhaps the bullpen

Do we have an awful minor league system or what?

2014 Lake County Captains Preview

By Stephanie Metzger

April 2, 2014

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The Lake County Captains season technically started on April 1 during an exhibition game, but the regular season starts April 4. The team will host the Lansing Lugnuts at Classic Park before heading to Clinton, Iowa for its first road trip April 8.

New manager Mark Budzinski is optimistic about the team. Though he hasn’t had much time with his players, considering rosters were just set a few days ago, he said he sees the team’s work ethic as its biggest strength.

“We’ve got a lot of guys that are improving,” Budzinski said. “They know what they’re doing and eyes will be on all of them.”

Budzinski, 40, is new to the Midwest League, as well as the realm of professional coaching. A University of Richmond alumnus, Budzinski was drafted by the Cleveland Indians in the 21st round of the 1995 draft.

Budzinski said his biggest overall goal for the season is to simply help his players improve and advance. “The biggest thing is making sure these guys develop,” he said. “I just want to make sure they’re working on what they need to work on. It’s about helping them rely on their strength to get them to the next level.”

Joining Budzinski is hitting coach Shaun Larkin, 34, who joins the Captains from the 2013 Mahoning Valley Scrappers staff. Drafted in the 9th round in 2002, Larkin played in the Indians organization until 2007. The following two years, he served as a member of the Akron Aeros staff.

Managing the mound is pitching coach Rigo Beltran. Beltran, 44, joins the organization after seven years of coaching in the Cincinnati Reds’ system. He spent the last three years as the pitching coach for the Bakersfield Blaze. Beltran played professionally for 16 years, his career beginning with the St. Louis Cardinals.

Starting rotation:

The roster currently holds more than the usual five starters, which will result in routine piggyback situations, Budzinski said. Three of five days will consist of pitchers piggybacking one another.

This year’s group features some intriguing arms. Two arms return with Midwest League experience from last season, while the remainder anchored a strong rotation in Mahoning Valley.

As of April 1, the roster lists the following starting arms:

Robbie Aviles, RHP (@raviles11)
Mitch Brown, RHP (@BrownieOutDaOv)
Dace Kime, RHP
Luis Lugo, LHP (@luislugo94l)
Adam Plutko, RHP (@Papaplut36)
Caleb Hamrick, RHP (@HamrickCaleb)
Kenny Mathews, LHP (@Kmathews133)

Aviles was a starter last year, though he made a few relief appearances. Assuming he retains his starting role, he’ll be one of the rotation’s returning Captain arms. In 2013, Aviles held a 5.09 ERA in 69 innings in which he allowed 72 hits, seven home runs and recorded a 30:26 strikeout-to-walk ratio. The tall righty had an inconsistent season that ended early due to injury, but his former high status maintains him as an interesting arm to watch.

Brown began last season in Lake County as well, but his time with the Captains was short-lived. He posted an 11.49 ERA yielding 21 hits, four home runs and a 18:11 strikeout-to-walk ratio through five starts. The 19-year-old returned to Arizona for the remainder of the season, where his numbers improved. As a young 2nd-round pick, it's too early to draw too many assumptions about him.

Kime was the third-round pick of 2013 and he made an impressive showing in his first season with the Mahoning Valley Scrappers. A 2.92 ERA, 19 hits allowed and 26:16 strikeout-to-walk ratio during 24.2 innings of work gave Kime plenty of success to continue.

Lugo may arguably be the most intriguing arm among the starters, given the success he saw last season. Lugo logged more than 50 innings with the Scrappers, in which he recorded a 1.97 ERA, 30:11 strikeout-to-walk ratio and surrendered 39 hits, including one home run. Lugo also saw three starts with the Captains as a late-season call-up. Through those 14.1 innings, he held a 3.77 ERA, struck out 14:5 walks and allowed 14 hits.

Plutko signed out of UCLA as a steal. As the team’s 11th round pick, Plutko inked his deal for $300,000, significantly lower than the seven-figure signing bonus he walked from as the Astros’ 6th round pick in 2010. Plutko’s resume is highlighted by his college career, where he posted a collective 2.25 ERA, allowing 256 hits and 16 home runs, with a 272:101 strikeout-to-walk ratio -- not to mention he went 2-0 with a 1.38 ERA during the Bruins’ last College World Series run.

Caleb Hamrick was another Scrapper who made a notable showing last season. The Texas native tossed 76 innings of work, posting a 3.20 ERA as he yielded 73 hits, nine home runs and recorded a 47:23 strikeout-to-walk ratio through 15 starts.

The other lefty in the starting bunch is Kenny Mathews, 2013’s 7th round juco pick from California. Mathews also generated some nice numbers, though he didn’t log as many innings as some of the other starters. Mathews’ final ERA was 2.52 and he struck out 37 hitters, walking just 11 in 39.1 innings. He surrendered 35 hits and had a four-game stretch in July during which he didn’t allow a single run.

In relief:

The entire bullpen will be new to the Midwest League. All move up from the Scrappers squad with the exception ofWander Beras, who spent his 2013 season in Arizona.

Wander Beras, LHP
Trevor Frank, RHP (@TrevorFrank56)
Ben Heller, RHP (@BenHeller21)
Jordan Milbrath, RHP (@jdmilbrath)
Alexis Paredes, RHP
Matt Whitehouse, LHP

Wander Beras is older than most low-A players. At age 25, he’s got some years on the remainder of the roster. As a non-drafted free agent, he signed with the team back in December. He previously played in the Los Angeles Dodgers' organization.

Trevor Frank posted nice numbers in Mahoning Valley last year. A 2.83 ERA and 31 hits allowed through 35 innings served him well, but most noticeable was his control -- he served just two walks compared to the 39 batters he struck out.

Heller struggled on the road last year as his 5.21 road ERA differed from his 0.98 home ERA. He had one particularly ugly outing August 31 during which seven earned runs scored as he recorded just one out, but he kept the ugly outings to a minimum for the majority of the season.

Milbrath didn’t put up the best numbers in Arizona last season, but he had a brief stint with the Captains for just one game. In Arizona, he tossed 20.1 innings of relief, posting a 4.87 ERA, 17:15 strikeout-to-walk ratio, and allowed 14 hits, none of which were home runs.

Paredes suffered bouts of inconsistency in the New-York Penn League last year, but overall, opponents didn’t hit him in overwhelming amounts. He crafted a 3.35 ERA that included 32 hits, two home runs, 39 strikeouts and 16 walks through 43 innings.

Whitehouse submitted an impressive first resume in 2013. The lefty crafted a 0.72 ERA through 37.1 innings and walked just four compared to the 29 hitters he struck out. Batters managed 22 hits off of Whitehouse for a .165 opponent average.

Behind the dish:

Ryan Battaglia (@boofmate29)
Eric Haase
Richard Stock (@RichardStock)

The roster lists a trio of catchers, but Eric Haase is probably the most exciting to follow. Haase was assigned to Lake County last year, and some may find it surprising he’s back. What makes Haase exciting is his impressive speed for a catcher and strong arm. Converted from a third baseman, he’s still working on elements behind the plate. Offensively, he hit .250 with bouts of inconsistency, but he proved his bat has some pop as he notched 14 home runs. His strikeouts were on the high side at 117 compared to the 40 walks he drew, but his bat retains plenty of possibility.

Stock caught a fair share of games for the Captains last season as well, but his role as a DH seemed to be more beneficial. Stock raked a .280 average and knocked eight home runs, but patience was a problem as he drew just eight walks and struck out 52 times. He’s hit for average his first two seasons, so it’ll be interesting to see how he fares against more advanced pitching when he heads to the Carolina League.

Battaglia jumped the Midwest League last year as he split time between Mahoning Valley and Carolina. Collectively, he hit .212 over the course of 113 at-bats between the two levels.

On the infield:

Nellie Rodriguez, 1B (@NRod41YBFS)
Claudio Bautista, 2B
Grant Fink, 3B (@Finkalicious33)
Dorssys Paulino, SS (@dorssys)
James Roberts, SS (@jimmyrobs15)

Nellie Rodriguez is among the more intriguing returns from last season. Rodriguez struggled in his start with the Captains, hitting .194 through 47 games with one home run. He struck out 53 times and drew 26 walks. Many times, he appeared to be pressing during at-bats, possibly due to high expectations surrounding his power. He was sent down to Mahoning Valley, where he provided a much more promising performance, hitting .287 with nine home runs, 29 walks and 61 strikeouts. With his first full season behind him, it’ll be exciting to see Rodriguez return.

Bautista was also a Captain last year, though it was rather brief. He struggled to hit during 16 games with the team, but had a nice year with the Scrappers, hitting .272 with four home runs, 20 walks and 55 strikeouts.

At age 23, Fink is a bit older than standard Midwest League players, but he has yet to play above short-season ball. He played most of the 2013 year in Arizona and just five games in Mahoning Valley, but hit .444 with a home run during that time.

Paulino is the other exciting return from last year’s squad. Touted for his bat, Paulino’s 2013 numbers didn’t speak volumes, but it’s important to remember his age. Now 19, Paulino has his first season in the books. He hit .246 in 120 games in addition to five home runs, 30 walks and 91 strikeouts. His defense last year was tough to witness at times as he led the league in errors, but he also proved he was capable of making some tough plays at short.

Roberts comes from the 2013 Mahoning Valley squad as well, where he hit .235 with one home run, 12 walks and 28 strikeouts through 52 games. Though he’s listed as a shortstop, it’s assumed that Paulino will receive most of the playing time at short, so Roberts may fill in at other infield spots.

In the outfield:

Cody Ferrell, CF (@CodyFerrell8)
Jorge Martinez, LF/RF/INF
Josh McAdams, RF (@Mcmuffin26233)
Brian Ruiz, LF/RF
Anthony Santander, RF/DH (@roller_mvp)

Three outfield names are familiar with the confines of Classic Park while two will be fresh from Mahoning Valley.

Ferrell joined the Captains in July after earning a promotion from Mahoning Valley, where he logged a .279 average. His average dipped to .246 when he joined the Captains for 17 games, so it’ll be interesting to see how he fares after a bit of low-A experience. He’ll likely play centerfield.

Martinez had a tough year in 2013. He hit .191 in 112 games and struck out 120 times. Defensively, he also struggled in left field at times as he made routing balls look more complicated than they really were.

McAdams didn’t hit well in Mahoning Valley, posting a .200 average in which he struck out 76 times and drew 15 walks. He didn’t hit well during his first year with the organization in Arizona, but the 20-year-old still has time to craft his swing.

Ruiz is the roster’s one and only Cleveland native. The 22-year-old was selected in the 41st round of the 2011 draft out of Lincoln West High School. Ruiz spent 2012 with the Arizona League Indians and 2013 with the Scrappers, where he hit .132 with a 33:5 strikeout-to-walk ratio through 32 games.

Santander spent some time in Lake County last year, hitting .242 with five home runs, six stolen bases and a 43:13 strikeout-to-walk ratio until July, when he suffered an injury. He remains injured and will likely remain in a designated hitter’s role until he heals more.

Stephanie is a crime and general assignment reporter for The Morning Journal in Lorain, Ohio. She’s an alumna of Cleveland State University with a degree in Journalism and Promotional Communication. You can follow her on Twitter @7thInningSteph.

Do we have an awful minor league system or what?

No, it's rated pretty average; 18th I think by Baseball America. One top 10-20 prospect; one in the top 50; and then a big drop off. Lake County has a lot of intriguing pitchers and a few position players with potentially high ceilings (Paulino, Rodriguez, Santander). Akron is stacked up the middle. Carolina has nothing. Columbus is average.

The roster posted for the Clippers shows Cloyd but not Guilmen or Herrmann, all of whom who were DFA'd. Not sure if this means the other two have claimed elsewhere. Have not seen that reported. The roster still includes Chun Chen and I'm quite sure we released home a couple of weeks back.

Report from Tony's Team on the really bad Carolina Mudcats. They cannot admit that, of course, but do note that there "not a lot of top prospects"


The 2014 Carolina Mudcats in the spring of 2014 are a vastly different team than they were a season ago. Last season, the Muddies debuted with their prior two first round draft picks in Francisco Lindor and Tyler Naquin. As expected, both top ten prospects made quick work of the Carolina League, and were playing in Akron by the end of the season. Also gone is arguably the Indians top pitching prospect in Cody Anderson, who followed Lindor and Naquin, as well as several other high upside Indians’ prospects, to Akron for the 2014 season.

Losing prospects is the nature of the beast in minor league baseball, but it’s often the unheralded teams that end up with the best stories as the season progresses. What the Mudcats lack in perceived talent in comparison to last season’s roster, they may make up with players that are trying to either regain their prospect standing or players striving to make a name for themselves. That may not be “sexy” to most prospect-aficionados, but to the fans that love the feel-good stories of the unheralded players that make good, this may just be the team to watch.

While it’s true that the big-name players from the start of last season are gone, there are several familiar faces returning who were with the club either last season, or in season’s past. While some of that is indicative of regression, much of that has more to do with a minor league system that is filling up with really good prospects at the Triple A and Double A levels. Ten of the thirteen members of the pitching staff, and nine of twelve position players have spent some time with the Mudcats in the past. While there may not be a host of system-studs, there will be a familiar tone to this team for their new field management.

This is a non-typical season in which the Mudcats aren’t starting the year off with the best-of-the-best prospects, but this could be a team that has some serious chemistry, and could produce some of the surprises that most prospect junkies look for.

Manager: Scooter Tucker

First season as the manager of the Carolina Mudcats, and his third season with the organization, as he was the manager of Lake County in 2013, and was the Muddies hitting instructor during his first season in the Indians’ system.

Pitching Coach: Steve Karsay

First season as the pitching coach for the Carolina Mudcats, and his third season with the organization, as he was the pitching coach for Lake County in 2013, and was with the Arizona League Indians in 2012, his first as a coach at any level.

Hitting Coach: Tony Mansolino

First season as the hitting coach for the Carolina Mudcats, and his fourth season with the organization, as he was the hitting coach for Lake County in 2013, and was the hitting coach for the Mahoning Valley Scrappers in both 2011 and 2012.

The Indians have clearly found a group of coaches that have good chemistry with each other, and have a lot of familiarity with the players they’ll be coaching in 2013.

Scooter Tucker is familiar with the Mudcats, as he spent the 2012 season as the hitting instructor, and played an important part in developing better hitting strokes for players such as Jesus Aguilar (.277, with 12 homers), Carlos Moncrief (15 homers and 53 RBI), Giovanny Urshela (14 homers and 59 RBI, and a .278 average) and Ronny Rodriguez (19 homers and 66 RBI). Tucker had a real knack for bridging the gap between what the Indians’ organization wanted for each player with regards to improvement, as players like Aguilar, Moncrief, Urshela and Rodriguez saw significant “holes” in their swings diminish as the season progressed.

Tucker was rewarded with the manager’s job in Lake County in 2013, and while the team wasn’t as successful with regards to wins and losses, a lot of that was attributed to the amount of teenagers that littered the roster. Clearly, it was a young roster, and the growing pains were obvious. He’s a well-respected coach in the minor league ranks, and is a perfect complement to a team of veteran minor leaguers looking to rebound or make a name for themselves.

Steve Karsay is a name that most Cleveland Indians fans are familiar with, as he played with the Indians from 1998 through 2001, as a set-up man, closer, and for a few games, a starter. He had a tough job in 2013, as the Captains’ staff lacked a legitimate amount of talent, and what talent they did have were very, very young. His one “win” was with regards to Dylan Baker, who became a legitimate top pitching prospect in the system, and who should be showing up in Carolina as soon as he’s 100%.

Mansolino is one of the youngest coaches in the system, and he’s already in his fourth season with the Indians. They obviously think a lot of the 31-year old, and it showed with an extremely young team. The average age for the Captains offense was 20.7 years old, which was second youngest in the league. They finished fourth in doubles and sixth in homers, but with youth comes struggle.

Overall, this is an interesting coaching staff with a wily veteran hitting coach as the manager, and a young hitting coach that’s highly thought of under his wing. Karsay is a coach that will bring some memories of the late 90’s teams trying to find his way. There’s good chemistry there, which should match this team well.

Starting Rotation

Shawn Morimando (LHP), Michael Peoples (RHP), Cole Sulser (RHP), Ryan Merritt (LHP), **Dylan Baker (RHP)—There are other potential starters here until Baker makes his way up, starting most likely with Jacob Lee.

The unquestioned ace of the staff was Shawn Morimando, who went 8-13 with a 3.73 ERA for the Mudcats last season. Looking deeper at the numbers though, Morimando was very good through his first 21 games before a swoon in August and September raised his ERA over a half-run. Over the last 90 days of his season, his ERA was near eight, and while a lot of that had to do with his last game in which he gave up seven runs, but he gave up four or more runs in four of his last seven starts. It’s likely just a stamina issue, and may be attributed to his slight size. Morimando isn’t about velocity, but movement. All of his pitches move around in the zone. He has a nice fastball, but his slider and curve have real potential going forward. I’m not crazy about his changeup because of his velocity issues at times, but Morimando can pitch, is a lefty, and may not be long for Carolina. My gut is that as a control lefty, he’s probably not going to end up a starter, but we shall see. He’s young, and the upside is there.

While he’s not officially on the roster, I’m putting Dylan Baker here, because he’s ultimately going to be the ace when he does return, which shouldn’t be too long. Baker has everything you want when you look at a starter. He’s a big kid that can bring it. He has mid-90’s potential, but sits in the low 90’s, but has seen his velocity move up every year with the system, according to IBI’s Tony Lastoria. The fastball is the key, and makes his curveball and slider that much better. Both are fantastic out pitches that could be special if he continues the strides he’s taken so far. He also throws a change-up. There’s a lot to like about Baker from all the reports that I’ve heard so far, and if he can develop that changeup with his spike in velocity and his big hooks, there some really good upside to him going forward. He’s the best starter that will make a start in Carolina this year.

Cole Sulser is really, really smart. The Dartmouth graduate, who received not one, but two degrees at the Ivy League school is trying to achieve his dream of playing major league baseball, but he’ll make far more money when he ultimately retires. Sulser was really good last year, his first with the organization. He was in a piggy-back roll at Mahoning Valley, and managed to go 3-2 with a 1.83 ERA. His numbers were freakish, with a 10 K/9 innings, while only walking 1.5 over the same stretch. Of course, he was a 23-year old in the short-season league, so you have to temper your thoughts. Sulser is a gamer though, and he’ll enjoy the ride for as long as the Indians will let him. Check out a fantastic special interest piece on Sulser written by IBI’s and The Morning Journal reporter Stephanie Metzger. Good stuff there.

Shawn Morimando, meet Ryan Merritt. Ryan Merritt, meet Shawn Morimando. Both are lefties. Both lack velocity. Both fit the mold of control pitches that make their living throwing strikes. Like Morimando, Merritt, his pitches show a nice amount of movement, and he’s able to add some deception by hiding the ball behind his thigh for an extended period of time during his delivery. He has a nice curveball that has some nice hook, and a really good change. The key for this kid is throwing strikes and moving the ball around. They’ll likely keep him far away from Morimando in the rotation.

Michael Peoples was really good last season in Lake County out of the pen for the most part. He had a nice 9.7 K/9 while walking less than two per nine, and had a 2.64 ERA. He struggled in eight starts with the Mudcats, but at 22, could still move through the Carolina League now that he’s a bit more settled. He has a good frame with a nice fastball, curveball and changeup. He’s not a top prospect, but he has a great make-up and mentality.

Overall, there are intangibles on this staff that I like, and it should get enhanced by Adam Plutko sooner, rather than later. I’m not sure what the plan is for Elvis Araujo either. He missed most of last season, so my bet is he’ll either piggy-back, or move to the bullpen to protect the arm. I didn’t mention Jacob Lee here, but he’s an older player for this league at 24, and while I like his intangibles, he’s not a major factor in the system, but is a veteran presence in the locker room.

Bullpen

D.J. Brown (RHP), Louis Head (RHP), Josh Martin (RHP), Carlos Melo (RHP), Rob Nixon (RHP), Grant Sides(RHP), Benny Suarez (RHP)

The first thing that strikes me here is that there isn’t a left-hander here, which makes me believe that Araujo is going to at least start the year off in the pen. I’m not sure if that will be a full-time thing, or if it’s just to get him healthy, but he had been struggling as a starter, so this move may make sense for more than one reason.

The closer is likely going to be Louis Head, who closed both for Lake County and for Carolina, although not by any stretch was it a regular thing. He was spectacular in Lake County, with a 1.82 ERA in 25 appearances, and pretty good in Carolina, with a 3.11 ERA. He could share time there with Grant Sides, although thanks to his massive struggles in Carolina last year, you never know. You could also see a guy like Rob Nixon get some spots closing. Head has pitched the best of the three, but there really isn’t a special option of the obvious candidates.

The guy I’m most interested in based on numbers is D.J. Brown, who pitched in 66 1/3 innings over 27 games. Now Brown can start, and I know that he is definitively a guy they could use in a piggy back role, but we’ll see just how good the second-year minor leaguer is when he plays his first season in the Carolina League.

Josh Martin is another guy, like Brown, that could find himself in a piggy back scenario. He logged a ton of innings last year in both Lake County and Carolina, and struggled at High A over the long haul. The 24-year old will have to be special to move along in this season, and at that age.

Carlos Melo used to be a decent prospect for the Texas Rangers, but the 23-year old struggled past low A, and was released. He’s been with the Indians in the rookie league and low A, and been solid. This year, he’s back to High A. As a 23-year old, he’ll have to perform now, or his time as a pro ballplayer could be short.

Benny Suarez may have the most upside of all the pitchers here, and at 22, will be looking to build upon a nice 2013 season in which he seemed to get better with every promotion, including in a brief end of the year promotion to Columbus.

All-in-all, in a system that is full of relievers, none of them seem to be here in Carolina. The Muddies are ripe with players who used to have promise, but have fallen by the wayside.

Infielders

Yandy Diaz (3B), Erik Gonzalez (SS), Todd Hankins (3B), Yhoxian Medina (2B), Joe Sever (1B)

The left side of the infield is really going to be represented well. Diaz defected out of Cuba, and I don’t know a whole lot about him, but everything that I’ve heard is that the kid can hit the baseball. He’s got a good frame, at 6’2” and 185 pounds, and can play some defense. I’ve heard reports that he was an able replacement for Jose Iglesius, after he defected, but you know how rumors and innuendos go. What I like is that everyone that I’ve talked to seem to like this kid, and that the really feel that he could be a top guy at third in the system if it all pans out, and if he can’t field the position, he could easily move to the outfield or to the middle infield. Of course, they have one or two guys there already.

Erik Gonzalez is the highest ranked position player on the team, and it’s unfortunate that there are so many players ranked higher ahead of him. He really came out of nowhere last year with his power production, and the Indians are moving him to shortstop, perhaps to enhance his value as a guy that can handle multiple positions going forward. He had 32 doubles, 12 triples, nine homers and 11 stolen bases. He struck out a little too much, and walked a little too less, but this is a kid that has a ton of upside. It will be fun seeing Diaz and Gonzalez side-by-side, and I have to imagine that they’ll be in Carolina all year long, which is a nice bonus.

Todd Hankins will likely play second base, but can also play a little third as well. Hankins is a burner who had 31 stolen bases in 2013 in his three different stops, and had 33 stolen bases in 2012 as well. He’s played in Carolina in both seasons, and knows the league well. Hankins is a fun player to have on your team, and while he won’t likely be knocking the door on anyone’s major league team, you never count out speed.

Joe Sever will be returning to Carolina, where he ended the season in 2013, and played very well. Sever can also play multiple positions, but is the only guy listed here that has first base experience. There’s always value in a guy that can play multiple infield positions, and he does have some decent gap power. He hit 29 doubles and seven dingers last year. What’s great about Sever is that he has upside, but he’ll really have to start showing it this year before he gets knocked for being and advanced age player in a lower minors team. He needs to really start to add patience, and add power, and he could make a bit of noise because of his versatility.

Yhoxian Medina had a nice season in Lake County, hitting .278, with 11 doubles and three triples, but struggled in his month at Five County stadium. He’s fairly limited in upside, but like the other players in this infield, he can play multiple positions, and has utility guy written all over him. He’s a guy you could see at multiple levels at times because of his versatile glove, and likely, the Indians lack of worry at moving him around a bunch. He could be the new-ish version of one of my favorite all-time minor leaguers in this organization, Justin Toole.

The infield has a lot of potential, especially with Diaz and Gonzalez. However, the Carolina League has often made mincemeat out of players that are trying to figure things out. If those two are up to the task, it could really change their prospect standing, as well as how they are perceived by the front office.

The Outfield

LeVon Washington, Logan Vick, Anthony Gallas, Ollie Linton

I can’t help it. I love LeVon Washington. I love #Washtime, and while #Washtime is rarely, if ever, seen by anyone buy me these days, I still love it. I don’t want to harbor too much about Washington’s past with this organization, but I do have to mention the injuries that have really debilitated his career. He’s brash. He has moxie. He’s really, really good. It’s an old story with #Washtime, but if he could just stay healthy, he would be a guy that the Indians would take very seriously. He can hit the ball, and he showcased that last season in Lake County, when he was healthy (.321/.425/.477). He showed up at Carolina for four games in Carolina in 2012, and just wasn’t very good. Now is a different story. During media day, #Washtime was pure #Washtime: “All I can do is take advantage of where I am and play hard day-by-day. It seems like everybody is hungry and wants to take the spot of somebody in front of him. The pitcher’s mound is the pitcher’s mound, home plate is home plate and they’ve got to throw it over the plate. A lot of people tell me stuff about this league, but I’m going to stay with my same approach. It’s baseball. I’m not going to see anybody throwing with his foot.” I really don’t know what to add to that, other than to say that Washington really could be the best player on the team this year.

Last year, IBI had a get together at a Lake County game. During that game, I mentioned to the crew that Logan Vickk was a really, really good player that reminded me perhaps of a poor man’s Tyler Naquin. Everyone stopped, looked at me funny, and went back to the festivities. Well, he did stink in Carolina for his month-long tenure, but he got to Carolina by hitting .281 in Lake County, with 23 doubles, three triples and five homers. He’s a good fielder, and while I don’t think he’ll ever be a top prospect in the system, he’s a guy that figures things out by working hard. He also has some nice speed, with 26 stolen bases last season. Washington and Vick should cover a lot of ground at Five County…which is good, because there is a lot of ground to cover.

I don’t know a thing about Ollie Linton. I know that he’s a 27-year old career minor leaguer that steals a lot of bases, played in the Diamondbacks organization for a long time, played in two Southern League all-star games, and is playing in his first season with the Indians’ organization. It’s clear this kid is filling a spot for a bit while some others are developing beneath him.

Anthony Gallas is a guy that I’ve written about before. He’s a Cleveland kid who went to Strongsville High, then Kent State, and then made his name as the little engine that could in the lower levels of the system. The 26-year old missed most of last season, but is back in Carolina to hopefully extend a professional career that perhaps shouldn’t have happened to begin with. He’s a career minor leaguer for sure, but a great hometown story, who like Linton, is a system placeholder for the time being.

With Vick and Washington, the outfield has some good pieces. Unfortunately, if Washington gets hurt, there could be problems. I know Luigi Rodriguez has a shot to show up here at some point, so there is help in the pipeline.

Catchers

Alex Monsalve, Charlie Valerio, Jeremy Lucas

Monsalve can play the game of baseball. Unfortunately, he had the UCL injury in spring of last year, and missed the entire season. In doing so, a bunch of people passed him up, including Tony Wolters, who just started playing the position last year. He is raw talent, and has seen improvement from year-to-year, but this missed time will certainly put him back. What can he do? He’s a big kid with good power offensively. He attacks the zone with his bat, and when he makes contact, you know it. He has every intangible defensively to be a major league player, and has a really strong arm. He could have used a full season of 2013 polish. That said, I could see him move up fairly quickly.

Charlie Valerio was a free agent first baseman when he joined Cleveland, and has made a really good transition to the catcher role. He was a really good hitter at the lower levels, but that has tapered off over the season. He’s a good leader, a decent enough defender, and has a nice bat. To me, he is the perfect minor league back-up catcher.

Jeremy Lucas is an offensive-minded catcher, and while I’m not checking him off as a defender, I’m saying that he’ll likely play some DH this year, for as long as Monsalve is here. If you were to comp him to Valerio, there isn’t really a whole lot of difference to me at this point, other than Lucas seems to have better offense as of right now, and is a little younger.

Final Thoughts

I don’t know that anyone on this team stands out to the average Cleveland Indians fan. To the folks that really follow minor league baseball though, there are several interesting stories worth watching:

Is Yandy Diaz a really good prospect, or is he just another guy in the system?

Can Erik Gonzalez take the next step, in a league that is known as a pitchers league?

Can LeVon Washington stay healthy long enough to ever make it to the major leagues?

Has the injury killed the movement of Alex Monsalve through the system?

Can Joe Sever develop the type of power he would need to be an effective upper minor league player?

Can Shawn Morimando make short work of the Carolina League this year, or has the finesse thing been played out?

Can Dylan Baker take Cody Anderson’s path in 2013?

Is there anyone in this bullpen who can be special, or even kind of good?

Even with all of those questions, this should be a very grounded, good baseball team, and another fun season of Carolina Mudcats baseball.

2014 Columbus Clippers Preview

By Adrienne Robbins

April 3, 2014

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The Clippers will return to Huntington Park to kick off the season Thursday and although many of the players will be returning for another season, there will be many fresh faces in Columbus this season.

Infield

Catcher Roberto Perez will be returning to the Clippers after splitting his time between Akron and Columbus last season. During his 67 games with Columbus Perez put out a .176/.269/.241 line. Perez tossed out 34.9% while playing in PR Winter league and was named by Baseball America as the best defensive catcher in the system entering the 2014 season.

Jesus Aguilar will most likely start out on first before other option David Cooper. The 23-year-old is rising from Double-A Akron after setting the franchise record with 105 RBI in the 2013 season. Aguilar is a power-hitter and blasted 16 homers while with the formerly known Aeros last year, second best on the team. Aguilar produced a line of .275/.349/.427 during the 2013 season.

Cooper was signed by Cleveland to a major league contract Dec. 9, 2013. The lefty spent 2013 without a team after being released by the Toronto Blue Jays during spring training, due to injuries.

After taking the fast track through the Indian's farm system Jose Ramirez will be covering second base for Columbus to kick off the 2014 season. Ramirez leaped from Class-A Lake County in 2012 up to Double-A Akron followed by the big leagues in 2013. In Akron Ramirez spent 50 games at shortstop and 53 at second and posted a .272/.325/.349 line. The 21-year-old was sent to Cleveland during September call-ups, Ramirez would ultimately appear in seven games as a pinch runner, five games at second base, two games at short stop and two at third.

In the hot corner familiar face Ryan Rohlinger will join the Clippers. Rohlinger spent 2013 in Columbus and racked up a .266/.353/.367.

Justin Sellers rounds out the diamond at shortstop. Sellers was purchased by Cleveland from the Los Angeles Dodgers in March. Sellers spent 27 games with the dodgers in 2013, but hit just .188 before being optioned back to Triple-A.

The Clippers will also have two utility players at their disposal with Audy Ciriaco and Bryan LaHair. LaHair is still working through an injury that caused him to have surgery on his wrist in 2013. LaHair played last with the Chicago Cubs in 2012 racking up a .259/.334/.450 line.

Outfield

Carlos Moncrief will fill a spot in the outfield for Columbus. Moncrief is a converted pitcher who led his team in almost all offensive categories in 2013. While with Akron Moncrief hit 17 homers and ended his season with .284/.354/.470. Moncrief was recognized as having the best outfield arm in the system by Baseball America this offseason.

Joining Moncrief will be Columbus veterans Tim Fedroff and Matt Carson. Carson spent his 2013 season in the outfield of Huntington Park hitting .252/.322/.394. The 27-year-old produced 14 home rubs, 49 RBI and stole 14 bases for the Clippers in 2013. Fedroff batted .242 with 48 RBI and 22 stolen bases in 2013.

Michael Bourn is currently listed in Columbus for a Major League rehab assignment for his left hamstring.

Bullpen

The southpaws are taking over the bullpen in Columbus this year. Scott Barnes is looking for a bounce back year after a disappointing 2013. The Lefty spent time in Cleveland three times during the first two months of the season, but spent most of that time in Columbus. After posting a 7.81 ERA in Columbus and a 7.27 ERA for Cleveland, Barnes did not pitch in the regular season after July 2 due to a sprained left wrist.

Another lefty looking for improvements this year is Nick Hagadone. Hagadone split his 2013 season between Cleveland and Columbus. Hagadone earned seven saves while in Columbus and pitched scoreless innings in 23 out of 27 of his appearances. During his time in Cleveland Hagadone was branded with one loss putting up a 5.46 ERA. Hagadone transitioned to a closers role in Columbus, but continued to make relief appearances.

C.C. Lee is another guy worth mentioning. The right-handed reliever spent the first half of the 2013 season rehabbing after undergoing elbow reconstruction surgery in 2012. Lee spent time in Lake County, Akron, Columbus and Cleveland during 2013. Lee's slider got him the call up to Cleveland twice in the season. The first in July Lee pitched three scoreless outings before being optioned back to Columbus. Lee then made five appearances in September (7.71 ERA, 2.1 IP).

New comers to this year's Columbus squad will be lefties Mike Zagurski and Colt Hynes. Hynes spent the entire second half of 2013 with San Diego, before being acquired by Cleveland in October.

Mark Lowe and Austin Adams will also be making their Columbus debuts. Adams is rising from Double-A Akron, the righty spent all of 2013 with Akron after not pitching in 2012 after undergoing shoulder surgery. Adams came back strong in the relief role, tossing a 2.62 ERA and earning himself three wins and four saves.

Starting Rotation

Columbus' starting rotation will feature many familiar faces to kick of 2013 with Trevor Bauer, Josh Tomlin, T.J. House, Tyler Cloyd and Travis Banwart.

Bauer and Tomlin were both in contention for the fifth rotation spot in Cleveland this spring before Carlos Carrasco was ultimately named to the role. Bauer is in need of a strong season after struggling at both levels in 2013. Bauer earned himself a 4.15 ERA during his time in Columbus. Bauer is still considered one of the Indians top prospects and holds a strong curveball and change up, but will have to show consistency in 2014.

We only got a taste of Tomlin in 2013 as he spent the first four months of the season rehabbing from Tommy-John surgery. Tomlin however shined in spring training with a 2.57 ERA in fourteen innings.

TJ House is the only lefty in the rotation. House spent some time in Akron before being bumped to Triple-A. House pitched a combined total of 9-11 with a 4.17 ERA in his 28 starts.

New to the system, joining the rotation is Tyler Cloyd and Travis Banwart. Cloyd is an innings eater who bounced between Philadelphia and Triple-A Lehigh a Valley in 2013. Banwart spent his entire 2013 season in Triple-A transitioning to the rotation after pitching out of the bullpen the first half of the season.

Coaching Staff

Columbus' coaching staff saw little changes, the crew kept two-thirds of its staff from 2013. Chris Tremie will return as the teams skipper, for his second year in Columbus. Tremie' steam fell just under .500 last year, ending with a 71-73 record.

Pitching Coach Tony Arnold will also be returning for his second year with the Clippers. Arnold coached his pitching staff to the fourth lowest ERA and second in strikeouts in the international league during the 2013 season.

Hitting Coach Jim Rickon is the new comer to the Clippers. Rickon continues to progress through the Indians farm system, coming up from Double-A Akron where he filled the same role.

Clint Frazier (Photo courtesy of IBI)

2014 IBI Positional Rankings: The Center Fielders

By Tony Lastoria

April 3, 2014

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It all starts up the middle. Not only do you need a catcher that controls a pitching staff and can shut down a running game and a shortstop that can direct the infield and showcase some exceptional range and consistency, you also need a good center fielder that can cover a lot of ground and be a leader in the outfielder. It also helps if that guy can hit.

The Indians have some interesting center field options in their system, and with Michael Bourn and Michael Brantley in Cleveland for several more years they can take their time and not have to rush anyone through the system.

Here are the center fielders…

1. Clint Frazier

Born: 09/06/1994 – Height: 6’1” – Weight: 190 – Bats: Right – Throws: Right
2013 Stats: .297/.362/.506/.868, 32 R, 11 2B, 5 3B, 5 HR, 28 RBI, 17 BB, 61 K, 3 SB

Frazier was selected by the Indians in the 1st round of the 2013 Draft out of Loganville High School (GA), and was signed for $3.5 million. He has the potential to be a franchise player because of his incredible makeup, very good athleticism, and several plus skills across the board. He sees the ball well, exhibits patience and selectivity against good pitching and crushes pitches in his hitting zone. He shows very good bat-to-ball skills with a chance to be a solid Major League hitter, but what really impresses is his plus-plus raw prodigious power that is well above average on a Major League scale. He is not an overly physical looking player and is only average sized, but combines a quick, short stroke with some tightly wound athleticism and good quick twitch muscles along with some very good strength in his forearms, hands and wrists to generate some explosive bat speed that is rarely seen in a player. He is an above average runner who will consistently run home to first in about 4.2 seconds. Defensively, he has a plus arm with good arm strength and has the athleticism and speed to play center field very well as he ranges to balls well, gets good jumps and has a good understanding of how to play the position. He has a high energy personality, and is very coachable and just works hard to make incremental improvement every day. His biggest area of focus will be to develop his approach at the plate as he is prone to high strikeout totals so discipline could be an ongoing issue for him. His combination of plus tools and ability to impact a game in different ways on both sides of the ball, on the bases and with power give them a potential multi-faceted player that can impact the game in many different ways and be a star.

2. Tyler Naquin

Born: 04/24/1991 – Height: 6’3” – Weight: 190 – Bats: Left – Throws: Right
2013 Stats: .269/.334/.405/.739, 78 R, 30 2B, 6 3B, 10 HR, 48 RBI, 46 BB, 134 K, 15 SB

Naquin was selected in the 1st round of the 2012 Draft out of Texas A&M, and signed for $2.25 million. He is a natural athlete who has a broad range of skills that can impact a game in many ways. Even with his deep skill set, what attracted the Indians to him the most out of the draft was his unbelievable hand-eye coordination and his good feel for hitting. He is a pure hitter with some impressive bat speed and a knack for centering the baseball who has a chance to become an above average Major League hitter. While his game is more as a top of the order guy who gets on base so he can run and put pressure on the defense, he has a good line drive swing with some strength to occasionally hit the ball out of the ballpark. Last season was the first time Naquin played center field on a full time basis and scouts and personnel inside and outside the Indians organization did nothing but rave on how well he adapted to the position change. He projects to be an average defensive center fielder, though could be more depending on how he continues to develop. He looks natural in center field as he glides to balls with ease and can cover a lot of ground. He is an exceptional thrower with plus-plus arm strength, and can throw balls on a line with accuracy from the wall to second base. His plus instincts help him shine with the way he takes great angles and routes to balls, and he sees the ball of the bat exceptionally well. He has slightly above average speed that plays up because of his intelligence as a runner. He struggled with his plate discipline last season, something he himself knows, so it is an area that will be a main focus this season. If everything comes together he has all the intangibles and abilities to be a solid Major League player for a long time.

3. Tyler Holt

Born: 03/10/1989 – Height: 5’10” – Weight: 187 – Bats: Right – Throws: Right
2013 Stats: .267/.338/.359/.697, 83 R, 24 2B, 9 3B, 2 HR, 42 RBI, 55 BB, 90 K, 28 SB

Holt was selected in the 10th round of the 2010 Draft out of Florida State University, and was signed for $500,000. He is a top of the lineup tablesetter who has a very advanced, patient approach at the plate, works counts well and a ton of confidence as a hitter. His plate discipline is one of the best in the entire Indians organization as he shows a very good eye, consistently puts up quality at bats, and is not afraid to take pitches and work from behind in the count. He has undergone a complete makeover with his swing since college and has turned it into a nice solid line drive swing with the ability to hit to all fields. Even though he has below average power, he has some strength to turn on a ball and also drive balls gap to gap. He has good speed and runs hard, and he has off the charts intelligence and instincts as a base-runner and gets good jumps and reads off pitchers when stealing bases. In the outfield he is a plus defender in center field and his versatility to play all three outfield positions will carry him. He shows an innate ability to get good jumps, range well to balls, make strong, accurate throws, and plays the position without any fear as he willingly dives or crashes into walls to catch fly balls. His main focus is on his offensive routine where he needs to fine tune his approach and work on maintaining consistent at bats with a steady mindset over the course of a long season. Because of his lack of power and elite on-base ability he probably fits in best as a depth or fourth outfield type in Cleveland at some point, but he could flourish in such a role with his good approach, patience, defense, and good speed.

4. D’Vone McClure

Born: 01/22/1994 – Height: 6’3” – Weight: 190 – Bats: Right – Throws: Right
2013 Stats: .218/.282/.297/.579, 16 R, 6 2B, 1 3B, 0 HR, 5 RBI, 5 BB, 40 K, 1 SB

McClure was selected in the 4th round of the 2012 Draft out of Jacksonville Senior High School (AR), and signed for $314,700. He has a nice physical presence with a live body and incredible athleticism combined with some interesting tools with his power, arm strength, and speed that make him in interesting prospect with the potential to be a solid Major League player. He shows an advanced feel for hitting at his age with a very smooth, easy balanced swing, and shows a good understanding of the strike zone and solid bat to ball. He has a quick, compact swing with quick hands through the zone and good bat speed that help him generate some good power to all fields. His power has yet to show as a professional, but the Indians believe it is there and that he is a good line drive hitter with the potential to be a double digit home run threat. He has some upside defensively with a solid average arm and above average speed to play anywhere in the outfield and be at least an average defender. He is an outstanding athlete, but he is very raw to the game of baseball so the Indians are really working with him to get a solid fundamental base down so that his tools can take off. To date it has been a slow process for him, and the Indians will take his development slowly because of how raw he is.

5. Silento Sayles

Born: 03/28/1995 – Height: 5’9” – Weight: 185 – Bats: Right – Throws: Right
2013 Stats: .186/.331/.245/.576, 13 R, 4 2B, 1 3B, 0 HR, 4 RBI, 19 BB, 32 K, 5 SB

Sayles was selected by the Indians in the 14th round of the 2013 Draft out of Port Gibson High School (MS). He is a young and an extremely raw center fielder with outstanding speed that grades as a 75 on the 20-80 scouting scale. He is an aggressive base-runner who has very good instincts and is a good decision-maker on the basepaths. While his main tool is his speed, he has significant upside thanks to his young age, good athleticism and feel for the bat. He lacks much power but has some strength packed into his small frame, and he makes steady contact at the plate with the makings of some natural plate discipline skills. He is new to the outfield and is still learning to play the position, but will be developed as a center fielder in the early going because of his average throwing arm and that raw speed which should allow him to range well to balls in both gaps. The Indians like his upside, but he will need a lot of work with the player development staff the next few years to get stronger, improve his swing, and make some much needed strides defensively.

6. Joel Mejia

Born: 04/07/1993 – Height: 5’11” – Weight: 160 – Bats: Right – Throws: Right
2013 Stats: .244/.311/.315/.625, 30 R, 7 2B, 4 3B, 0 HR, 13 RBI, 16 BB, 53 K, 5 SB

Mejia was signed by the Indians as an undrafted free agent out of the Dominican Republic in June of 2010. His calling card is always going to be his defense and his base-running. He is a legitimate 75 runner on the 20-80 scouting scale with well above average speed and the ability to impact a game with his speed on the bases and in the field. He can play center field because of that exceptional speed and athleticism, has plus range, and has a very strong arm. The bat is limited but there is some upside to it and last season he did a much better job of spraying the ball around the field and making consistent contact. He is small and lacks much strength, so power is something that is never going to be part of his game. In order for him to use his great speed he has to get on base, so his focus is on learning the strike zone and learning the discipline it takes to get on base at the higher levels.

7. Victor Cabral

Born: 11/05/1993 – Height: 6’2” – Weight: 180 – Bats: Right – Throws: Right
2013 Stats: .216/.278/.268/.546, 17 R, 6 2B, 1 3B, 0 HR, 13 RBI, 12 BB, 31 K, 8 SB

Cabral was signed by the Indians in July of 2011 out of the Dominican Republic. The Indians considered him their best hitter in the Dominican Summer League in 2012 but he had some struggles in his stateside debut last year. He brings some upside offensively with his bat-to-ball and hitting ability, and is still working on his overall strength with the potential to have average power as he continues to mature. He profiles as a corner outfielder with a solid glove and arm, and is an average defender with the upside to be above average. While the defense is there, it comes down to the bat and he is going to need to make some significant strides this coming season with his approach and ability to hit breaking balls in order to stay relevant as a prospect.

8. Cody Ferrell

Born: 04/29/1990 – Height: 5’10” – Weight: 195 – Bats: Right – Throws: Right
2013 Stats: .268/.349/.304/.653, 21 R, 3 2B, 0 3B, 1 HR, 6 RBI, 12 BB, 34 K, 0 SB

Ferrell was signed by the Indians as an undrafted free agent out of Oklahoma City University in June 2013. He has some versatility in the outfield as he can play all three spots, and while he does not have much power he is a gamer and puts up a quality at bat. He plays the leadoff game to get on base, will take a walk, has a pretty good knowledge of the strike zone and can run a little bit. He has a tendency to get too anxious at the plate and over-swing, so he needs to work on simplifying his swing and being more consistent with the effort in it so that it is smoother and he in turn can see the ball better. His prospect standing is extremely low, but he is a guy who accepts his role in the organization and is continuing to work hard to get better.

9. Ben Shorto

Born: 03/25/1995 – Height: 6’1” – Weight: 170 – Bats: Right – Throws: Right
2013 Stats: DNP

Shorto was signed by the Indians as an undrafted free agent out of Australia in January of 2012. He has yet to make his pro debut and missed the 2012 and 2013 seasons due to a Leukemia diagnosis. When he came stateside for his physical when he reported to extended spring training in April of 2012 his tests revealed that he had T-cell lymphoma. He is now cleared and appeared in five games in the Australian Baseball League over the offseason going 1-for-7 in limited action. The Indians liked his versatility when they signed him and believe he could play solid defense at several positions – though he will probably be initially developed as an outfielder. He has some athleticism and a good baseball body, and has some potential with the bat though has little power at this time. Missing the last two seasons has really set him back some, but that is the least of anyone’s concerns as he looks to have averted a major health scare.

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.

Akron and Carolina are winners, Columbus rained out, big night for Urshela.