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After five years out of the limelight, the Indians were an attraction again in 2013. With World Series-winning manager Terry Francona installed at the helm, Cleveland charged to a 21-6 record in September and snagged a wild-card berth, their first playoff appearance since 2007. The season came to a disappointing end, however, in a home loss to the Rays in the American League Wild Card game.
While the Indians have become relevant again, their improvement was largely thanks to veteran acquisitions rather than youth.
In addition to putting Francona in the dugout, the Indians signed free agents Nick Swisher, Jason Giambi and Michael Bourn. It helped also that Ubaldo Jimenez, largely a disappointment for most of his tenure in Cleveland since coming over in a blockbuster trade in 2011, reinvigorated his career by going 13-9, 3.30 for the season and 4-0, 1.09 in September.
The farm system played a relatively minor part in the Indians’ reversal of fortunes. Just four players who made meaningful contributions were fully homegrown, led by second baseman Jason Kipnis, who became an all-star in his second full season in the majors.
Rookie righthander Danny Salazar was the only homegrown pitcher to start a game for Cleveland in 2013, though he was instrumental to the Tribe’s September run. He posted a 3.33 ERA after joining the rotation in August to help compensate for Justin Masterson going down with an oblique injury. He even got the start in the Wild Card game against Tampa Bay, though he took the loss. But outside of Salazar, rookie reliever Cody Allen was the only other homegrown pitcher to see significant action.
The Indians struggled to get good returns when they traded Cy Young Award-winning southpaws C.C. Sabathia and Cliff Lee in 2008 and 2009, which set back their rebuilding process. They sold off another productive veteran prior to the 2013 season when they gave up Shin-Soo Choo in a three-team deal with the Reds and Diamondbacks, landing righthanders Trevor Bauer and Bryan Shaw from Arizona. Shaw contributed 70 appearances and a 3.24 ERA out of the bullpen, but Bauer was a disappointment.
The No. 3 overall pick in the 2011 draft, Bauer rarely got on track at Triple-A Columbus and put up an uninspiring 4.15 ERA. He made just four big league starts during the season, and the club didn’t bother calling him up during the pennant race in September.
As was the case in past trades for Choo, Carlos Santana and Asdrubal Cabrera, the Indians score better on the margins. For example, they got catcher Yan Gomes along with utilityman Mike Aviles from the Blue Jays for Esmil Rogers. The first Brazilian to ever play in the majors, Gomes hit .294/.345/.481 for the Indians to force his way into the lineup, leading to Santana spending more time at DH.
Other than an imminent changing of the guard at shortstop from Cabrera to top prospect Francisco Lindor, the Indians will have to lean heavily on their current core in the immediate future. The system has few true impact players outside of Lindor and 2013 first-rounder Clint Frazier, the reigning BA High School Player of the Year. Whatever contributions the team gets from young players in 2014 will probably be from relievers such as righthanders Austin Adams and C.C. Lee, along with a hoped-for rebound from Bauer.
1. Francisco Lindor, SS
Francisco Lindor (Photo by Brian Westerholt)
Born: Nov. 14, 1993. B-T: B-R. Ht.: 5-11. Wt.: 175. Drafted: HS—Montverde, Fla., 2011 (1st round). Signed by: Mike Soper.
Background: Lindor gained minor fame as a youth in Puerto Rico, where his local all-star teams won 8- and 9-year-old national championships. Seeking better competition than he could find on the island, Lindor’s family enrolled him at Montverde (Fla.) Academy at age 12. He went on to star on the high school showcase circuit and for USA Baseball’s 16U national team, for which he served as captain and won a gold medal at the 2009 World Youth Championships in Taiwan. Lindor even scored the winning run in the ninth inning of the gold-medal game as Team USA rallied back from a 5-1 deficit to beat Cuba 7-6. The Indians made Lindor the first high schooler they’d taken in the first round since 2001 when they snagged him No. 8 overall in 2011, signing him for $2.9 million. After hitting .306/.373/.410 at high Class A Carolina in 2013, Lindor moved up to Double-A Akron in July and was the youngest position player to play in the Eastern League.
Scouting Report: Lindor brings everything to the table with his tools, instincts and makeup. He’ll fit more as a No. 1 or 2 hitter in a future big league lineup rather than as a run-producer, but there’s very little he can’t do. He has a compact swing from both sides of the plate and drives balls to all fields. Raw power is the only tool where he’s not above-average, but he could still be a threat to hit 15 homers once he fills out. He does have a little more power from the right side that would sometimes cause that swing to get bigger, but he did a better job of keeping it more consistent in 2013. Lindor has an uncanny feel for the strike zone, especially for his age. He rarely chases bad pitches or gives away at-bats, drawing more walks than he had strikeouts across two levels in 2013. Though he’s still polishing the small-ball aspects of his game, such as bunting and stealing, he’s an intelligent baserunner with above-average speed. Lindor shines even brighter on defense, where he has the potential to be a Gold Glove shortstop. Beyond just his soft hands and above-average arm, Lindor has an advanced feel for anticipating plays. He slows the game down and always plays under control. His work ethic is second to none as well. He doesn’t just settle with getting by on talent and is driven to be a complete player.
The Future: The only needs for Lindor at this stage are adding a bit more strength and gaining more experience against upper-level pitchers. With Asdrubal Cabrera’s contract expiring after the 2014 season, Lindor is right on schedule to be the Indians’ Opening Day shortstop in 2015. He’ll begin the 2014 season back at Akron, but if he shows he’s ready, Cleveland may ring in the Lindor era sooner than later.
2013 Club (Class)
AVG
OBP
SLG
AB
R
H
2B
3B
HR
RBI
BB
SO
SB
Carolina (Hi A)
.306
.373
.410
327
51
100
19
6
1
27
35
39
20
Akron (AA)
.289
.407
.395
76
14
22
3
1
1
7
14
7
5
Francisco Lindor Player Card
2. Clint Frazier, of
Clint Frazier (Photo by Mike Janes)
Born: Sept. 6, 1994. B-T: R-R. Ht.: 5-11. Wt.: 185. Drafted: HS—Loganville, Ga., 2013 (1st round). Signed by: Brad Tyler.
Background: Frazier won the Baseball America High School Player of the Year award in 2013 after hitting .485 with 17 homers as a Loganville (Ga.) High senior. The fifth overall pick in the draft, he signed for $3.5 million, which is the largest bonus the Indians ever have given a drafted player.
Scouting Report: Frazier can put on a show in batting practice, with his raw power rating a 70. He generates lightning-quick bat speed and takes short, quick swings. Like most teenage hitters, he will swing and miss too much at times. Frazier will have to get accustomed to pitchers throwing him a steady diet of breaking balls as he moves up, but the Indians believe he’ll be able to make the adjustment and will hit for solid averages. An infielder until his junior year in high school, he impressed the team with how quickly his outfield play progressed. His routes and angles need to get better, but he has the above-average speed to play center field. Some scouts believe he’ll eventually outgrow center, though his above-average arm would fit fine in right.
The Future: Between Frazier and Francisco Lindor, the Indians boast two elite prospects at up-the-middle positions, with Frazier having the most offensive impact potential of any hitter in the system. After a successful showing in the Rookie-level Arizona League in his pro debut, he’ll go to low Class A Lake County as a 19-year-old in 2014.
2013 Club (Class)
AVG
OBP
SLG
AB
R
H
2B
3B
HR
RBI
BB
SO
SB
AZL Indians (R)
.297
.362
.506
172
32
51
11
5
5
28
17
61
3
Clint Frazier Player Card
3. Trevor Bauer, rhp
Trevor Bauer (Photo by Diamond Images)
Born: Jan. 17, 1991. B-T: R-R. Ht.: 6-1. Wt.: 190. Drafted: UCLA, 2011 (1st round). Signed by: Hal Kurtzman (Diamondbacks).
Background: Bauer entered pro ball fresh off winning the Baseball America College Player of the Year Award when the Diamondbacks made him the third overall pick in 2011. However, he wore out his welcome in Arizona, which parted with him in a three-team deal in December 2012. He languished at Triple-A Columbus in 2013, his numbers and stuff declining across the board.
Scouting Report: Bauer takes an intellectual approach, studying biomechanics to carefully craft his delivery, but it got out of whack in 2013. His fastball features slight tailing movement, sitting in the low 90s and hitting 95 mph when he needs it to. Bauer still shows wipeout secondary stuff. He has two plus pitches in his curveball with late downward break and his sinking changeup. He can mix in a usable slider as well. However, Bauer relied too heavily on his breaking stuff in 2013, struggled to command his fastball and constantly fell behind in counts. He needs to trust his fastball more and get his delivery back in order so that he can command his heater down in the zone.
The Future: At times Bauer still looks like a frontline arm, but skeptics who doubted he could hold up with his diligent throwing program had some vindication in 2013. He likely will begin 2014 back at Columbus, barring a spectacular spring training.
2013 Club (Class)
W
L
ERA
G
GS
CG
SV
IP
H
HR
BB
SO
AVG
Columbus (AAA)
6
7
4.15
22
22
1
0
121
119
14
73
106
.266
Cleveland
1
2
5.29
4
4
0
0
17
15
3
16
11
.238
Trevor Bauer Player Card
4. Tyler Naquin, of
Born: April 24, 1991. B-T: L-R. Ht.: 6-2. Wt.: 175. Drafted: Texas A&M, 2012 (1st round). Signed by: Kyle Van Hook.
Background: Naquin claimed back-to-back Big 12 Conference batting titles as a Texas A&M sophomore and junior before landing a $1.75 million bonus as the 15th overall pick in 2012. Going to high Class A Carolina for his first full season, Naquin came out of the gates strong and hit .311/.375/.468 in the first half before wearing down.
Scouting Report: Hailed as the best pure hitter in the 2012 draft class, Naquin has quick hands and exceptional bat control, allowing him to spray line drives all over the field. He spread out his stance in 2013 to give himself a stronger base and allow him to use his legs better. However, scouts would like to see him turn on inside pitches with more authority rather than looking to flick them the other way. He has below-average power but he can accumulate extra bases with his above-average speed and aggressiveness. That lack of home run pop makes it essential Naquin stay in center field. He was a right fielder in college, but he has the range and instincts to make a go of it center. His arm is also well above-average.
The Future: Naquin’s doubters see him as a future fourth outfielder, which will likely be his fate if he doesn’t make it in center field. If everything comes together, he’ll be a top-of-the-order table-setter and everyday center fielder. He’ll start 2014 at Double-A Akron.
2013 Club (Class)
AVG
OBP
SLG
AB
R
H
2B
3B
HR
RBI
BB
SO
SB
Carolina (Hi A)
.277
.345
.424
448
69
124
27
6
9
42
41
112
14
Akron (AA)
.225
.271
.300
80
9
18
3
0
1
6
5
22
1
Tyler Naquin Player Card
5. Cody Anderson, rhp
Cody Anderson (Photo by Mike Janes)
Born: Sept. 14, 1990. B-T: R-R. Ht.: 6-4. Wt.: 220. Drafted: Feather River (Calif.) JC, 2011 (14th round). Signed by: Don Lyle.
Background: Anderson dabbled in pitching in high school but spent most of his time in the outfield. He moved to the mound full-time at Feather River (Calif.) JC, though only as a reliever, where his arm strength, frame and delivery attracted the Indians. His career took off in 2013, when he won pitcher of the year awards for both the high Class A Carolina League and the Indians organization.
Scouting Report: From the beginning, the Indians believed in Anderson’s ability to be a starter thanks to his easy, repeatable delivery and variety of pitches. He generates nice downhill plane on his plus fastball that reaches 95 mph and sits in the low 90s. His slider and curveball are solid if unspectacular. The slider stepped forward last season once Anderson stopped trying to guide it into the strike zone and used it more aggressively, improving its bite and making it a swing-and-miss offering. His changeup needs the most work, but he does show some feel for it and has good arm speed with it. He doesn’t have any issues with his delivery and already has solid command.
The Future: Anderson looked tired by the time he got a late-season promotion to Double-A Akron in 2013, and he’ll go back there to open 2014. He should top 150 innings for the first time as he attempts to fulfill his potential as a mid-rotation starter.
2013 Club (Class)
W
L
ERA
G
GS
CG
SV
IP
H
HR
BB
SO
AVG
Carolina (Hi A)
9
4
2.34
23
23
0
0
123
105
6
31
112
.236
Akron (AA)
0
0
5.68
3
3
0
0
13
16
2
9
10
.320
Cody Anderson Player Card
6. Dorssys Paulino, ss
Born: Nov. 21, 1994. B-T: R-R. Ht.: 6-0. Wt.: 175. Signed: Dominican Republic, 2011. Signed by: Ramon Pena/Claudio Brito/Felix Nivar.
Background: One of the most sought-after bats on the 2011 international market, Paulino landed with the Indians for $1.1 million. He was among the youngest players in the low Class A Midwest League in 2013 at age 18 and struggled to adjust to the cold weather early in the season. His numbers fell into a hole, though he did recover to hit .281 in August.
Scouting Report: Despite Paulino’s down year, the Indians remain excited about his upside. He has strong hands and can whip the bat through the zone. His hands are quick enough that he can let balls travel deep and smash line drives to all fields. He has some raw power, though it’s mainly to the gaps. When he’s going well, Paulino does a good job of staying inside the ball, but last season he pressed too much to get out of his funk and got over-aggressive. He’s a solid runner underway, but he lacks a quick first step. Paulino probably will face a move to second base at some point, though the Indians will keep him at shortstop for the time being. His arm is playable there but his range is fringy. He made 39 errors in 2013, the most among MWL shortstops, as he struggled with his footwork and internal clock.
The Future: Even if Paulino does have to move over to second base, he has the tools to be an offensive asset. He’ll go back to low Class A Lake County to open 2014.
2013 Club (Class)
AVG
OBP
SLG
AB
R
H
2B
3B
HR
RBI
BB
SO
SB
Lake County (Lo A)
.246
.297
.349
476
56
117
28
3
5
46
30
91
12
Dorssys Paulino Player Card
7. Ronny Rodriguez, ss/2b
Ronny Rodriguez (Photo by Tomasso DeRosa)
Born: April 17, 1992. B-T: R-R. Ht.: 6-0. Wt.: 170. Signed: Dominican Republic, 2010. Signed by: Ramon Pena/Miguel Valdez.
Background: Growing up, Rodriguez spent several years living in the U.S., and he even attended high school in the States. He eventually relocated back to his native Dominican Republic and signed with the Indians for $375,000 in 2010.
Scouting Report: Rodriguez has as much or more pure athleticism as any Indians middle-infield prospect, including Francisco Lindor, but he lacks polish. He has quick-twitch ability and generates plenty of bat speed. His home run output dropped markedly from 2012, though Cleveland chalks this up at least partly to Double-A Akron’s stingy Canal Park. Rodriguez is wiry strong and leverages balls well, and he should be capable of solid-average power. His inexperience shows in his overly aggressive plate approach. He has the bat-to-ball skills to make consistent contact to all fields, but he’s tough to walk and doesn’t show much ability to adjust with two strikes. Rodriguez played shortstop until moving over to second base upon Lindor’s arrival in Akron. He has the pure tools for shortstop, with plus range, quick hands and a strong-enough arm.
The Future: While he’s unlikely to beat out Lindor at shortstop, Rodriguez has the athleticism to shift to several other positions. His ultimate defensive home remains in question as he heads to Triple-A Columbus in 2014.
2013 Club (Class)
AVG
OBP
SLG
AB
R
H
2B
3B
HR
RBI
BB
SO
SB
Akron (AA)
.265
.291
.376
468
62
124
25
6
5
52
16
76
12
Ronny Rodriguez Player Card
8. C.C. Lee, rhp
C.C. Lee (Photo by Bill Mitchell)
Born: Oct. 21, 1986. B-T: R-R. Ht.: 5-11. Wt.: 190. Signed: Taiwan, 2008. Signed by: Jason Lee.
Background: Lee finally made his long-awaited major league debut in 2013 at age 26. Cleveland signed him for $400,000 in 2008 and he made his way through the system smoothly until 2012, when he went down early in the season and needed Tommy John surgery. After getting back on the mound in May, Lee received two big league callups in 2013.
Scouting Report: A sinker/slider reliever, Lee throws from a low-three-quarters slot with deception. He has plus velocity on his fastball, ranging from 92-96 mph with late sinking and running life. His slider doesn’t have a ton of depth but its good, late bite makes it tough for righthanders to handle. Coming off elbow surgery, Lee was a bit tentative with his slider early in the year, but it looked impressive by the end. He does have a little splitter he can use against lefties, but he’s primarily a two-pitch pitcher. Control isn’t a problem, but he does need to tighten his fastball command to give himself a better chance against lefthanders.
The Future: Lee should pitch in the majors again in 2014. He has good stuff but may end up filling a situational role if he doesn’t hone his command.
2013 Club (Class)
W
L
ERA
G
GS
CG
SV
IP
H
HR
BB
SO
AVG
Lake County (Lo A)
0
0
0.00
2
0
0
0
2
1
0
1
4
.167
Akron (AA)
0
0
3.38
8
0
0
0
8
3
0
4
9
.111
Columbus (AAA)
1
0
2.37
19
0
0
0
19
14
1
5
24
.212
Cleveland
0
0
4.15
8
0
0
0
4
4
0
3
4
.250
C.C. Lee Player Card
9. Jose Ramirez, 2b/ss
Jose Ramirez (Photo by Tomasso DeRosa)
Born: Sept. 17, 1992. B-T: B-R. Ht.: 5-9. Wt.: 165. Signed: Dominican Republic, 2009. Signed by:: Lino Diaz/Omar Rogers.
Background: After he finished 2012 at low Class A Lake County, Ramirez went on to hit .312 over the winter in the Dominican League, which spurred the Indians to skip him over high Class A and send him straight to Double-A Akron to start the 2013 season. Cleveland called him up in September in the heat of the playoff race, using him mainly as a pinch-runner and defensive replacement.
Scouting Report: Ramirez’s speed and on-base skills are his biggest assets. He has a smooth swing from both sides of the plate and sprays line drives to all fields. He does have some pull-side power, more so as a righthanded hitter, but home runs aren’t part of his game. He excels at working counts and rarely chases. Though Ramirez has plus speed and led the Eastern League in steals (38), he tended to be too aggressive. He has the athleticism and versatility to play second base, third base or shortstop, but second is the only spot where he profiles as a regular. His hands work well and he has smooth actions, but he lacks the arm for shortstop or power for third. The game never speeds up on Ramirez, and the major league staff raved about his energy.
The Future: A left thumb injury in winter ball could slow Ramirez in spring training, so after getting a taste of the majors, he’ll begin 2014 at Triple-A Columbus to add more polish.
2013 Club (Class)
AVG
OBP
SLG
AB
R
H
2B
3B
HR
RBI
BB
SO
SB
Akron (AA)
.272
.325
.349
482
78
131
16
6
3
38
39
41
38
Cleveland
.333
.429
.500
12
5
4
0
1
0
0
2
2
0
Jose Ramirez Player Card
10. Austin Adams, rhp
Austin Adams (Photo by Rodger Wood).
Born: Aug. 19, 1986. B-T: R-R. Ht.: 5-11. Wt.: 190. Drafted: Faulkner (Ala.), 2009 (5th round). Signed by:: Chuck Bartlett.
Background: The Brewers liked Adams enough as a shortstop prospect to take him in the 27th round in 2008, but he passed on signing to continue playing both ways at NAIA Faulkner (Ala.). Cleveland’s fifth-round pick in 2009, he rated as one of the Indians’ best pitching prospects after the 2011 season, but shoulder surgery cost him all of 2012 and his road to the majors has been rerouted to the bullpen.
Scouting Report: Adams returned in fine form at Double-A Akron in 2013, amassing a strikeout rate of 12.4 per nine innings. The high-90s velocity he showed before his injury has come all the way back, and he pitched with his fastball at 95-97 mph with cutting action. Adams still has the depth to his repertoire from his days as a starter. His curveball and changeup have the best chances to be quality offerings from among his secondary pitches, and he can mix in an early-count slider as well. He’s a good athlete but isn’t overly physical. The Indians believe Adams will have better command than his walk figures from 2013 suggest (4.7 per nine), but he has effort to his delivery, and his ability to locate never will be more than average.
The Future: Adams has the power arm to be a late-inning option, and he joined the 40-man roster after the 2013 season. He’ll begin 2014 at Triple-A Columbus at age 27 and make his big league debut during the season.
2013 Club (Class)
W
L
ERA
G
GS
CG
SV
IP
H
HR
BB
SO
AVG
Akron (AA)
3
2
2.62
45
0
0
4
55
44
3
29
76
.215
Austin Adams Player Card
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