Cleveland Sports Forum

With their 6th round pick (#182 overall) in the 2016 Draft the Cleveland Indians have selected third baseman Ulysses Cantu out of W.E. Boswell High School (TX).

Born: 5/1/1998 – Height: 5’11” – Weight: 220 – Bats: Right – Throws: Right

Ranks:

Baseball America: #254
Perfect Game: #241
MLB.com: #105

Tony’s take: Cantu was announced as a third baseman, so it looks like the Indians will initially try him out there to see if he can stay there. That said, his body type, athleticism and glove probably won't stick there and there is some talk he could be tried out as a catcher as his body style fits that position well and he has the arm to handle it - plus he played that position in college this season. He is a bat first and some very intriguing bat speed and power potential to go along with a good approach for his age. The Indians appear to be banking on the hit tool here and will worry about where he fits positionally later. While he is a high school player with a committment to Texas Tech, he looks like a sure bet to sign and probably won't command much over his slot....if at all.

Jeff Ellis: Ulysses Cantu is a player who battled injuries this year and saw his stock slide. My big concern here is that he might be a player without a position. His calling card is his ability to hit and possibly to hit with right-handed power. His power is not going to be a plus tool, and he is more a gap guy who could end up being a 15 home run player. He has tried playing catcher and has the arm for it. As a pitcher he throws in the 80’s, but he didn’t look great there. He is a bigger kid and first base or DH looks like where he will have to end up. The bat should play there though. He knows the zone, works pitches and rarely gets fooled. As a likely first baseman who projects for averages power it is no surprise he was still left on the board. There is a chance for plus on-base skills though, and he could be a quick moving high school player because of how good the approach is.

Press Release: In the Sixth Round (182nd), the club selected infielder Ulysses Cantu out of W.E. Boswell High School in Saginaw, Texas. The Texas Tech recruit hit .374 (34-91) with 6 home runs and 29 RBI in 30 games this spring and was named 5-5A District (TX) Offensive Player of the Year.

With their 7th round pick (#212 overall) in the 2016 Draft the Cleveland Indians have selected catcher Michael Tinsley out of the University of Kansas.

Born: 5/10/1995 – Height: 6’0” – Weight: 190 – Bats: Left – Throws: Right

Ranks:

Baseball America: #294

Jeff Ellis: Indians add their third player who played catcher this year. I always look for patterns in these drafts and one can typically find them. The Indians have gone for high contact, low strikeout guys out side of Will Benson this year. Tinsley struck out just 18 times in 251 appearances, while hitting .377 this year. He hit over .300 every year at school and will Kansas with a career average of .358. There isn’t much power here but he has shown some gap power which has resulted in high doubles totals. He is a solid athlete, which is why he has a good chance to stick at catcher. He is nowhere near as polished as Logan Ice, so maybe he goes to Mahoning Valley while Ice goes to Lake County. I assume they will want both of them to get a lot of reps. A chance for an average catcher with an average hit tool and below average power, with plus plate discipline would be a profile that would work as a starter in the big leagues someday if everything works here.

Jordan Bastian ‏@MLBastian · 2 hours ago
Indians got Logan Ice (Lottery Rd. B) a Bieber (4th Rd). Now? Ulysses Cantu in 6th Rd. Best Name Available approach?

Tribeinsider ‏@tribeinsider · 2 hours ago

7th round (#212)
C Michael Tinsley
+Univ Kansas Catcher
+.377 (80/212) w/15 2B, 42 RBI in 56 G
+1st C in KU hist to earn All-Big 12 1st team

Tribeinsider ‏@tribeinsider · 1 hour ago

8th round (#242)

RHP Andrew Lantrip

+Univ of Houston
+Preseason 1st Team NCBWA All-American
+2.60 ERA, 14GS, 90.0IP, 80H, 5BB, 84SO

jeff ellis ‏@jeffMLBdraft · 28 minutes ago
in the 9th round Indians take Hosea Nelson OF from Claredon College who put up video games numbers

Jordan Bastian ‏@MLBastian · 20 minutes ago
Cleveland's 9th-rounder, OF Hosea Nelson, hit .531/.606/1.020 with 20 HR, 100 RBI, 200 total bases in 55 games for Clarendon College (Juco).

With their 7th round pick (#212 overall) in the 2016 Draft the Cleveland Indians have selected catcher Michael Tinsley out of the University of Kansas.

Born: 5/10/1995 – Height: 6’0” – Weight: 190 – Bats: Left – Throws: Right

Ranks:

Baseball America: #294

Jeff Ellis: Indians add their third player who played catcher this year. I always look for patterns in these drafts and one can typically find them. The Indians have gone for high contact, low strikeout guys out side of Will Benson this year. Tinsley struck out just 18 times in 251 appearances, while hitting .377 this year. He hit over .300 every year at school and will Kansas with a career average of .358. There isn’t much power here but he has shown some gap power which has resulted in high doubles totals. He is a solid athlete, which is why he has a good chance to stick at catcher. He is nowhere near as polished as Logan Ice, so maybe he goes to Mahoning Valley while Ice goes to Lake County. I assume they will want both of them to get a lot of reps. A chance for an average catcher with an average hit tool and below average power, with plus plate discipline would be a profile that would work as a starter in the big leagues someday if everything works here.

Michael Lananna ‏@mlananna · 1 hour ago
Houston RHP Andrew Lantrip (Indians, 8th) had 84 strikeouts to FIVE WALKS in 90 innings this year. Not overwhelming stuff but can command it

With their 8th round pick (#242 overall) in the 2016 Draft the Cleveland Indians have selected right-handed pitcher Andrew Lantrip out of the University of Houston.

Born: 5/11/1995 – Height: 6’2" – Weight: 180 – Bats: Right – Throws: Right

Ranks:

Baseball America: #422

Jeff Ellis: Stop me if you have heard this before, but the Indians just drafted an undersized right-hander with limited velocity and plus command and control. The three pitchers they have taken today are all cut from the same cloth. Lantrip is the most extreme of the group when it comes to the walks. He walked just five players this year in 90 innings. Just like the others his pitches are average at best. He has the lowest velocity of the group more of a high 80’s guy. The Indians have a clear type this year a pitch ability righty who should move quickly and straddles the line between a quad A and a depth arm. Not exciting players, but guys who should get up to AA or AAA in a hurry. The Indians are looking for plus command first and foremost right now. I assume this is another under slot deal, as every arm selected should be for them.

jeff ellis ‏@jeffMLBdraft · 24 minutes ago
Indians 10th rounder is Samad Taylor SS from Corona HS

jeff ellis ‏@jeffMLBdraft · 23 minutes ago
He is another 17 year old kid, athletic kid played well in the area code games

jeff ellis ‏@jeffMLBdraft · 21 minutes ago
Taylor is an Arizona commit, this could be a hard sign. Seeing more teams take risks in rd 10 because the loss of pool is not a big deal

PICK: Ian Anderson, rhp

Right-hand picker?

But he's old--been doing the Jethro Tull thing for about 50 years.

Hillbilly wrote:Ken will love the Capel pick.

I talked with a scout in April who raved about Capel. He would be in the running for the grittiest players in this draft.

Just reading about him. It sounds like he is the classic look good pick. No way Dolan spends the money to sign him but at least he can say that he picked a player who grinds. Looks like they have bee picking a lot of signability picks ie guys who are not really major leaguers but hey you got to pick someone and why pick an expensive player when you can just as easily pick a cheap player.