2011 Draft Signings Update: Let the signing process begin

Dillon Howard

Here is the first update on most of the Indians' 50 picks from the 2011 Draft. The information gathered is from on-line news outlets as well as from talks I have had with some of the players.

Everyone wants to know about 1^st round pick shortstop Francisco Lindor, but I am sorry to say there is no news to report on the signing front with him, and in all honestly there will not be any change to his signing status until really a day or so before the August 15^th signing deadline.  As has happened the last two years, a great majority of the first round picks will not sign until close to midnight on the signing deadline date.

University of Arkansas head coach Dave Van Horn made it clear he’d like to see 2^nd round pick right-hander Dillon Howard keep his commitment to his school and improve his draft stock saying in an article on Thursday, “If we can keep Dillon Howard, that would be big for us.  He's going to have to turn down a lot (of money), but it will be there again in two years.... If he comes here, he'll be a first-round pick. He might be in the top five, he might be the first player taken.”  In another article he said, “We need Dillon Howard, and I hope that he’ll come in here and grow up as a person and as a player, and then in two years, it’s going to be there for him, big-time. … I think that [Howard] sees himself as a Razorback. He sees himself pitching at Baum Stadium in front of 10,000 people on a weekend.  I hope that he’ll come and live that dream for two years and help us get back to Omaha and hopefully win a national championship.”  It is going to take a big sum of money for the Indians to sign Howard, so it remains to be seen how far they will go.  He will likely be another guy that goes right down to the final minute on the signing deadline night.

The Indians and 3^rd round pick right-hander Jake Sisco are already in the negotiating process, and while it looks like he will sign he is keeping his options open saying "The scout is coming to my house to talk about it.  They'll make an offer, and I'll talk with my advisor. If I like the offer, I'll sign."

It looks like 4^th round pick catcher Jake Lowery will be a fast sign.  Teams did their due diligence just before the draft to get assurances he would sign, as he noted in an article on Thursday, “The guy called me in the third round to see if everything was O.K. and if he could take me in the next round.  Obviously I said ‘of course.’  It was cool to hear my name on the radio coverage.  I had an idea it would be top 10 rounds but fourth round was really cool.  I talked to three teams in the last few days, who making sure everything was good and if I would sign if selected.  Cleveland didn’t call me the last few days but had called in the last week.”

Indians 7^th round pick catcher Eric Haase is still weighing his options to go pro or go to Ohio State, but kudos to the IPI’s Jeff Ellis for the mention in a Detroit area news outlet with a quote on Haase.

It looks like it will take big money to woo 8^th rounder left-handed pitcher Stephen Tarpley to sign with the Indians.  There is no doubt that the Indians will likely have to go somewhere in the neighborhood of what they gave last year’s 8^th rounder Alex Lavisky in order to get Tarpley to sign on the dotted line.

Both 10^th rounder right-handed pitcher Jeff Johnson and 35^th rounder right-hander Mason Radeke were drafted out of Cal Poly SLO, and both look like they will sign with the Indians.  Radeke missed a lot of time his freshman and sophomore seasons for academic reasons, and if he goes back for his senior year he loses almost any leverage he has.  Johnson is also in the same boat as going back for his senior year at this point would not be a good decision.

According to the Lufkin Daily News, 11^th round pick right-handed pitcher Luis DeJesus “says he’ll listen to what the Indians have to say and determine whether the offer is good enough, or whether he’d benefit more from another year under AC head coach Jeff Livin’s tutelage.”

It looks like 12^th round pick Grant Sides could be signed very soon as he is very interested in signing.  “I have already finished my undergrad degree and look forward to the opportunity the Indians can offer me. The only thing that I have asked for is to be treated fairly and I should be putting on an Indians jersey soon enough.”

17^th round pick right-hander Kevin Brady will be a summer follow for the Indians as he will pitch in the Cape Cod League this summer.  He is coming back from a forearm injury from earlier this year and would have gone much higher in the draft if not for the injury.

It looks like 18^th round pick right-handed pitcher Shawn Armstrong will be a summer follow by the Indians.  He has two years left of college eligibility, so he has some leverage and will probably command a decent chunk of change to sign.  Teams called on him in the third and fourth rounds, but because he would not commit as a sure sign and has some demands financially he slipped to the 18^th round.  He says the following and more in the linked article: "I'm not 100 percent sure what I'm going to do.  I kind of expected to go before the 18th round and I had some phone calls in the third and fourth rounds, but it wasn't what I looking for (financially).  The Indians said they knew I wanted a little more money. They said they want to follow me this summer and then make an offer. They could see me pitch once and then make an offer, or it could come in August."

19^th round pick left-handed pitcher Shawn Morimando like everyone else is weighing his options and told the IPI that “I can't wait to begin playing as it's a very exciting moment in my life and I feel so honored to be drafted by the Indians.  School is on my mind but I'm really interested in pro ball and hope everything works out for the best."

It is going to take first round money or close to it for the Indians to sign their highly touted 20^th round pick left-hander Dillon Peters.  That is what his father is quoted as saying in the linked article.  He will be playing summer ball and the Indians will be watching.

It looks like 21^st round pick Cody Elliott will make a decision by the end of the week on whether to sign, and it sounds like he will.

23^rd rounder right-handed pitcher Cody Allen is eager to get his career started.  He did not sign last year and was disappointed it did not happen, so I would expect negotiations will go much smoother this year having already been through the process.

Not unexpectedly, 25^th round pick infielder Kevin Kramer is going to be a tough sign and wants first round money.  According to the linked article he says: "I had an idea of what would happen with the draft because it comes down to signability.  I have a great opportunity at UCLA, and teams knew I would be asking for first-round money if they wanted to sign me. I'm sure that kept teams away. It happens to kids every year. The teams want to draft them, but players have the option of college and that makes it difficult for clubs to sign them without spending a lot of money. … Now we'll wait to hear from Cleveland and see how it goes.  What I like about UCLA is the opportunity to enjoy the college experience and win a national championship in Omaha. That's always been a dream. But the attraction of signing is that I'd be in pro ball, and that's always been a goal of mine."

The Indians 28^th round pick left-hander Tyler Nurdin is currently pitching summer ball in the Northwoods Leagues, so will likely be a summer follow and potentially sign later.

You can cross one pick off the boards as 30^th round pick infielder John Polonius says he is not signing and going back to school.  “I thought I was going to go to the Cubs in the 12th round, but I told them I wasn’t going to sign, that I was going back to school.  But it’s nice to know that some other team still wanted me.”

With the University of South Carolina still in postseason play and participating in Super Regionals this weekend, it does not appear anything with 31^st round pick left-hander Michael Roth will happen anytime soon, if they even do.

36^th rounder left-handed pitcher Abel Guerrero is “ready” to go pro, it just depends on the Indians interest and if a deal can be reached.  I think he will sign quickly.

If I were a betting man, 37^th round pick right-handed pitcher Taylor Starr will sign.  After two Tommy John surgeries and practically not pitching the past three years, this may be his last chance at being drafted and it also will bring him to the pro ranks where he can get top level medical and rehab attention to get him back on track if possible.

38^th round pick infielder Yhoxian Medina told me he is very interested in signing.  I do not know what the Indians’ intentions are right now, but if they want to target him now I would think it is a slam dunk and he is an Indian very soon and potentially part of the Mahoning Valley club.

43^rd round pick left-hander Geoff Davenport is weighing his options and told the IPI that “I was just honored that the Indians would take me after my injury and I'm very intrigued to see what they offer. No matter what I decide I'm going to be happy because I'll be choosing between two great options of either going pro or returning to school. It's just something I need to talk over with my [family] and see what's best.”

The Indians will be following 44^th round pick right-handed pitcher Adam Griffin this summer as he pitches summer ball.  Signing him is not out of the question, but he has a pretty strong commitment to the University of North Carolina.

The Indians are discussing a contract with 47^th round pick outfielder Corey Embree.  According to the linked article the Indians were supposed to call on Thursday to discuss a contract and explain what comes next for him.  In this article from earlier in the week, it looks like he is anxious to get his pro career started, so there appears to be a chance he and the Indians can work something out.

48^th round pick right-hander Blaine O’Brien will be another summer follow as he pitches in the Cape Cod League this summer.  According to this report he says, “I spoke with Cleveland earlier today.  Nothing is finalized, but they call it a 'draft and follow.' They can follow me around this summer and watch me pitch for the Bay Sox. Then they can decide what to do."

It doesn’t sound like the Indians 49^th round pick outfielder Brian Hansen will sign, as he said in an article on Thursday “I have a few more years to play yet at St. Cloud.  Hopefully I’ll have a good year and maybe improve my draft stock a little bit.  I haven’t had a whole lot of time to sit down and talk to many people yet. I’m going to try and do that (Wednesday night).”

50^th round pick catcher Tyler Baker is weighing his options on whether to sign with the Indians or go to college to Wichita State and told the IPI that he is “just going to talk with my family through out the summer and make the decision when the time comes.”

Follow Tony and the Indians Prospect Insider on Twitter @TonyIPI. Also, his latest book the 2011 Cleveland Indians Top 100 Prospects & More is available for purchase for $20.95 to customers in the US (shipping and handling extra).

Posted in: 2011 Draft News,Dillon Howard,Eric Haase,Francisco Lindor,Grant Sides,Jake Lowery,Jake Sisco,Jeff Johnson,Kevin Brady,Luis DeJesus,Mason Radeke,Shawn Armstrong,Stephen Tarpley