2008 Coaching Staffs

Buffalo
Manager: Torey Lovullo
Pitching Coach: Scott Radinsky
Hitting Coach: Dave Myers

Akron
Manager: Mike Sarbaugh
Pitching Coach: Tony Arnold
Hitting Coach: Lee May Jr.

Kinston
Manager: Chris Tremie
Pitching Coach: Greg Hibbard
Hitting Coach: Jon Nunnally

Lake County
Manager: Aaron Holbert
Pitching Coach: Ruben Niebla
Hitting Coach: Jim Rickon

Mahoning Valley
Manager: Travis Fryman
Pitching Coach: Ken Rowe
Hitting Coach: Anthony Medrano

GCL Indians
Manager: Rouglas Odor
Pitching Coach: Steve Lyons
Hitting Coach: Phil Clark

DSL Indians
Manager: Jose Stela
Pitching Coach: Kevin Carcamo
Hitting Coach: Luis Chavez and Carlos Fermin

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2008 Player Development Staff

Director, Player Development: Ross Atkins
Director, Latin American Operations: Lino Diaz
Assistant, Player Development: Meka Asonye
Advisor, Player Development: Johnny Goryl
Cultural Development Coordinator: Julio Rangel
Field Coordinator: Dave Hudgens
Pitching Coordinator: Dave Miller
Hitting Coordinator: Bruce Fields
Defensive Coordinator: Ted Kubiak
Outfield/Baserunning Coordinator: Gary Thurman
Catching Coordinator: Tim Laker
Latin America Field Coordinator: Minnie Mendoza
Advisor, Dominican Republic: Winston Llenas
Director, Dominican Operations: Junior Betances
Strength and Conditioning Coordinator: Brendon Huttmann
Affiliate Strength and Conditioning Coaches: Juan Acevedo, Derek Millender, Nelson Perez, Nuremburg Rondon, Kris Schuler, Mike Winkler, Cesar Yepez
Mental Skills Coordinator: John Couture
Nutrition Consultant: Jackie Berning

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Jose Constanza

Jose Constanza: Outfielder

Age: 23 Height: 5’9” Weight: 150 Bats: Switch Throws: Left

Constanza had a breakout season in 2006, hitting .309/.410/.410 with 2 HRs, 36 RBIs and 39 stolen bases in 120 games combined at Lake County and Kinston. Constanza has outstanding bat control and bat-to-ball ability, and very good baseball instincts. He put himself on the radar screen back in the Dominican Summer League (DSL) in 2004 when he hit .444 and lead the league in just about every offensive category except home runs. The Indians were so impressed with Constanza’s showing in the DSL in 2004, that they started him in Lake County in 2005, which is unheard of for players in the Indians academy in the Dominican Republic to start with a full-season squad in their state-side debut. The last player to do so was Jhonny Peralta. Constanza projects as a left fielder because of his speed and defense and limited pop in his bat, and may eventually break in with the Indians as a 4th outfielder down the road. Because of the crowded outfield situation in Akron and Buffalo he will most likely return to Kinston in 2007, but at some point in the season he will be in Akron.

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Neil Wagner

Neil Wagner: Right-handed Pitcher

Age: 22 Height: 6’0” Weight: 195 Bats: Right Throws: Right

Wagner might be a sleeper, and someone to keep an eye on. Last year at Mahoning Valley, Wagner went 0-0 with 17 saves and posted a 1.39 ERA while holding opposing hitters to a .143 average and struckout 50 hitters in 32 innings. Wagner closed in college, and at this point it appears the Indians intend to develop him as a closer. Outside of Adam Miller, Wagner arguably has the most explosive fastball in the system that touches 96-98MPH consistently. He controls his fastball well, but the key to him becoming a bonafide relief prospect will be the development of at least one secondary pitches, which he has struggled with. Wagner most likely will start the 2007 season as the closer at Lake County.

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Ben Francisco

Ben Francisco: Outfielder

Age: 25 Height: 6’1” Weight: 190 Bats: Right Throws: Right

Francisco had a very good year at Buffalo last year, hitting .278/.345/.454 with 17 HRs, 59 RBIs and 25 stolen bases. The Indians love his bat, and feel he would be further along if not for several trips to the disabled list over the past few years. Francisco's bat provides very good extra base hit production, and he is a versatile defender who can play all three outfield positions well. His speed is average, but he is an excellent base-runner as his instincts on the base-paths lead to many of his stolen bases. The Indians feel he is capable of a major league opportunity right now, and he may initially break in as a 4th outfielder. With Francisco now on the 40-man roster, he’ll join Franklin Gutierrez and Shin-Soo Choo in the battle for the 4th outfielder role with Cleveland in 2007. If he doesn’t win the job, he’ll return to Buffalo and anchor the lineup.

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Josh Rodriguez

Josh Rodriguez: Second-Baseman

Age: 21 Height: 6’0” Weight: 175 Bats: Right Throws: Right

The Indians took Rodriguez with their second of four picks in the second round of the 2006 Draft. In pre-season college draft prospect rankings, Rodriguez was considered the top shortstop available. Like Wes Hodges (more on him later), however, Rodriguez’s draft stock plummeted somewhat when an elbow injury limited him to DH duty at Rice University early in 2006 and he was eventually moved to third-base. Once signed, the Indians assigned him to Mahoning Valley where he hit .268/.337/.465 with 4 HRs and 24 RBIs in 45 games. Rodriguez is a patient hitter with gap power. While Rodriguez lacks speed he does have an excellent throwing arm, and is versatile enough to play third-base, shortstop or second-base. With the need in the lower minors for second-basemen, Rodriguez most likely could end up at that position full-time. He should start the 2007 season at Lake County.

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Joe Ness

Joe Ness: Right-handed Pitcher

Age: 23 Height: 6’5” Weight: 230 Bats: Right Throws: Right

The Indians took Ness in the 6th Round of the 2005 Draft out of Ball State University. In Ness’s first full season with the Indians last year, Ness went 9-6 with a 3.62 ERA in 26 starts at Kinston. At 6’5” and 230 lbs, Ness is a big, physical pitcher with a strong arm that gets his fastball in the low to mid 90s. Ness also throws a slider and changeup. While Ness is a strike-thrower, his pitches tend to lack variation in speed because his changeup is still a work in progress. If Ness is unable to change speeds, it could spell trouble down the road against more advanced hitters. The Indians feel Ness has the potential to be an innings eater because of his durability and strong mechanics, and he should start the 2007 campaign in Akron.

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Wes Hodges

Wes Hodges: Third-Baseman

Age: 22 Height: 6’2” Weight: 180 Bats: Right Throws: Right

Hodges has the potential to be the biggest impact player from the Indians 2006 Draft, and would have ranked in the Top 10 of this list if he didn’t have some injury concerns. Going into 2006, Hodges was ranked as a preseason Top 10 college draft prospect and sure fire 1st round pick, but that ranking took a hit when he came down with a stress fracture in his left leg. Hodges initially thought he had a calf strain when the pain surfaced in March, but because the pain continued to get worse as the season wore on he was evaluated further and the stress fracture was found. Hodges fell on draft day, and the Indians gambled and selected Hodges with their third of four second round picks. The Indians signed him for $1 million and to a 2007 contract to hold him out of action the rest of the season and give him more time to mend from the injury. Even though he basically played on one leg almost all of the season, Hodges still hit .329 with 11 HRs and 68 RBIs in 219 at bats at Georgia Tech. Hodges is a very disciplined hitter with great bat-to-ball ability, and has a nice line drive stroke with good power potential. As a defender, Hodges does it all with good hands, a strong arm and very good range at 3B. Hodges could start at Lake County in 2007.

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David Huff

David Huff: Left-handed Pitcher

Age: 22 Height: 6’2” Weight: 190 Bats: Switch Throws: Left

Huff was a supplemental 1st round pick and the first player the Indians selected in the 2006 Draft. After signing, Huff reported to Mahoning Valley, but since he logged so many innings at UCLA earlier in the year he only made four appearances going 0-1 with a 5.87 ERA in 7.2 IP. At UCLA, Huff compiled a 7-4 record and a 2.98 ERA in 16 starts, while striking out 100 in 129.2 IP. Huff often is compared to Tom Glavine, Barry Zito and Jeremy Sowers. The comparisons to Zito not only come from his approach and repertoire, but Huff’s coach at UCLA (John Savage) was also Zito’s pitching coach at USC. Huff is a strike-thrower who has excellent command of his pitches. His fastball consistently clocks in at 87-90 MPH, and his changeup is a plus pitch and ranked one of the best in the country last year. The key to Huff’s future will be the development of an effective breaking ball as a third pitch to use against left-handers. He does throw a curveball, but it still needs a lot of work. The Indians feel Huff has a chance to advance through the farm system rapidly like Jeremy Sowers did, and is expected to start the year at Kinston in 2007.

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Eddie Mujica

Eddie Mujica: Right-handed Pitcher

Age: 22 Height: 6’2” Weight: 220 Bats: Right Throws: Right

In the spring of 2005, the Indians made a role change for Mujica that since then has jumpstarted his career. Mujica went from an unknown and struggling pitcher, to one of the best bullpen prospects in the Indians system in just over a year’s time. The decision to move him to a bullpen role worked out well, as in 2005 Mujica pitched exclusively out of the bullpen and racked up a combined 24 saves and 2.54 ERA at Kinston and Akron. Mujica followed that up in 2006 by going 4-1 with 13 saves and a 1.57 ERA in 34 combined appearances at Akron and Buffalo. Mujica features a mid 90s fastball and locates it well, and also has a good mid-to-high 80s slider. With the development of a nasty split-finger fastball last spring, he now has a pitch in his repertoire to consistently get out left-handed batters. Mujica has excellent physical and mental makeup, and outstanding durability to handle multiple appearances. The Indians love Mujica’s fearless approach, and his attitude and competitiveness thrive late in games. He believes there is not a player that is going to beat him, and when he gives up a hit he bears down and goes right after the next hitter. His confidence and short-memory, to go along with his fearless mentality and pitching abilities, make him a natural fit for a backend bullpen role. He will battle for a spot in the Indians bullpen this spring, and if he is optioned out he will be assigned to Buffalo.

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Matt McBride

Matt McBride: Catcher

Age: 21 Height: 6’2” Weight: 215 Bats: Right Throws: Right

The Indians selected McBride with the last of their four second round picks in the 2006 Draft. McBride signed quickly, and was assigned to Mahoning Valley where he showcased the talent that had scouts excited about him going into the draft. McBride finished the year hitting .272/.355/.402 with 4 HRs, 31 RBIs and 5 stolen bases in 52 games. McBride provides a rare combination of defense and offense at the catching position, and he was so impressive that Baseball America tabbed him the 3rd best prospect in the NY-Penn League last year. While he is a big and strong catcher, McBride is also athletic and runs very well for a catcher. His strengths as a player are his catch-and-throw skills, especially his plus arm. But, he also has a very cerebral approach behind the plate, and has shown good leadership qualities. McBride is a very patient hitter with good power potential, and has a very good eye and bat-to-ball ability. McBride’s potential as an offensive and defensive catcher lead many to believe he was the top catcher available in the 2006 Draft, and to date he has backed that up. With the sudden depth at catcher in the organization, McBride could start the season next year at Lake County.

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J.D. Martin

JD Martin: Right-handed Pitcher

Age: 23 Height: 6’4” Weight: 195 Bats: Right Throws: Right

Martin appeared at several different levels last year on a rehab assignment from Tommy John surgery he underwent the previous year, finishing the year 1-2 with a 2.03 ERA in 14 combined appearances (13 starts) at Mahoning Valley, Lake County and Kinston. He also logged 40 strikeouts in 44.1 IP and held opposing hitters to a .190 average. Martin throws three different fastballs (a cutter, two-seamer and four-seamer), and he also throws a changeup and curveball. His fastball consistently ranges from 88-91 MPH, and he has outstanding control of it and his other pitches. Before the arrival of Scott Lewis, Martin’s true 12-6 curveball was rated as the best curveball in the system. Martin’s development of a cut fastball might now be the best pitch in his arsenal. Martin is now starting to grow into his body more and beginning to fill out, which means he has an improved chance to add some more velocity. Also, the added bulk should allow him to maintain his delivery and arm action better, especially through his lower half. Martin has an outstanding work ethic, which has helped in his rehab from Tommy John surgery and also from a strained ligament in 2003. Martin was sent home early from the Florida Instructional League a month back because of fatigue and soreness, but Martin is pretty much considered healthy now and should be ready to go when camp opens in the spring. This upcoming year will be a big year for him, and he should start the year in the Akron rotation.

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Max Ramirez

Maximiliano “Max” Ramirez: Catcher

Age: 22 Height: 5’11” Weight: 170 Bats: Right Throws: Right

The Indians obtained Ramirez last year when they traded closer Bob Wickman to Atlanta. In 117 combined games at Rome and Lake County, Ramirez hit .292/.417/.454 with 13 HRs and 63 RBIs. Ramirez is a disciplined hitter with a very advanced, mature approach at the plate, as evidenced by his 84:99 walk to strikeout ration in 2006. He has an excellent eye, very good bat control, and his power is developing. The questions with Ramirez lie solely on his defense and if a position can be found for him. Ramirez converted from third-base to catcher in 2005, and has adapted well to the new position. Right now, the Indians are focused on developing Ramirez’s receiving skills and game calling, and are evaluating his arm strength and defense behind the plate. While Ramirez is very athletic, he lacks a strong arm and his mechanics behind the plate still need a lot of work. Ramirez is an exciting hitting prospect, but much like they did with Ryan Garko, the organization will likely continue to evaluate Ramirez at catcher and also possibly experiment with him at third-base and first-base to find out what position may suit him best long-term. He should start 2007 in Kinston.

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Sung-Wei Tseng

Sung-Wei Tseng: Right-handed Pitcher

Age: 21 Height: 5’11” Weight: 180 Bats: Right Throws: Right

The Indians signed Tseng out of Taiwan last year. Last Spring, the 21-year old Tseng went 7-0 with a 0.36 ERA for the National Taiwan College of Physical Education, pitching 73.2 innings and only allowing 3 earned runs and 29 hits, while walking only 8 batters but striking out 73. Shortly after signing Tseng, Indians Scouting Director John Mirabelli commented that had Tseng been in the draft, he would have been taken late in the 2nd round and that he physically resembles major league pitcher Tom Gordon. Tseng has a compact build with above average velocity and good movement on his fastball which consistently clocks in the 91-94 MPH range. His best pitch is a splitter which bottoms out well and is considered a swing-and-miss pitch at the major league level. Tseng is a very refined pitcher, and he also has very good control. He is also not afraid to come inside on hitters, and has very clean arm action on his fastball. The Indians plan on starting Tseng’s professional career at Kinston in 2007. Tseng will be given the opportunity to start, but he currently projects as an exciting arm at the backend of the bullpen.

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Stephen Head

Stephen Head: First-Baseman

Age: 22 Height: 6’3” Weight: 220 Bats: Left Throws: Left

After a very good debut in 2005 where he hit .308/.349/.513 with 10 HRs and 50 RBIs in 57 combined games at Mahoning Valley and Kinston, Head had a horrible 2006 campaign at Kinston hitting only .235/.319/.377 with 14 HRs and 73 RBIs. But, for as much as Head struggled last year, he still profiles as a good major league first-baseman. He is a smooth defender, has above average power, and even with his struggles last year still had a healthy 54:73 walk to strikeout ratio in 477 at bats. His numbers suffered mostly as a byproduct of his swing mechanics getting overhauled. With the new revamped approach to hitting, Head was slow to adapt to the adjustments and at times was overly aggressive by trying to do too much too soon. Head should bounce back in 2007, and open the season by repeating at Kinston, but he will see significant time in Akron next season.

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Steven Wright

Steven Wright: Right-handed Pitcher

Age: 22 Height: 6’2” Weight: 205 Bats: Right Throws: Right

Wright was the first of four 2nd round picks for the Indians in the 2006 Amateur Draft, but he did not pitch for the Indians in 2006 since he signed a 2007 contract. Last year, with the University of Hawaii, Wright went 11-2 with a 2.30 ERA, and in 109.2 innings only allowed 19 walks while striking out 123. He also was tabbed the WAC Pitcher of the Year in 2006, and also received the Russ Ford Award as the Cape Cod Baseball League’s best relief pitcher in 2005. Wright has very good makeup and a fastball that hovers in the low 90s, but the best pitch in his arsenal is a slider that grades as a plus pitch. He’ll be a starter early in his professional career, but as he climbs up the minor league ladder many feel he will eventually end up in the bullpen. He will probably start at Lake County in 2007.

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Jensen Lewis

Jensen Lewis: Right-handed Pitcher

Age: 22 Height: 6’3” Weight: 195 Bats: Right Throws: Right

If at first you don’t succeed, try again. That’s what the Indians did with Lewis, as they drafted him out of high school in the 33rd round of the 2002 Draft, but Lewis elected to go to college. The Indians once again took Lewis in the 3rd round of the 2005 Draft out of Vanderbilt University, and he signed. In 2006, Lewis went a combined 8-8 with a 3.96 ERA in Kinston and Akron. Like his predecessor at Vanderbilt, Jeremy Sowers, Lewis has a very strong mental approach to the game and has excellent command. His changeup is his best secondary pitch, and he also is still developing a slider. While he throws in the 90-92 MPH range, many scouts feel he could add more velocity as he matures or if he is shifted to the bullpen. Lewis has experience in the bullpen in his days at Vanderbilt, and the Indians like his athletic ability and stuff so much that they supposedly have decided to move him to the bullpen next year. Lewis should start the 2007 season in Akron.

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Ryan Goleski

Ryan Goleski: Outfielder

Age: 24 Height: 6’3” Weight: 225 Bats: Right Throws: Right

If the Indians are looking for a prototypical right-fielder, Goleski is the guy. Not only does Goleski bring power to the plate, but he also has a cannon for an arm. The question with Goleski is whether he can stay consistent, as he put up good numbers in 2004 at Lake County (.295/28/104) but then followed that up with a lost season in 2005 at Kinston (.212/17/67). Goleski bounced back from his disappointing 2005 campaign, and hit .306/.391/.557 with 27 HRs and 106 RBIs in 445 combined at bats between Kinston and Akron in 2006. Goleski was one of the biggest turnarounds in the system last year, with strikeout improvement a big key behind his success. He has become more disciplined and has developed a better two strike approach at the plate. His resurgence last season has put him back on the prospect map for the Indians, and Goleski should fight for an outfield spot in Buffalo next year.

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Robbie Alcombrack

Robbie Alcombrack: Catcher

Age: 18 Height: 6’0” Weight: 205 Bats: Right Throws: Right

The Indians took Alcombrack out of high school in the 7th round of the 2006 Draft, and were able to convince him to sign and not enroll at Arizona State University. Alcombrack was one of the most sought after high school catching prospects, and was ranked #52 in Baseball America’s Pre-season Top 50 high school draft prospects, and the 4th overall catcher. Alcombrack is young (18), but solidly built at 6’0” 205 lbs and has strong hands. His fundamentals behind the plate are excellent at such a young age, and he also has a good arm with pinpoint accuracy. As a hitter, he is a line-drive hitter with gap power, but as he matures he is expected to fill-out and showcase more power. Last year, Alcombrack played briefly with the Indians of the Gulf Coast League and in Burlington, and managed to hit a combined .204/.235/.250 with 0 HRs and 9 RBIs in 108 at bats. In 2007, Alcombrack will be with one of the short-season squads and will likely return to the Gulf Coast League Indians or move up to Mahoning Valley.

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Jordan Brown

Jordan Brown: Outfielder

Age: 22 Height: 6’0” Weight: 205 Bats: Left Throws: Left

Brown gets a lot less pub than his former University of Arizona Wildcat teammate Trevor Crowe, but he put up one of the quietest, good seasons in the Indians system last year. While Crowe was drafted in the 1st round of the 2005 Draft, Brown was selected a few rounds later in the 4th round of the same draft. After a very slow start where he hit .232 with 0 HRs and 9 RBIs in 28 Kinston’s first 28 games, Brown settled in to finish the season hitting .290/.362/.469 with 15 HRs and 87 RBIs. Brown also won the Carolina League MVP award, and was the first Kinston player to win the MVP award since Victor Martinez won it in 2001. Brown has a powerful left-handed bat, and his approach and offensive abilities have been compared to former major leaguer Wally Joyner. Brown is not particularly athletic, but is a hard-worker. Given the depth the Indians farm system has in the outfield Brown could move back to 1B, which is a position he played in college. Brown should start 2007 in Akron.

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Cody Bunkelman

Cody Bunkelman: Right-handed Pitcher

Age: 21 Height: 6’3” Weight: 225 Bats: Right Throws: Right

Bunkelman was dominant in 24 games at Lake County last year where he went 1-2 with a 2.82 ERA, held batters to a .169 BAA and struckout 48 batters in 44.2 IP. He struggled with his first taste of advanced Single-A at Kinston going 3-1 with a 6.65 ERA and struckout 23 hitters in 23 IP. Bunkelman was moved to the bullpen in 2006, and the results were mostly positive. He has a raw power arm, which features a mid 90’s fastball and a nasty slider. His changeup is still a work in progress, but it won’t be needed if he sticks in the bullpen. Bunkelman’s strong lower half of his body provides a launching pad for additional velocity on his pitches, and his mechanics in his delivery are smooth and provide deception. Bunkelman should start the 2007 season at Kinston and help anchor the bullpen.

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Wyatt Toregas

Wyatt Toregas: Catcher

Age: 23 Height: 5’11” Weight: 200 Bats: Right Throws: Right

After a disappointing 2005 season at Lake County where he hit .231/.302/.321 with 5 HRs and 42 RBIs, Toregas bounced back in 2006 and established himself as one of the Indians top catching prospects. In 2006, Toregas combined to hit .294/.366/.450 at Kinston and Akron in 309 at bats. Toregas is a player on the rise in the Indians farm system, and improved physically between the 2005 and 2006 seasons. There is no question about Toregas’ offensive abilities, but his defense is what has Tribe officials excited. Simply put, Toregas is a very good defensive catcher that can control a running game. Last year, he averaged 1.85 seconds on throws to 2B, which is much better than the major league average of 2.0 seconds. Toregas is the best defensive catcher in the Indians system, and he was ranked by Baseball America as the best defensive catcher in the Carolina League last year. Toregas was up with the Indians this past September to get a firsthand look at the atmosphere and how players prep for games, and actually sat behind home plate charting games. Toregas most likely will start the 2007 season at Akron.

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Tony Sipp

Tony Sipp: Left-handed Pitcher

Age: 23 Height: 6’0” Weight: 190 Bats: Left Throws: Left

Stats & Stuff: The Indians gambled when they selected Sipp in the 45th round of the 2004 Draft. Coming out of Clemson, Sipp had only pitched in 22 career games and many felt he would be too costly to sign. But, the Indians found a diamond in the rough and after he impressed the Indians in the Cape Cod League they gladly paid him an unheard of $130,000 (for a 45th rounder) to sign. It didn’t take long for Sipp to impress. In his professional debut in 2004 at short-season Mahoning Valley Sipp went 3-1 with a 3.16 ERA, but more impressive were his 74 strikeouts in only 42.2 IP. In 2005, Sipp went 6-3 with a 2.40 ERA and 130 strikeouts in 116.1 IP in 35 combined appearances (17 starts) at Lake County and Kinston. Last year, Sipp went 4-2 with a 3.13 ERA in 29 appearances (4 starts) with 80 strikeouts in 60.1 IP with Akron. In his minor league career, Sipp has 343 strikeouts in 266.1 IP, good for an outstanding 11.60 strikeouts per nine innings average and also has a low 6.49 hits per nine innings average. Sipp also held batters to a .202 BAA in 2006, and while he did well against left-handers (.226 BAA), he dominated right-handed hitters in holding them to a .191 BAA.

The Good: Sipp is a power-armed pitcher who has an impressive three-pitch arsenal. His stuff is big-time, fronted by a fastball and slider that both grade out as plus pitches, with the slider being a plus-plus pitch. Both the fastball and slider are considered out pitches. His fastball has good movement and consistently sits in the 91-94 MPH range, although his quick arm action and excellent deception makes it look a lot faster.

He is still developing a changeup and has a good feel for it, but even after only over a year of using it, Indians Scouting Director John Mirabelli commented that the changeup is Sipp’s best pitch. With the changeup, hitters can’t sit on his slider and fastball. The development of his changeup has jumped him into an elite level of relief prospects, so much so, that Baseball America ranked him as the #2 closer prospect in all the minors. With three very good pitches, a player of Sipp’s caliber would normally project as a reliever. But, the Indians love his potential as a dominant late-inning reliever. Sipp is also extremely athletic, and his athleticism allows him to consistently repeat his delivery well. He is a very aggressive on the mound, and has prodigious aptitude.

The Bad: While he has made great strides with the changeup, he still is working on maintaining consistent command with it. He also is a little undersized, and lacks pinpoint control. Sipp also missed some time due to injury last year, going on the disabled list for two months first with an oblique injury and then later with left elbow inflammation.

The Outlook: Sipp could be a candidate for the closer’s job in Cleveland in 2008 and beyond. For now, Sipp is a candidate to fill the left-handed pitching void in the Indians bullpen in 2007. But, unlike Rafael Perez, he has yet to pitch any innings at Triple-A or in the majors, so he probably won’t be a bullpen option until mid-season. If he is lights out and impressive in Spring Training, it is possible the Indians may go with him, but considering how conservative the Indians tend to be with their prospects, he’ll likely open the year as the Buffalo closer.

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Brad Snyder

Brad Snyder: Outfielder

Age: 24 Height: 6’3” Weight: 200 Bats: Left Throws: Left

Stats & Stuff: The Indians drafted Snyder in the 1st round (31st overall) of the 2003 Draft out of Ball State University. Although they dipped slightly, his 2006 numbers were pretty much a carbon copy of his 2005 numbers. In 2005, Snyder hit a combined .279/.354/.495 with 22 HRs and 82 RBIs combined at Kinston and Akron. Last year, Snyder hit .270/.351/.446 with 18 HRs and 72 RBIs in a return trip to Akron. Also, last year Snyder walked 62 times and struckout 158 times in 523 at bats, compared to walking 49 times and striking out 158 times in 513 at bats in 2005. The 158 strikeouts at Akron last year set a club record. Prior to being drafted, he was the 2003 Mid-American Conference Player of the Year.

The Good: Snyder’s stock fell somewhat last year, but the power and physical abilities are there. He comes in ranked above John Drennen mainly because of his power bat as well as his superior defense and base-running. Snyder’s compact stroke generates excellent bat speed, and he has very good power to all fields. His swing is geared for pitches in the zone, and when he stays within himself he hits almost everything hard. Snyder has good speed, which plays up due to his very good instincts on the basepaths. Snyder has mostly played center-field during his time with the Indians, but his power bat and plus arm project him as a major league right-fielder.

With special attention placed on his two-strike approach last season, Snyder consistently hit balls hard the other way. He also was shortening up on his swing, and taking what he was being given and going with pitches, which is something he hardly ever had done in the past. Around mid-season last year, the Indians decided to move Snyder up in the lineup to the leadoff spot from his normal 3-4 spot in the order. The idea behind the move was to get him to see more fastballs and protect him for the time being from seeing multiple pitch types each at bat. The shift in the lineup helped Snyder with his two-strike approach, and the results after the shift were favorable. It was definitely a grind for Snyder last season to work and develop his two strike approach, but like a lot of things in baseball there were good things happening last year with Snyder beyond the numbers.

The Bad: The reason Snyder returned to Akron in 2006 was to work on his two-strike approach and plate discipline. While there were some positives mentioned above with the advancement of his two-strike approach, the progress shown was limited and the strikeout total is still a huge concern. With his lack of discipline, he is still very susceptible to high and outside pitches and pitches in the dirt. In addition to his two-strike approach, the Indians worked extensively with Snyder last year on controlling his front hip and shoulder since he has a habit of pulling it too soon, which results in an incorrect bat path.

The Outlook: When Dave Hudgens came on board as the Minor League Hitting Coordinator last year, he implemented an organization-wide philosophy of drawing walks 10 percent of the time. With the addition of this new hitting philosophy, the idea was for hitters to develop a more patient hitting approach and work counts. One of the players targeted with this new philosophy was Brad Snyder, and while he struggled at times last year he did show some improvement with his 62 walks. The last thing missing in Snyder’s game is the two-strike approach and plate discipline, and it is something he will continue to work on at Buffalo in 2007.

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Rafael Perez

Rafael Perez: Left-handed Pitcher

Age: 24 Height: 6’3” Weight: 185 Bats: Left Throws: Left

Stats & Stuff: Perez is a product of the Indians scouting efforts in the Latin American countries, as he signed as a free agent out of the Dominican Republic in 2002. In his first season in the Indians system in 2003, Perez was named the Appalachian League Pitcher of the Year after posting a 9-3 record with a 1.70 ERA and .220 BAA for short-season rookie level Burlington. He moved up a notch in 2004 to Lake County and went 7-6 with a 4.85 ERA in 22 starts, and then really broke through in 2005 going a combined 12-8 with a 2.62 ERA at Kinston and Akron. Last year, he went a combined 4-8 with a 2.76 ERA and held opposing batters to a .213 BAA in 25 appearances (12 starts) at Akron and Buffalo. In brief action with Cleveland, Perez was 0-0 with a 4.38 ERA in the 12.1 innings he pitched, and he held batters to a .204 BAA.

The Good: Perez throws a powerful 92-94 MPH live fastball with great action. As he grows into his body more and fills out his frame the Indians feel he could add more velocity to his fastball. His slider is rated as the best in the entire system, and many scouts feel it will be a devastating pitch in a major league bullpen. Last year at Buffalo, Perez continued to gain confidence in the bullpen and improved his fastball command. In his brief stint with the Indians in 2006, the organization loved what he showed at Baltimore when he was first called up.

Perez’s arm slot and 3/4 delivery creates uneasiness for left-handed hitters where they can’t dig in against him. Late in 2005, for the first time in his career Perez was used out of the bullpen and he was dominant. In his seven relief appearances he posted a 1.26 ERA in 14.1 IP, and allowed only 11 hits and struck out 11. Situation-wise, Perez has owned left-handers. At Akron in 2005, left-handers hit only .133 (8 for 60) off of him, and last year combined at Akron and Buffalo left-handers only hit .122 off of him (12 for 98). In addition, lefties only had a .210 SLG% against him at Akron, and a .115 SLG% at Buffalo. Those numbers against left-handers are what make Perez such an exciting relief prospect.

The Bad: Perez is still transitioning to the relief role. Last year, the Indians worked with him in developing a more regimented routine in getting prepared for game action coming out of the bullpen so he warms up quicker. Things were speeding up on him some during his brief stay in Cleveland, and some of his problems in Cleveland were a result of mechanical breakdowns, and a lack of getting proper leverage on hitters with his pitches. Also, his ball was not on the required downhill plane and was being left out arm side.

The Outlook: When the Indians first signed Perez, they viewed his future in the major leagues as a left-handed reliever in the bullpen. Even though the Indians projected him as a reliever, last year the Indians continued to start him in order to stretch him out and keep starting pitching options open for the organization. While the door is not closed on him being a starter in the major leagues, the Indians have a great need for left-handed relief pitching this year and beyond. With how dominant he has been against lefties the past few seasons, for now his need is in the bullpen. Perez should compete with Tony Sipp and Juan Lara for a job as the Indians second left-hander in the bullpen, and is a heavy favorite to win the job.

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John Drennen

John Drennen: Outfielder

Age: 20 Height: 6’0” Weight: 190 Bats: Left Throws: Left

Stats & Stuff: The Indians snatched Drennen up with their supplemental pick in the 1st round of the 2005 Draft out of Rancho Bernardo High in San Diego, which has produced a ton of elite high school prospects of late. Knowing Drennen had a scholarship in hand to attend and play at UCLA, the Indians quickly signed Drennen for $1 million. He also made national headlines last June when he hit a tape measure home run off Roger Clemens. In Drennen’s professional debut at Burlington in 2005 he hit .238/.325/.435 with 8 HRs, 29 RBIs and 6 stolen bases in 51 games. Last year, Drennen combined to hit .295/.384/.425 with 6 HRs, 38 RBIs and 8 stolen bases in 98 games as Lake County and Kinston. Drennen’s numbers dipped at Kinston as he was overmatched and wore down some, but earlier at Lake County he was very good as he hit .321/.409/.471 with 6 HRs and 30 RBIs.

The Good: The Indians selected Drennen because they loved his advanced bat and polished approach to hitting. Drennen has a compact build with good power, and also creates a nice smooth bat path with his swing. Although he is somewhat undersized, he packs a lot of punch in his swing and has good pop and a dynamite bat. Right now, he is more a gap hitter, but as he matures he is expected to develop more power. At the plate, he has a good inside out swing and he uses the entire field, especially against lefties. He is an extremely hard worker and is very aggressive at the plate, on the bases and in the field. He is also a smart hitter, and is an energy player with a motor that does not stop. His playing style, build and ability often has been compared to Jeremy Reed, and some have compared him to former Indian Brian Giles.

The Bad: While Drennen is an outstanding hitter, he leaves a lot to be desired as a defender and base-runner. He has good instincts as a runner, but only has slightly above average speed. His biggest weakness is his defense, as his arm is below average and his range in the outfield is limited, which will eventually play him out of center-field. He wore down the second half of last season, but that is to be expected with him being in a full-season league while only a year removed from high school. Drennen also had a minor injury setback early in the year when he dislocated the end joint to his thumb, and ended up missing several weeks of action.

The Outlook: The Indians are loaded in the organization with good outfield prospects. Due to his age and the players in front of him, Drennen is a few years away from making an impact at the major league level. He should start the 2007 season by repeating at Kinston, and likely will play there the entire year because he is roadblocked by so many outfielders above him at Akron and Buffalo.

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Asdrubal Cabrera

Asdrubal Cabrera: Shortstop

Age: 21 Height: 6’0” Weight: 170 Bats: Switch Throws: Right

Stats & Stuff: The Indians obtained Cabrera from the Seattle Mariners in a late-June trade last year in exchange for Eduardo Perez. In 2005, Cabrera hit a combined .295 at three stops in the Mariners organization. Last year, he hit a combined .249/.310/.349 with 4 HRs, 36 RBIs and 12 stolen bases in 112 games in the Mariners and Indians system.

The Good: The Indians are very excited about Cabrera’s defense. His future in the big leagues will ultimately be decided by how he performs with the bat, but right now all the rave is with his defense. Cabrera is a gold-glove caliber shortstop who has excellent hands, footwork and very good accuracy. An All-Star short-stop in 2003 and 2004, in 2005 he played second-base and was voted the top defensive second-baseman in the Single-A Midwest League. Cabrera is an acrobat in the field, and has very good short-stop instincts. He gets a great read on balls, and his excellent range and instincts allow him to get to balls that most short-stops can’t get to. He has very good body control, and his athleticism is displayed with his showy actions in the field.

The Bad: As is the case with most young defensive short-stops, Cabrera’s bat is his biggest question mark. At 20 years old last year, he was the youngest player in all of Triple-A, so there is still a lot of time to development the bat and his approach at the plate. Cabrera is a switch-hitter with average speed, but he doesn’t have any offensive tools that stand out. He has an inside-out swing from the right-side of the plate, and feels for contact from the left-side. At times he can be overly aggressive at the plate, and he need to work on becoming a more disciplined hitter and drawing more walks. His throwing arm is also only average, but his plus accuracy makes up for it.

The Outlook: When the Indians traded for Cabrera last June, what the Indians got in return in Cabrera was a defensive wizard. Clearly, the reason Cabrera was picked up was for his defense, which is considered major league ready. There is no question that the defensive struggles Indians starting shortstop Jhonny Peralta had in 2006 paved the way for Shapiro to look for more defensive help, namely in the middle of the diamond. Cabrera provides depth at a position of need in the farm system, and is looked at as an eventual everyday player at the major league level. In 2007, he will be back at Buffalo and work on his offense. Depending on what happens with Peralta, Cabrera could see time with the Indians in 2007 and should push for a job as a starter or utility player in Spring Training in 2008.

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Adam Miller

Adam Miller: Right-handed Pitcher

Age: 22 Height: 6’4” Weight: 175 Bats: Right Throws: Right

Stats & Stuff: Miller was drafted out of high school in the 1st round of the 2003 Draft. After a very lackluster 2005 season, in 2006 Miller reaffirmed his status as the Indians #1 prospect. Miller finished the 2005 season with a 2-4 record and 4.86 ERA in 15 starts at Mahoning Valley and Kinston, and struggled to regain his confidence all year after a strained elbow ligament shelved him for the first few months of the season. But, in 2006 Miller returned 100% healthy in mind and body, and ended the season with a 15-6 record and 2.75 ERA as well as tallying up 161 strikeouts in 158.1 IP. In addition, Miller’s 15 wins set an Akron franchise record, passing Paul Byrd's 1992 franchise record of 14 wins in a season. His 161 strikeouts e also crushed the single-season team record of 149, which was set by Travis Driskill in 1996. Miller was named the Pitcher of the Year in the Eastern League, and won the Indians Bob Feller Award as the organization’s top pitcher in the minors.

The Good: The confidence is flowing once again with this kid, and the difference has been his fastball command and the confidence in his secondary pitches (slider and changeup). Early on in 2006, Miller was on a strict 85 pitch count in order to keep him healthy and fresh, but the pitch count actually helped force Miller to learn how to be more efficient as a pitcher. According to the Indians, two things Miller did in 2006 showed that he is progressing rapidly as a pitcher: 1.) he used all three of his pitches effectively, and 2.) his maturity as a pitcher began to show as he depended more on location with those three pitches rather than just sheer velocity. In other words, Miller no longer is just firing the ball in there, he is pitching.

The Indians were also impressed with the aggressiveness Miller displayed in attacking every hitter. While his velocity is down a little, he still was able to consistently touch 96 MPH in the 7th inning. One can only wonder if this “attack” mentality and the adjustments he made in becoming a pitcher were a direct result of his meeting with Roger Clemens last spring. Clemens came to Winter Haven during the spring last year and sat down with Miller to personally talk about his routine and provided some invaluable insight on pitching. The sit down apparently worked, and it energized Miller.

While he started the season slow, the second half of the season he was dominating. In a stretch of seven starts from early July to early August, Miller was 6-0 with a ridiculous 0.40 ERA (2 ER in 45.2 IP), and only allowed 29 hits while piling up 52 strikeouts. Miller was unbelievable the final two months of the season as he posted a 0.29 ERA in July and a 1.59 ERA in August. The reason for Miller’s resurgence is the development of his changeup, which is making his 95-97 MPH fastball and hard-biting 87 MPH slider practically un-hittable.

The Bad: Not much. Miller did struggle early last season because of inconsistent location of his fastball and his secondary pitches still being a work in progress. Also, he was unable to harness his emotions and adrenaline on a consistent basis in order to allow better command of his fastball and secondary pitches when behind in the count. But, by the end of the season these problems were gone and Miller’s game jumped to another level. His changeup is still a work in progress, but his slider currently grades out as an above average major league pitch.

The Outlook: For the Indians ever to become a serious post-season threat, they will need to find a right-handed front of the rotation starter to pair with lefty ace CC Sabathia. The likelihood of that happening via free agency is pretty much a pipedream, so such a pitcher will have to come from the farm system. The 21-year old Texan fire-baller might be the guy, and he is on the major league doorstep. With the changes to Rule 5 Draft eligibility, Miller no longer needs to be put on the 40-man roster for the 2007 season. With this change, unless the Indians have a desperate need for a starter, Miller likely pitches most of 2007 at Buffalo and could be in line for a rotation spot in Cleveland to start the 2008 season. He could essentially slide in and replace Jake Westbrook if he is not re-signed (or traded), or even Paul Byrd if his team option is not picked up.

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Trevor Crowe

Trevor Crowe: Outfielder

Age: 23 Height: 6’0” Weight: 190 Bats: Switch Throws: Right

Stats & Stuff: After taking him with the 1st pick in the 2005 draft out of the University of Arizona, Crowe has been as advertised. After a somewhat disappointing debut in 2005 when he hit .251/.322/.331 at Lake County, Crowe started off with a bang in 2006. At Kinston last year, Crowe hit .329/.449/.470 and had 29 stolen bases in 60 games before he was called up to Akron mid-season. At Akron, Crowe continued his torrid hitting. Crowe was sidelined a few weeks after being called up with an ankle injury, and it slowed him down offensively. The Indians also experimented with him at second-base, which was another reason he struggled last in the year. The position switch and injury hindered Crowe the last month of the season, and his final numbers at Akron dipped to .234/.318/.325. Overall in 2006, Crowe hit .286/.393/.405 with 5 HRs, 44 RBIs and 45 stolen bases in 101 games.

The Good: Crowe’s bat and above average speed on the bases play right now in the majors, and he not only hits for average with some pop, but he has excellent plate discipline and pitch recognition skills. His patience at the plate and ability to work counts very well was shown with his 68 walks and only 71 strikeouts, and his approach makes him a potential leadoff or 2-hole hitter for the Indians down the road. Baseball America ranked him #1 in the Carolina League as the league’s “Best Batting Prospect”, the player with the “Best Strike Zone Judgment”, and as the league’s “Most Exciting Player”.

Crowe has a very advanced bat, which will allow him to be moved quickly through the farm system. Defensively, Crowe grades out as an above average center-fielder with an above average arm. Crowe has a contagious swagger, and is a very high energy and explosive player who has an engine that never stops. The Indians feel he will hit for more power in the future, and prior to nixing the second-base move felt his best comp as a major leaguer was Brian Roberts of the Orioles. Even as an outfielder, Roberts is exactly the offensive player the Indians envision Crowe being.

The Bad: While he has good speed, he really doesn't have the quickness or range to play center-field in the big leagues which will push him to left-field. Crowe also has had trouble staying away from the injury bug in his two years as a pro. In 2005, he was hampered with a few nagging injuries, and in 2006 he missed parts of the season on the disabled list for a strained oblique and ankle sprain. Also, the Indians this off-season decided to nix the second-base experiment for Crowe. The general feeling was that it would take at least two years for him to become adequate at the position defensively, and when weighing this with where he is at currently as an offensive player, they just did not want to slow down Crowe’s progress.

The Outlook: Crowe will play center-field next year in the minors, but with Grady Sizemore firmly planted in center-field for the Indians, when Crowe does make the Indians roster it is likely he will play left-field. Crowe is ahead of the curve somewhat, and is on the fast track to the major leagues. While it looks like he will start 2007 in Buffalo, he actually may return to Akron to start the 2007 season before moving up to Buffalo mid-season. With Franklin Gutierrez and Ben Francisco likely to return to Buffalo, and the Indians likely to push Brad Snyder and maybe Ryan Goleski up to Buffalo first, Crowe presumably will remain in Akron the first month or so and play center-field full-time. With Crowe back in the outfield for good, depending on his performance and injuries/performance issues with players at the major league level, Crowe could figure into the outfield mix and be a mid-season call-up in 2007.

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Chuck Lofgren

Chuck Lofgren: Left-handed Pitcher

Age: 20 Height: 6’3” Weight: 205 Bats: Left Throws: Left

Stats & Stuff: Lofgren is as legit as it gets. He was projected to go much higher in the 2004 Draft, but fell due to signability concerns, and the Indians eventually selected him in the 4th round. The Indians feel they found a gem. After going 5-5 with a 2.81 ERA at Lake County in 2005, Lofgren cemented his standing as one of the Indians top prospects in 2006. Lofgren’s 2006 season was sensational, as he went 17-5 with a 2.32 ERA, held opponents to a .217 BAA, and piled up 125 strikeouts in 139.2 IP. Lofgren set a Kinston modern-day franchise record for victories by a pitcher in a season with 17. The old record was 15, set by Brian Slocum in 2004. The 17 wins by Lofgren are the most since Kinston became affiliated with the Indians in 1987, and the most since Frank Bork won 19 games for Kinston in 1962. His 17 wins tied him with Sacramento’s Jason Windsor for most wins in all of the minors. He was also named the Carolina League Pitcher of the Year.

The Good: Lofgren is a physical starting pitcher at 6’3” 220 pounds. As a 20-year old he has great composure on the mound, and has a good three-pitch mix lead by a 91-93 MPH fastball. He possesses the best swing-and-miss fastball statistic in the system and follows that up with a hard curve. That swing-and-miss rate is heavily influenced by Lofgren’s very good fastball command, velocity and deception in his delivery. There was talk during instructional league last year of him changing from a curveball to a slider, but he ended up sticking with the curveball and actually is now in the process of adding a hard slider to his pitch mix. Baseball America also recently tabbed him as the Carolina League’s “Best Pitching Prospect”.

Several comparisons have been made of Lofgren to a young Al Leiter as his stuff, presence and approach are nearly identical. Lofgren also has a knack for kicking it into a second gear on the mound when he has to pitch with runners in scoring position. Pressure just does not phase him, and he is just comfortable on the mound in any situation. The Indians have been most impressed with Lofgren’s consistency from start to start, and feel this is a direct result of Lofgren’s commitment to routine and being very mature for his age. He is a student of the game in that he understands and appreciates the history of the game. He also is grounded ego-wise where he understands he's in a special place, and that he is talented and is going to make the most of it.

The Bad: He came into the system with basically a fastball/curveball mix, and while his curveball was his out pitch in high school, at times he leaves it up and it isn’t nearly as good as it was when he was an amateur. Lofgren sharpened it up during instructional league in the fall of 2005, and the results showed last year. Lofgren still needs some refinement with his delivery, and he needs to work on being more efficient with his pitches since his pitch counts get high by the middle innings of games. Also, he needs to work more on finishing off hitters. His changeup is the biggest key for him and he has worked on developing it. If he develops it look out.

The Outlook: Lofgren’s aptitude is off the charts, which is why he could move through the Indians system quickly. Lofgren easily could have been promoted mid-season last year to Akron, but the Indians held him back so he could work on refining his delivery and learn to finish off hitters. In 2007, Lofgren will anchor the staff at Akron. Lofgren is on the fast-track to the major leagues, and could debut sometime in 2008 before he gets strong consideration for the starting rotation going into 2009.

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Brian Barton

Brian Barton: Outfielder

Age: 24 Height: 6’3” Weight: 190 Bats: Right Throws: Right

Stats & Stuff: Barton is an undrafted free agent signed out of the University of Miami in August 2004. With the path he has taken and the strides he has made, he has the potential to become a remarkable success story considering he went undrafted. The Indians are still scratching their heads how he went undrafted. He originally went to Loyola and then transferred to Miami, and the thought was because he had to sit out a year after the transfer to Miami along with the concern that he was not serious about baseball (he majored in aerospace engineering) it plummeted his draft stock and led to him not being selected in the draft. Since debuting in Lake County in 2005, Barton has caught the attention of the Indians and made a lot of teams second guess their decision to not draft him. Combined at Lake County and Kinston in 2005, Barton hit .326/.442/.506 with 7 HRs, 64 RBIs and 20 stolen bases. He followed that up with a breakout performance in 2006, hitting a combined .323/.412/.511 with 19 HRs, 83 RBIs and 41 stolen bases for Kinston and Akron last year.

The Good: In radio interviews over the summer, former Indians Farm Director John Farrell compared Barton’s build and ability to major leaguer Mike Cameron. Barton is the best Indians minor leaguer most people have never heard of, and his performance last year vaulted him past several players that the Indians actually took in the draft in 2004. In fact, the only one above him now is Lofgren. He is an extremely versatile player with a speed/power combination that teams dream about. Barton has the physical tools and the athleticism to make an impact, and has outstanding bat speed with power to all fields. His intelligence as a player goes without saying, as he is a heady player with a very good feel for the game. As a runner, he has very good speed and instincts on the bases and in the field. He also is an excellent defensive outfielder, and has no problem playing center-field or right-field. His range and arm strength both grade out as above average.

The Bad: Barton does have a tendency to strikeout a lot, as he whiffed 109 times last year in 446 at bats. Although, the strikeout-rate did drop significantly when he was called up to Akron as he only struckout 26 times in 151 at bats compared to 83 times in 295 at bats at Kinston. If Barton can develop more patience at the plate, it will go a long way at helping him provide even more consistent production with his bat. Barton also needs to work on identifying breaking pitches better, and his swing tends to get long and he is very susceptible to inside pitches.

The Outlook: With Barton, Crowe, Snyder, Goleski, Francisco and Gutierrez all virtually on the major league doorstep or close to it, the Indians have a lot of outfield options to turn to in 2007 and beyond. Even though Barton is on the fast-track, he only has 151 Double-A at bats in his career. With the logjam of outfielders in the system, Barton should repeat at Akron to start 2007 because other players such as Ben Francisco and Franklin Gutierrez most likely will be in Buffalo to start the season. Barton will use the time early in Akron to accrue more Double-A at bats, and like Crowe, could be a mid-season callup to Buffalo depending on his health and performance.

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Scott Lewis

Scott Lewis: Left-handed Pitcher

Age: 23 Height: 6’0” Weight: 185 Bats: Switch Throws: Left

Stats & Stuff: Once again, the Indians gambled on an injured player and drafted Lewis in the 3rd round of the 2004 Draft out of The Ohio State University. At Ohio State, Lewis was a dominant pitcher, as his sophomore season in 2003 he went 9-1 with a 1.61 ERA and struck out 127 batters in just 84 innings pitched, and won Big Ten Pitcher of the Year honors. But, while he has a history of being a dominating pitcher, he also has a history of injury. After his brilliant 2003 season at Ohio State, he was being considered as a first round possibility in the 2004 Draft; however, he later suffered a severe arm injury that resulted in Tommy John surgery and resulted in him missing a lot of the 2004 season. The injury problems have followed him to the minor league circuit, as prior to the 2006 season he had been limited to only a total of 21 IP in 2004 and 2005 at Mahoning Valley, going 0-3 with a 4.71 in 10 games over those two seasons. Finally healthy, last year Lewis went 3-3 with a 1.48 ERA in 27 starts last year at Kinston, and held opponents to a .203 average and struckout 123 in 115.2 IP. With his 1.48 ERA, Lewis won the Minor League ERA Title with the best ERA in all the minors.

The Good: The Indians handled Lewis with kid gloves last year, and it worked as he managed to stay healthy all year. Probably the biggest positive all season was that Lewis was able to take the ball every fifth day and handle his workload. Lewis didn’t figure into very many decisions last year because he was on a strict 70-pitch count all season, which was mandated by the Indians because he was still recovering from the Tommy John surgery in 2003 and bicep tendonitis which had plagued him since 2005. The strict pitch count also helped him build up arm strength. The Indians were most encouraged last year with the progress Lewis made in recovering from Tommy John surgery, specifically the aggressiveness in releasing the ball.

To the casual observer, his high strikeout rate and low walk-hit rate may seem to indicate he throws some serious heat; however, this is not the case with Lewis. Lewis has a fastball that only tops out in the 87-90 MPH range consistently, but it was the tremendous command of his secondary pitches that made his fastball play up and look faster. The power and depth he has added to his nasty 12-6 curveball was a key for him last year, and his curveball is now rated as the best in the system. Lewis also has good arm action, and good deception throughout his delivery. His changeup has developed into a plus pitch, and he gets a lot of action on his pitches in the strike zone.

The Bad: Health. That’s the key word with Lewis, as if he is healthy, he is an amazing pitcher. While he was healthy last year, Lewis needs to prove he can be a durable pitcher and stay on the field for the Indians. Also, Lewis does not throw hard, so he will need to depend on his excellent command and secondary pitches to get more advanced hitters out on a regular basis. Lewis also needs to become better at repeating his delivery and ironing out some flaws in his delivery mechanics.

The Outlook: Last year, Lewis made 27 starts and did not suffer any setbacks. Because of his strict pitch count and a smaller pitching roster at Akron, Lewis was held back at Kinston all year because his 4-5 inning starts would be too taxing on the Akron bullpen. This year, Lewis will move up to Akron and a step closer to the major leagues.

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2008 Indians Draft Picks

* Bold denotes the player was signed by the Indians

Round Overall Player Position School
1 29 Lonnie Chisenhall SS Pitt (N.C.) CC
2 76 Trey Haley RHP Central Heights HS, Nacogdoches, Texas
3 107 Cord Phelps 2B Stanford
4 141 David Roberts RHP Long Beach State
5 171 Zach Putnam RHP Michigan
6 201 Jeremie Tice 3B College of Charleston
7 231 Tim Fedroff OF North Carolina
8 261 Eric Berger LHP Arizona
9 291 Clayton Cook RHP Amarillo (Texas) HS
10 321 Donnie Webb OF Oklahoma State
11 351 Matt Langwell RHP Rice
12 381 Guido Fonseca RHP Northern Iowa
13 411 Adam Abraham 3B Michigan
14 441 Carlos Moncrief RHP Chipola (Fla.) JC
15 471 Jason Rodriguez 3B Nevada
16 501 T.J. House LHP Picayune (Miss.) Memorial HS
17 531 Mitch Mormann RHP Des Moines Area (Iowa) CC
18 561 Kaimi Mead LHP Hawaii Pacific
19 591 Nate Recknagel 1B Michigan
20 621 Marty Popham RHP Union (Ky.)
21 651 Ryan Blair OF Sacramento State
22 681 Bryce Stowell RHP UC Irvine
23 711 Otto Roberts RHP Belleville (Ill.) West HS
24 741 Kevin Fontanez SS Puerto Rico Baseball Academy, Gurabo, P.R.
25 771 Steve Smith RHP Ouachita Baptist (Ark.)
26 801 Moises Montero C Chipola (Fla.) JC
27 831 Michael Goodnight RHP Westside (Texas) HS
28 861 Russell Young LHP Dartmouth
29 891 Ryan McCarney RHP JC of the Canyons (Calif.)
30 921 Jeffrey Walters RHP St. Petersburg (Fla.) JC
31 951 Trevor Cousineau LHP Davison (Mich.) HS
32 981 Nick Christiani RHP Vanderbilt
33 1011 Roberto Perez C Lake City (Fla.) CC
34 1041 Collin Brennan RHP Bradley
35 1071 Eagan Smith LHP CC of Southern Nevada
36 1101 Adam Warren RHP North Carolina
37 1131 Chad Bell LHP Walters State (Tenn.) CC
38 1161 Brian Grening RHP Cal Poly
39 1191 Eddie Burns RHP Georgia Tech
40 1221 Tim Palincsar OF Texas-San Antonio
41 1251 Adam Matthews OF White Knoll HS, Lexington, S.C.
42 1281 Logan Thompson SS Jupiter (Fla.) HS
43 1311 Mike McGuire RHP Delaware
44 1340 Cory White RHP Rend Lake (Ill.) JC
45 1368 Dean Lagonosky OF Haverford (Pa.)
46 1395 Matt Ramsey RHP Farragut HS, Knoxville, Tenn.
47 1422 Randon Henika SS Garber HS, Essexville, Mich.
48 1449 Troy White 3B Whitney Young (IL) HS
49 1476 Devin Jones RHP Eupora (Miss.) HS
50 1503 Hector Acosta-Carillo OF Junction City (Kan.) HS

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2008 Transactions

4/27/08: OF Brad Snyder promoted to Cleveland....LHP Jeremy Sowers optioned to Tripe-A Buffalo.

4/26/08: LHP JEREMY SOWERS promoted to Cleveland....OF BEN FRANCISCO optioned to Triple-A Buffalo.

4/25/08: RHP CHRIS ARCHER placed on disabled list...Lake County received LHP JOHN GAUB from extended spring training.

4/24/08: LHP JASON STANFORD signed to minor league contract and assigned to Buffalo.

4/24/08: RHP SEAN SMITH traded to Colorado as player to be named later in Jamey Carroll trade.

4/23/08: RHP ADAM MILLER reinstated from disabled list.

4/22/08: OF BEN FRANCISCO promoted to Cleveland.

4/18/08: Activated INF ANDY GONZALEZ from temporary inactive list....CA DAVID WALLACE sent to extended spring training.

4/17/08: Placed OF STEPHEN HEAD on the Disabled List with a broken bone in his right hand...Akron received IF BRANDON PINCKNEY from extended spring training.

4/17/08: Place LHP MATT MEYER on disabled list with shoulder inflammation....Kinston received LHP DAN CEVETTE from extended spring training.

4/15/08: RHP TOM MASTNY promoted to Cleveland....Sent RHP BUBBIE BUZACHERO from Double-A Akron to Triple-A Buffalo....Akron received RHP SCOTT ROEHL from extended spring training.

4/14/08: INF ANDY GONZALEZ placed on temporary inactive list....CA DAVID WALLACE promoted from extended spring training.

4/10/08: Placed OF TREVOR CROWE on the disabled list with back tightness....Akron received OF STEPHEN HEAD from extended spring training.

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2007 Indians Draft Picks

* Bold denotes the player was signed by the Indians

Rd Overall Player Position School
1 13 Beau Mills 1B/3B Lewis-Clark State (Idaho)
4 137 T.J. McFarland LHP Stagg HS, Palos Heights, Ill.
5 167 Jonathan Holt RHP Tampa
6 197 Bo Greenwell OF Riverdale HS, Fort Myers, Fla.
7 227 Cole St. Clair LHP Rice
8 257 Mark Thompson SS Lewis-Clark State (Idaho)
9 287 Adam White OF West Virginia
10 317 Heath Taylor LHP Oklahoma
11 347 Matt Hague OF/RHP Washington
12 377 Gary Campfield RHP Texas A&M
13 407 Matt Brown OF Wichita State
14 437 Daniel Morales RHP San Francisco
15 467 Chris Jones LHP Gaither HS, Tampa
16 497 Doug Hogan C Clemson
17 527 Miles Morgan RHP Texas Tech
18 557 Kyle Landis RHP Pittsburgh
19 587 Bobby Coyle OF Chatsworth (Calif.) HS
20 617 Jeff Hehr SS Eastern Michigan
21 647 Jared Clark OF/RHP Cal State Fullerton
22 677 Stihl Sowers RHP North Lenoir HS, Wheat Swamp, N.C.
23 707 Shaeffer Hall LHP Jefferson County (Mo.) CC
24 737 Adam Zornes C Rice
25 767 Kyle Leiendecker LHP Homestead HS, Fort Wayne, Ind.
26 797 Michael Valadez C Lee (Tenn.)
27 827 Daniel Edwards RHP Kansas State
28 857 Scott Savastano 3B/SS Franklin Pierce (N.H.)
29 887 Garrett Rieck LHP Chico State (Calif.)
30 917 Bryce Brentz RHP South-Doyle HS, Knoxville, Tenn.
31 947 Jason Hessler RHP St. Joseph's
32 976 Joey Mahalic RHP/3B Wilson HS, Portland, Ore.
33 1005 Tyler Kuhn 3B/SS West Virginia
34 1034 Josh Judy RHP Indiana Tech
35 1063 Brian Juhl C Stanford
36 1092 P.J. Zocchi RHP Clemson
37 1120 Dean Kiekhefer LHP Oldham County HS, Buckner, Ky.
38 1148 Johnny Williams RHP Tampa
39 1176 Eric Jokisch LHP Virginia (Ill.) HS
40 1204 Dallas Cawiezell RHP Valparaiso
41 1230 Tommy Luce RHP Seminole State (Okla.) JC
42 1256 Bryce Tafelski C Santa Ynez (Calif.) HS
43 1282 Travis Howell C Long Beach State
44 1308 Ryan Royster OF UC Davis
45 1334 Dan Evatt OF Grapevine (Texas) HS
46 1358 Brock Simpson OF Kansas
47 1381 Kevin Rucker OF Pioneer Valley HS, Santa Maria, Calif.
48 1402 Walter Diaz SS Miami
49 1423 Matt Willard SS Arkansas
50 1444 Doug Pickens C Michigan

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2006 Indians Draft Picks

* Bold denotes the player was signed by the Indians

Rd Overall Player Position School
1S 39 David Huff LHP UCLA
2 56 Steven Wright RHP Hawaii
2 57 Josh Rodriguez 2B Rice
2 69 Wes Hodges 3B Georgia Tech
2S 75 Matt McBride C Lehigh
3 101 Adam Davis SS Florida
4 131 Ryan Morris LHP South Mecklenburg HS, Charlotte, N.C.
5 161 Chris Archer RHP Clayton (N.C.) HS
6 191 Austin Creps RHP Texas A&M
7 221 Robbie Alcombrack C Bear River HS, Grass Valley, Calif.
8 251 Mike Eisenberg RHP Marietta (Ohio) College
9 281 Jared Goedert 3B Kansas State
10 311 Paolo Espino RHP The Pendleton School, Bradenton, Fla.
11 341 Kelly Edmundson C Tennessee
12 371 Dan Frega RHP Illinois State
13 401 Brant Rustich RHP UCLA
14 431 William Delage LHP Lamar
15 461 Matt Meyer LHP Boston College
16 491 Stephen Douglas OF East Tennessee State
17 521 Kyle Harper RHP Orange Coast (Calif.) CC
18 551 Daryl King OF Benicia (Calif.) HS
19 581 Josh Tomlin RHP Texas Tech
20 611 Vinnie Pestano RHP Cal State Fullerton
21 641 John Gaub LHP Minnesota
22 671 Chuck Hargis SS East Tennessee State
23 701 Derrick Loop LHP Cal State Los Angeles
24 731 Chris Nash 1B Johnson County (Kan.) CC
25 761 Alex Jordan RHP Cypress (Calif.) JC
26 791 Ty Pryor RHP Tennessee
27 821 Chris Roberts OF West HS, Oshkosh, Wis.
28 851 Dustin Realini 3B Santa Clara
29 881 Thomas Benton RHP UNC Wilmington
30 911 Brett Carlin LHP Fullerton (Calif.) JC
31 941 Easton Gust 2B Cottonwood HS, Salt Lake City
32 971 David Uribes 2B Pepperdine
33 1001 Jarett Jackson OF Jefferson HS, Auburn, Wash.
34 1031 Michael Bolsinger RHP McKinney North HS, McKinney, Texas
35 1061 Alan Brech LHP Bowling Green State
36 1091 Ryan Miller LHP Blinn (Texas) JC
37 1121 Brett Kinning 2B Arkansas State
38 1151 Nate Bunton RHP Midland Lutheran (Texas) College
39 1181 Jimmy Brettl LHP Cal State Northridge
40 1211 Josh Yates C Arkansas State
41 1241 Kyle Paul C Vernon (Texas) CC
42 1270 Roderick Barcelo OF Rivera HS, Vega Baja, P.R.
43 1299 Mike Pontius RHP Holt HS, Wentzville, Mo.
44 1328 Brad Reid RHP Decatur HS, Federal Way, Wash.
45 1357 Zach Barger OF Grossmont (Calif.) JC
46 1385 Dan Miltenberger RHP UCLA
47 1413 Eric McKinney OF Spiro (Okla.) HS
48 1441 Travis Turek RHP Santa Barbara (Calif.) CC
49 1469 Ryan Mottern RHP Oklahoma
50 1497 Vinnie Catricala 3B Jesuit HS, Carmichael, Calif.

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2005 Indians Draft Picks

* Bold denotes the player was signed by the Indians

Rd Overall Player Position School
1 14 Trevor Crowe OF U. of Arizona
1S 33 John Drennen OF Rancho Bernardo HS, San Diego
2 62 Stephen Head 1B U. of Mississippi
3 94 Nick Weglarz 1B Lakeshore Catholic HS, Stevensville, Ontario
3 102 Jensen Lewis RHP Vanderbilt U.
4 124 Jordan Brown 1B U. of Arizona
5 154 Kevin Dixon RHP Minnesota State U.-Mankato
6 184 Joe Ness RHP Ball State U.
7 214 James Deters RHP Calvin (Mich.) College
8 244 Ryan Edell LHP College of Charleston
9 274 Roman Pena OF Mongomery HS, San Diego
10 304 Jason Schutt RHP Central Missouri State U.
11 334 Nicholas Petrucci 3B JC of the Canyons (Calif.)
12 364 Matt Fornasiere SS U. of Minnesota
13 394 Barry Laird RHP Lee HS, Baytown, Texas
14 424 Mike Finocchi RHP Louisburg (N.C.) JC
15 454 Chase Phillips RHP Monterey HS, Lubbock, Texas
16 484 Aaron Shafer RHP Troy Buchanan HS, Moscow Mills, Mo.
17 514 Eric Barrett LHP Marion (Ill.) HS
18 544 Desmond Jennings OF Pinson Valley HS, Pinson, Ala.
19 574 Tim Dennehy LHP Oak Park-River Forest HS, Oak Park, Ill.
20 604 Scott Sumner RHP Louisiana College
21 634 Neil Wagner RHP North Dakota State U.
22 664 Clint Storr OF Key West (Fla.) HS
23 694 Dexter English OF Encinal HS, Suisun City, Calif.
24 724 Willie Hale RHP Alexander HS, Albany, Ohio
25 754 Andy Lytle SS U. of Iowa
26 784 Thomas Cowley LHP Oklahoma State U.
27 814 Brandon Laird 1B La Quinta HS, Garden Grove, Calif.
28 844 Angel Claudio RHP Puerto Rico Baseball Academy, Caguas, P.R.
29 874 John Curtis C Cal State Fullerton
30 904 Joel Martin LHP Marion Center HS, Homer, Pa.
31 934 Matt Loberg RHP U. of Minnesota
32 964 Brent Thomas OF Texas Tech
33 994 Trevor Mortensen OF Cal State Fullerton
34 1024 Arshwin Asjes RHP Gloucester County (N.J.) CC
35 1054 Levi Laughlin RHP Connors State (Okla.) JC
36 1084 Matt Yokley RHP Collierville (Tenn.) HS
37 1114 Cody Satterwhite RHP Hillcrest Christian HS, Jackson, Miss.
38 1144 Daniel Lima SS Florida Christian HS, Miami
39 1174 Jessie Mier C Irvine Valley (Calif.) JC
40 1203 DeWayne Carver RHP Oklahoma State U.
41 1232 Ashton Shewey LHP Chandler-Gilbert (Ariz.) CC
42 1261 Tim Lincecum RHP U. of Washington
43 1290 Chadd Hartman OF Olympia HS, Windermere, Fla.
44 1319 Travis Turek RHP Westlake HS, Westlake Village, Calif.
45 1348 Drew Fiorenza RHP Clemson U.
46 1377 Blake Davis SS Cal State Fullerton
47 1406 Gus Milner OF U. of Kansas
48 1434 Joseph Hunter OF Mississippi State U.
49 1461 Ryan Wood SS Hylton HS, Woodbridge, Va.
50 1488 Cameron Satterwhite OF Moeller HS, Cincinnati

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2004 Indians Draft Picks

* Bold denotes the player was signed by the Indians

Rd Overall Player Position School
1 6 Jeremy Sowers LHP Vanderbilt U.
2 47 Justin Hoyman RHP U. of Florida
3 77 Scott Lewis LHP Ohio State U.
4 107 Chuck Lofgren LHP Serra HS, Burlingame, Calif.
5 137 Mike Butia OF James Madison U.
6 167 Cody Bunkelman RHP Itasca (Minn.) CC
7 197 Mark Jecmen RHP Stanford U.
8 227 Justin Pekarek LHP U. of Nebraska
9 257 Chris Niesel RHP Notre Dame U.
10 287 Reinaldo Alicano OF Josefina Barcelo HS, Guaynabo, P.R.
11 317 Brian Logan LHP Varina HS, Richmond, Va.
12 347 Jordan Chambless RHP Calallen HS, Corpus Christi, Texas
13 377 Jason Denham OF Deer Valley HS, Antioch, Calif.
14 407 Jeff Sues RHP Vanderbilt U.
15 437 Brian Finegan SS U. of Hawaii
16 467 Josh Williamson RHP Columbia Basin (Wash.) CC
17 497 Marshall Szabo 2B U. of Georgia
18 527 Danny Calvert RHP Hutchinson (Kan.) CC
19 557 Chris Gimenez OF U. of Nevada
20 587 Derrick Peterson 3B Eastern Michigan U.
21 617 Carlton Smith RHP Piscataway (N.J.) HS
22 647 Jeff Corsaletti OF U. of Florida
23 677 Michael Storey LHP Bellevue West HS, Bellevue, Neb.
24 707 Wyatt Toregas C Virginia Tech
25 737 David Newman LHP San Jacinto (Texas) JC
26 767 Justin Holmes SS U. of Georgia
27 797 Adrian Schau RHP Villanova U.
28 827 Doodle Hicks LHP Virginia HS, Bristol, Va.
29 857 P.J. Hiser OF U. of Pittsburgh
30 887 Alfred Ard OF Southern U.
31 917 Doug Pickens C Brother Rice HS, West Bloomfield, Mich.
32 947 Kyle Collins RHP U. of San Diego
33 977 Paul Lubrano LHP U. of Georgia
34 1007 Ashton Shewey LHP Payson (Ariz.) HS
35 1037 Ryan Knippschild LHP U. of Kansas
36 1067 Jeff Kamrath RHP U. of Virginia
37 1097 Blake Gill 2B Louisiana State U.
38 1127 Jose Amaya RHP San Jose State U.
39 1157 Preston Clark C Rockwall (Texas) HS
40 1187 Dustin Roddy RHP Nicholls State U.
41 1217 David Coulon LHP Hanford (Calif.) HS
42 1246 Josh Harris RHP Lamar U.
43 1275 Trevor Mortensen OF Santa Ana (Calif.) JC
44 1304 Phil Shirek RHP U. of Nebraska
45 1333 Tony Sipp LHP Clemson U.
46 1362 Chris Sosa OF West Hills (Calif.) JC
47 1391 Tyler Beranek 1B Waukesha (Wis.) South HS
48 1420 Brian Winings RHP U. of Pennsylvania
49 1448 Jose Chavez SS Santa Ana (Calif.) JC
50 1476 Tim Battaglia RHPhp U. of Minnesota-Duluth

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2003 Indians Draft Picks

* Bold denotes the player was signed by the Indians

Rd Overall Player Position School
1 11 Michael Aubrey 1B Tulane U.
1 18 Brad Snyder OF Ball State U.
1S 31 Adam Miller RHP McKinney (Texas) HS
2 48 Javi Herrera C U. of Tennessee
3 78 Ryan Garko C Stanford U.
4 108 Ben Harrison OF U. of Florida
5 138 Juan Valdes OF Fernando Callejo HS, Manati, P.R.
6 168 Kevin Kouzmanoff 3B U. of Nevada
7 198 Matt Davis RHP Ohio State U.
8 228 Bo Ashabraner RHP Long Beach State U.
9 258 Anthony Lunetta SS U. of Southern California
10 288 Scott Roehl RHP U. of Arkansas
11 318 Ryan Mulhern OF U. of South Alabama
12 348 Brandon Pinckney SS Sacramento CC
13 378 Steven Reinhold 2B Tuscola HS, Waynesville, N.C.
14 408 Denton Williams OF A&M Consolidated HS, College Station, Texas
15 438 Ryan Spilman C Mt. Vernon (Ind.) HS
16 468 Aaron Laffey LHP Allegany HS, Foxburg, Md.
17 498 Jeff Pry RHP Franklin HS, Portland, Ore.
18 528 Dusty Barnard RHP Connors State (Okla.) JC
19 558 Joseph Huskins C Cypress (Calif.) JC
20 588 Shane Mathews RHP St. Stephens HS, Conover, N.C.
21 618 Adam Brandenburg LHP Kennesaw State (Ga.) U.
22 648 Matt Elliot RHP Dixie (Utah) JC
23 678 Tim Montgomery OF U. of Hawaii
24 708 Ryan Goleski 1B Eastern Michigan U.
25 738 Travis Debondt LHP Bakersfield (Calif.) JC
26 768 Andrew Johnston RHP Jefferson (Mo.) JC
27 798 Michael Felix RHP Rutherford HS, Panama City, Fla.
28 828 Jason James OF Kishwaukee (Ill.) JC
29 858 Brett Parker SS U. of South Alabama
30 888 James Smith RHP Merced (Calif.) JC
31 918 Mark Harris RHP College of William & Mary
32 948 Steven Jackson RHP Clemson U.
33 978 Joe Reid RHP St. John's U.
34 1008 Roger Lincoln LHP Stetson U.
35 1038 Bart Babineaux OF El Camino (Calif.) JC
36 1068 Jared Goedert 3B Concordia (Kan.) HS
37 1098 Zach Wallis LHP Enid (Okla.) HS
38 1128 Neall French C Grand Rapids (Mich.) CC
39 1158 Jim Rapoport OF Chaminade Prep, Westlake Village, Calif.
40 1188 Adrian Schau RHP Villanova U.
41 1218 Robert Leonhardt RHP Cypress Fairbanks HS, Cypress, Texas
42 1247 Adam Hanson RHP Wake Forest U.
43 1276 Joe Weaver RHP Oklahoma State U.
44 1304 Kyle Muschara RHP Lassiter HS, Marietta, Ga.
45 1331 Rafael Cotto OF Miguel Such HS, Rio Piedras, P.R.
46 1358 James O'Neill LHP Milford HS, Highland, Mich.
47 1385 Chad Corona 3B San Diego State U.
48 1412 Jordan Karnofsky OF Christian Brothers HS, Sacramento
49 1438 David Horlacher RHP Dixie (Utah) JC
50 1464 Seth Button OF Elk Lake HS, Meshoppen, Pa.

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2002 Indians Draft Picks

* Bold denotes the player was signed by the Indians

Rd Player Position School
1 Jeremy Guthrie RHP Stanford U.
1 Matt Whitney 3B Palm Beach Gardens (Fla.) HS
1 Micah Schilling 2B Silliman Institute, Clinton, La.
2 Brian Slocum RHP Villanova
2 Pat Osborn 3B U. of Florida
3 Jason Cooper OF Stanford U.
3 Daniel Cevette LHP Elkland (Pa.) HS.
4 Fernando Pacheco 1B Montgomery HS, San Ysidro, Calif.
5 Ben Francisco OF UCLA.
6 Michael Hernandez LHP Fresno State U.
7 Brian Wright OF North Carolina State U.
8 Blake Allen LHP Union (Tenn.) U.
9 Shaun Larkin 2B Cal State Northridge.
10 Keith Ramsey LHP U. of Florida.
11 Bill Peavey 1B U. of Southern California.
12 Chad Longworth OF J.J. Kelly HS, Wise, Va.
13 Reid Santos LHP Saddleback (Calif.) CC.
14 Mike Mitchell RHP St. Charles (Mo.) JC.
15 Nathan Panther OF Muscatine (Iowa) CC.
16 Omar Casillas C Ana J. Candelas HS, Cidra, P.R.
17 Jeff Ostrander LHP Patrick Henry HS, Montpelier, Va.
18 Jahseam George LHP San Jose State U.
19 Curt Mendoza OF Redlands (Calif.) HS.
20 Chris White LHP Kent State U.
21 Zeke Parraz SS CC of Southern Nevada.
22 Clayton McCullough C East Carolina U.
23 Aaron Tennyson LHP Milan (Mich.) HS.
24 Dan Donaldson LHP Memorial HS, Houston.
25 Nicholas Pesco RHP Cosumnes River (Calif.) JC.
26 Jose Cardona LHP American Military Academy, Guaynabo, P.R.
27 Derek Dunne RHP Sullivan (Mo.) HS.
28 Tim Sabo RHP Don Bosco Prep, Suffern, N.Y.
29 Ruben Flores RHP Riverside HS, El Paso.
30 Daniel Eisentrager RHP Long Beach State U.
31 Jeff Davis RHP U. of Kansas.
32 Shea Douglas LHP U. of Southern Mississippi.
33 Jensen Lewis RHP Anderson HS, Cincinnati.
34 Chris Williams C Marcus HS, Flower Mound, Texas.
35 Kevin Hawkins RHP Embry-Riddle (Fla.) Aeronautical College.
36 Aaron Braithwaite OF Indian River (Fla.) CC.
37 Luis DeJesus SS New Mexico JC.
38 John Moran SS Southaven (Miss.) HS.
39 Blake Taylor RHP U. of South Carolina.
40 Shea McFeely SS Federal Way (Wash.) HS.
41 Andrew Knight LHP Maize (Kan.) HS.
42 Chris Rosario OF Pine Ridge HS, Deltona, Fla.
43 Matt Paz RHP Long Beach State U.
44 Richard Wells 3B Glendale (Calif.) JC.
45 Truan Mehl OF Hutchinson (Kan.) CC.
46 Aaron Davidson 2B U. of Florida.
47 Jimmy Mayer SS Somerset (Pa.) Area HS.
48 Bryce Kartler LHP Arizona State U.
49 Daniel Lindner RHP Potomac State (W.Va.) JC.
50 Ricardo Concepcion OF Petra Corretser HS, Manati, P.R.

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2001 Indians Draft Picks

* Bold denotes the player was signed by the Indians

Rd Player Position School
1 Dan Denham RHP Deer Valley HS, Antioch, CA
1 Alan Horne RHP Marianna (Fla.) HS
1 J.D. Martin RHP Burroughs HS, Ridgecrest, CA
1 Michael Conroy OF Boston College HS, Dorchester, MA
2. Jake Dittler RHP Green Valley HS, Henderson, NV
3 Nick Moran RHP Fresno State U.
4 Travis Foley RHP Butler HS, Louisville
5 Marcos Mendoza LHP San Diego State U.
6 Jim Ed Warden RHP Tennessee Tech
7 Josh Noviskey OF Newton (N.J.) HS
8 Mike Quintana OF Florida International U.
9 Luke Scott OF Oklahoma State U.
10 Brian Harrison RHP Dalton (Ga.) HS
11 Brad Guglielmelli C Allan Hancock (Calif.) JC
12 Scott Sturkie RHP Coastal Carolina U.
13 Matthew Knox OF Millersville (Pa.) U.
14 Doug Lantz RHP U. of Kansas
15 Martin Vergara RHP DePaul HS, Wayne, N.J.
16 Sean Smith RHP College Park HS, Pleasant Hill, CA
17 David Jensen 1B Brigham Young U.
18 T.J. Burton RHP Notre Dame HS, Ottawa, Ontario
19 Luis Alvarado LHP U. of Puerto Rico
20 Michael Rogers RHP Oral Roberts U.
21 Richard Spaulding LHP Lexington (Ky.) CC
22 Jimmy Schultz RHP Klein Forest HS, Houston
23 Kenton Myers C Mesa State (Colo.) College
24 Matthew Blethen LHP West Virginia U.
25 Rickie Morton OF U. of the Pacific
26 Bryce Uegawachi SS Hawaii Pacific U.
27 Josh Lex C Sacramento CC
28 Brandon Harmsen RHP Grand Rapids (Mich.) CC
29 Chris Hunter RHP Lindon, Utah.
30 Keith Lillash 2B Cleveland State U.
31 Brian Kirby C U. of Arkansas
32 Andy Baxter 1B East Tennessee State U.
33 Chad Peshke 2B UC Santa Barbara
34 Aaron Mardsen LHP Hutchinson (Kan.) CC
35 Chris Cooper LHP U. of New Mexico
36 Jose Cruz OF Metropolitan (P.R.) U.
37 Todd Culp RHP U. of the Pacific
38 Neto Quiroz LHP Saddleback (Calif.) CC
39 Brian Farman RHP Pacific Lutheran (Wash.) U.
40 Aaron Russell RHP Cerro Coso (Calif.) CC
41 Ross Lewis RHP/OF University Christian HS, Jacksonville, FL
42 Kyle Allen LHP Trabuco Hills HS, Rancho Santa Margarita, CA
43 Vincent Davis LHP New Mexico JC
44 Garrett Mock RHP North Shore HS, Houston
45 Brett Ashmun RHP Modesto (Calif.) JC
46 Todd Pennington RHP Southeast Missouri State U.
47 Billy Brian RHP Louisiana State U.
48 Douglas Brooks RHP Henry Ford (Mich.) CC
49 Jason Columbus 1B New Mexico JC
50 James Burok RHP Valley View HS, Archbald, PA

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2000 Indians Draft Picks

* Bold denotes the player was signed by the Indians

Rd Overall Player Position School
1 Corey Smith SS Piscataway (N.J.) HS
1 Derek Thompson LHP Land O' Lakes (Fla.) HS
2 Brian Tallet LHP Louisiana State
2 Mark Folsom OF West Orange HS, Winter Garden, Fla.
3 Sean Swedlow 1B San Dimas HS, Glendora, Calif.
4 Adam Cox OF Darton (Ga.) College
5 Rashad Eldridge OF First Presbyterian Day HS, Macon, Ga.
6 Kyle Evans RHP Baylor
7 Victor Kleine LHP John Logan (Ill.) JC
8 Joe Inglett OF Nevada
9 Scott Tolbert RHP Madison County HS, Danielsville, Ga.
10 Tom Canale RHP California Lutheran
11 Scott Threinen SS Kasson-Mantorville HS, Mantorville, Minn.
12 Jason Colson RHP Winthrop
13 Jeff Haase C Cleveland State
14 Ryan Church OF Nevada
15 Nate Janowicz OF South Carolina
16 Luke Field RHP Arizona State
17 Brandon Matheny RHP Emory & Henry (Va.) College
18 Jeremy Rogelstad RHP San Jose State
19 Chad Cislak RHP UCLA
20 Ryan Larson RHP Sacramento CC
21 Steve Fugarino RHP Iona
22 Vance Pietro 3B Creighton
23 Brandon Harmsen RHP Jenison (Mich.) HS
24 Chris Houser 3B Texas
25 Andy Helmer RHP Purdue
26 Bruddah Choy Foo SS Kailua (Hawaii) HS
27 Johri Litman RHP Yavapai (Ariz.) JC
28 Jeff Opalewski RHP Heritage HS, Saginaw, Mich.
29 Jonathan Van Every OF Itawamba (Miss.) JC
30 Brian Wilson RHP Londonderry (N.H.) HS
31 Conor Jackson 3B El Camino Real HS, Woodland Hills, Calif.
32 Scott Thomas RHP Lake Michigan CC
33 Ashley Dunlap LHP Palomar (Calif.) JC
34 Steve Fitch RHP Kutztown (Pa.) U.
35 Will McKenzie RHP Walters State (Tenn.) CC
36 J.T. Schultz LHP East HS, Appleton, Wis.
37 Damon Katz 2B Pepperdine
38 Robert Sierer RHP Bluffton (Ohio) College
39 Curtis Ledbetter C Lawrence (Kan.) HS
40 Jon Hooker RHP Kentucky
41 Eric Crozier 1B Norfolk (Va.) State
42 Silas Ahsui 3B JC of the Siskiyous (Calif.)
43 Ron Colvard RHP The Citadel
44 Joe Little LHP Arvada (Colo.) HS
45 Mark Carroll SS Arcadia (Calif.) HS
46 Chris Appuhn RHP Millard North HS, Omaha

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1999 Indians Draft Picks

Rd Player Position School
2 Will Hartley C Bradford High School (Starke,FL)
3 Eric Johnson OF Western Carolina University
4 Jeff Baker SS Garfield High School (Woodbridge,VA)
5 Curtis Gay 1B Oklahoma City University
6 Shane Wallace LHP Newman Smith High School (Carrollton,TX)
7 Daylon Monette OF Miller High School (Fontana,CA)
8 Devin Rogers RHP Nicholls State University
9 Stephen Cowie RHP Duke University
10 Fernando Cabrera RHP Discipulos De Cristo (Bayamon,PR)
11 Monte Mansfield RHP Hesperia High School (Hesperia,CA)
12 Francis Finnerty OF Wellington High School (Wellington,FL)
13 Adam Barr LHP South Williamsport Area High School (South Williamsport,PA)
14 Joshua Martin RHP Wyman King Academy High School (Columbia,SC)
15 Brody Lynn SS Kapaun-Mount Carmel High School (Wichita,KS)
16 Anthony Marini LHP Kennesaw State University
17 Chris Kelley RHP College of William and Mary
18 Kyle Moyer 1B Mohawk High School (Sycamore,OH)
19 Travis Santini OF Lely High School (Naples,FL)
20 Louis Wieben RHP St. Mary's High School (Rutherford,NJ)
21 Jason Davis RHP Cleveland State Community College
22 Jeff Reboin RHP Sacramento City College
23 Anthony Tomey RHP Detroit Catholic Central High School (Novi,MI)
24 Phil Rosengren RHP Northwestern University
25 Chris Lotterhos 2B Mississippi State University
26 Kyle Denney RHP University of Oklahoma
27 Jordan Olson LHP Crescenta Valley High School (La Crescenta,CA)
28 857 Matt Spiess Owosso High School (Owosso,MI)
29 Roberto Vega C Adela Brenes Texidor (Guayama,PR)
30 Willie Mckenzie Sullivan South High School (Kingsport,TN)
31 Leyson Rivera P Luz A Calderon (Carolina,PR)
32 Benjamin Fransico OF Servite High School (Anaheim,CA)
33 Scott Thomas C Watervliet High School (Watervliet,MI)
34 Kerry Hodges OF New Mexico Junior College
35 Mike Byrd RHP Vanderbilt University
36 Jerad Doty Rio Vista High School (Rio Vista,CA)
37 Edward Sullivan P Duke University
38 John Christ RHP Johns Hopkins University
39 Byron Ewing 1B Howard College
40 Neil Dudkowski P Lassen Junior College
41 Royce Ring LHP Monte Vista High School (Spring Valley,CA)
42 Anthony Lunetta SS Arlington High School (Riverside,CA)
43 Bradley Harrison OF Mandarin High School (Jacksonville,FL)
44 Mike Bishop C Kansas State University
45 Doug Johnson RHP Pelham High School (Pelham,NH)
46 Jeff Becker Duke University
47 Samuel Button LHP Jacksonville State University
48 Simon Young LHP Georgia Tech
49 Neal Maybin Brevard Community College
50 John Gall 1B Stanford University

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