Cleveland Sports Forum

Scrappers loss. Bryson Myles singles walk and his 11th steal. Tony Wolters 2 singles 15th steal: he's at 308 with 15 errors. http://web.minorleaguebaseball.com/milb ... x_aubasx_1

Any prospects left? Here's the BA Top 10 assuming we sign draft choices.


Now that Drew Pomeranz and Alex White and Joe Gardner are all Rockies and Lonnie Chisenhall and Jason Kipnis are major leaguers, who's left to form an Indians Top 10 Prospects list? I sure hope that the Indians are as aggressive in signing remaining draft choices as they were at the trading deadline.

Elliot Legow
Youngstown, Ohio

With promotions and trades, half of last year's Indians Top 10 Prospects list won't be eligible for the next edition. What would the Top 10 look like right now, assuming Cleveland signs first-round pick Francisco Lindor and second-rounder Dillon Howard?

Matt Hoagland
Wickliffe, Ohio

Not only are the first four players on last year's Indians Top 10 either traded (Pomeranz, White) or in the majors, presumably to stay (Chisenhall, Kipnis), the next two guys (outfielder Nick Weglarz, righthander Jason Knapp) have had their 2011 seasons ruined by injuries. Here's how I envision our 2012 Top 10, assuming the Indians reach deals with Lindor and Howard. Many of Cleveland's best-performing prospects are relievers, but I only included two on the list and opted for prospects with higher ceilings.

1. Francisco Lindor, ss
Eighth overall pick was the best pure shortstop in 2011 draft.
2. Dillon Howard, rhp
First-round talent has heavy low-90s sinker, good athleticism.
3. Tony Wolters, ss
Has advanced line-drive bat; Lindor likely would push him to second base.
4. Nick Hagadone, lhp
Fastball and slider give reliever two strikeout pitches; command is much improved.
5. Felix Sterling, rhp
Holding his own at 18 in low Class A with nifty fastball-slider combination.
6. Ronnie Rodriguez, ss
Another teenager in low A, his multi-tool potential is more impressive than his numbers.
7. Luigi Rodriguez, of
Hit .379 with speed and some pop in Rookie ball to earn promotion to low A at age 18.
8. Chen Lee, rhp
Taiwanese Olympian runs fastball up to 96, has 87 K in 61 IP in upper minors.
9. Levon Washington, of
Fourth low Class A teenager on list has Carl Crawford toolset but struggling in pro debut.
10. Chun Chen, c
Has hit his way to Double-A but still must prove he can stay behind the plate.

Those guys are almost all very very far from the majors, except for the 2 relievers he included on his list.

They're not top prospects but Clippers' hitters manage 11 runs. 4 hits for Cord Phelps include a double and triple. 3 by Huffman and by Beau Mills each include a homer, 2 singles for Fedroff. Hugff 6 2/3 3 runs on 6 hits, he pitches better in the majors. Langwell 2 1/3 scoreless hitless.

http://web.minorleaguebaseball.com/milb ... x&did=milb

We've known all year that there are no prospects on Kinston (except for Pomeranz). They lose 11-6. 2 hits each by Holt, Abraham, Aguillar, Toole. Roberto Perez draws 4 walks. Trey Haley the loser, 1 inning, 2 hits, 2 walks, 2 earned runs.

http://web.minorleaguebaseball.com/milb ... a_lynafa_1

Ronny Rodriguez one of the kids on the BA list makes 2 errors, that's 27 for the year. Captains fall 3-0. They make 5 errors total. All the 3 of the hits all by catcher Montero. Michael Goodnight loses yet again but pitches OK for a change: 5 3 3 1 2 4. Cody Allen promoted from MHV 3 scoreless, 2 K. He fanned 42 in 33 2/3 in the NYPL.

http://web.minorleaguebaseball.com/milb ... x_lcoafx_1

Some possible prospects lead the Scrappers to a win. Bryson Myles singles twice. Jake Lowery singles and doubles (15th). Alex Lavisky singles and doubles; for the season Alex has 21 doubles, 12 homers, and 205 average.

http://web.minorleaguebaseball.com/milb ... x_aubasx_1

The one name I was surrpised by its omission on the BA list is Elvis Araujo, but I suppose his past injuiries were considered. The big hard thrower went a solid 5 innings, 8 K, 2 runs on 4 hits and 2 walks for Arizona team last night. Danny Salazar and Kyle Blair with brief not effective rehab work. Catcher Valerio singles, homers, steals his 6th base. 1b Castilli with 3 hits, battin 318

http://web.minorleaguebaseball.com/milb ... k_clerok_1

Coming up with a list of adult prospects (21 years old and above) for the Tribe would be very difficult. The BA 10 includes only Hagadone, Lee, Chen. You'd have to add many more relievers: Judy, Putnam, Stowell, Bryson.

With one of the youngest teams in the big leagues I for one love the fact that our best prospects are high ceiling low minor league kids.....

Forget about'em for two years. Other than a RH bat we don't need anything else for a while...

What we are now lacking in the minors that will matter in the short run are depth, in case of injuries (like when Choo and Sizemore went down) and tradeable commodities, except for relievers.

Since we have two young catchers already and since Chen's defensive skills remain uncertain, I wouldn't be shocked if he started working at 1st base, too. Maybe he can be the Next Matt McBride, who was for awhile considered the Next Matt Stairs.

I am very hopeful that the Indians go over slot to many of their remaining draft choices and replensih the farm system. They have already paid 3rd round money for their 14th round choice (who BA projected as about a 3rd talent)

On Monday the Eastern League announced that Double-A Akron right-handed pitcher Austin Adams has been named the Eastern League Pitcher of the Week for the period of August 1st through August 7th.

Adams, 24, made two appearances for Akron last week posting a record of 2-0 with a 2.31 ERA in 11.2 innings pitched. His first start of the week came on Tuesday (8/2) night at Trenton where he allowed just one run on three hits and three walks while striking out seven batters over five innings of work. In his second appearance of the week on Sunday (8/7) at Canal Park, he scattered seven hits and allowed two runs while walking one and striking out five over 6.2 innings.

Adams has earned a win in each of his last four starts for Akron and is currently tied for fifth in the league with nine wins on the season. He is a 2011 Eastern League All-Star, and was selected by the Indians in the fifth round of the 2009 draft out of Faulkner University.


Will Roberts
Also, the NY-Penn League announced on Monday that short season Single-A Mahoning Valley right-handed pitcher Will Roberts was named Pitcher of the Week for the period of August 1st through August 7th.

Roberts, 20-years old and the Indians' fifth-round pick in this year's Draft, had the finest outing of his five-game career last Thursday when he held first-place Staten Island to one hit over six scoreless innings. The right-hander struck out four and did not walk a batter as the Scrappers held the league's top hitting team to four singles in a 4-0 shutout. The win was Roberts' first as a pro, and the performance lowered his ERA to 2.18 over 20.2 innings.

Maybe he can be the Next Matt McBride

Other wise known as a catcher who can not play the position.