Minor Happenings: Abraham's big week caps off good year

Adam Abraham (Photo: IPI)

"Minor Happenings" is a weekly column which recaps the important developments and news in the Indians farm system. While most of the information in this report is from my own research and through interviews I have conducted with organizational personnel, some information in this report is collected and summarized from the various news outlets that cover each team.

A very short version of Minor Happenings today, a day late and shorter this week due to sickness and being tied up with other things all week since my return from Woodbridge, VA last weekend to see High-A Kinston clinch a postseason berth. Even still, I wanted to tie up some loose ends from the regular season and get out the final two regular season award winners with the last Player of the Week and Player of the Month awards.

On Monday or Tuesday next week I will post another abbreviated version of Minor Happenings with some additional updates on things that probably would have been included in this week's full version had I been able to get them in on time.

Things are quickly coming to a close as all the affiliates are now done with only Triple-A Columbus and High-A Kinston in action. By this time next week both of them could be done with their season as well. From the looks of it there should be another two to three more Minor Happenings updates through the end of the month until I put the capper on the season with the year end Tony Awards the first week of October. Then it is off to Instructional League and the Arizona Fall League....so just because the season is over does not mean the baseball and reporting stops!

Onto the (short) Happenings...

IPI Minor League Player of the Week
(for games from September 1st through September 5th)

Adam Abraham (Third baseman - Kinston)
.348 (8-23), 3 R, 0 2B, 3 HR, 7 RBI, 1 BB, 4 K, 1.139 OPS

Adam Abraham

If you took a poll from Indians staffers and a lot of the players in their minor league system who is one of the hardest working players and exemplifies very good leadership qualities, there is a good chance High-A Kinston third baseman Adam Abraham would be the top vote getter. He’s always been one of the most respected players in the organization, but now his performance is starting to match up with that respect as he just finished off an impressive 2011 campaign at Kinston where in 130 games he hit .252 with 17 HR, 72 RBI, and a .792 OPS.

Abraham may not have high prospect status, but he was one of the better performers in the Carolina League this past season. He finished 7th in the league in games played (130), 4th in doubles (31), 6th in home runs (17), 5th in RBI (72), 8th in total bases (197), 4th in walks (70), 6th in strikeouts (114), 7th in on-base percentage (.360), 9th in slugging percentage (.432), and 8th in OPS (.792).

The most impressive thing with Abraham this season has been his improved approach at the plate. In 771 combined at bats at Low-A Lake County in 2009 and 2010 he managed to walk just 70 times, but this year he ended up drawing 70 walks at a higher level and in one season at Kinston covering 456 at bats. While his power numbers stayed consistent from last year to this year, it is that approach which helped bump his on-base percentage up to .360 this season which is very good in the Carolina League.

Abraham may be 24 years old and his ceiling may be limited, but he is proving to be a valuable player in the organization because of his leadership abilities, his versatility, and his power from the right side of the plate. Except for three games at catcher in an emergency situation when regular Kinston backstops Doug Pickens and Roberto Perez were out injured, he played third base all season for Kinston. He has some experience at first base, and his ability to catch makes him a versatile, useful player as he likely moves up the ladder next season to Double-A Akron.

Honorable Mentions:

Luis Valbuena (INF – COL): .353 (6-17), 2 R, 1 2B, 1 HR, 2 RBI, 0 BB, 7 K, .941 OPS
Jordan Henry (OF – AKR): .400 (6-15), 4 R, 0 2B, 0 HR, 2 RBI, 1 BB, 2 K, .838 OPS
Donnie Webb (OF – AKR): .400 (8-20), 5 R, 2 2B, 2 3B, 0 HR, 1 RBI, 0 BB, 4 K, 1.100 OPS
Karexon Sanchez (INF – AKR): .375 (6-16), 3 R, 1 2B, 1 3B, 0 HR, 4 RBI, 5 BB, 3 K, 1.108 OPS
LeVon Washington (OF – LC): .350 (7-20), 2 R, 0 2B, 1 HR, 2 RBI, 2 BB, 5 K, .909 OPS
Ronny Rodriguez (SS – LC): .316 (6-19), 2 R, 2 2B, 1 HR, 2 RBI, 1 BB, 6 K, .929 OPS
Evan Frazar (INF – MV): .545 (6-11), 1 R, 0 2B, 1 HR, 3 RBI, 1 BB, 2 K, 1.434 OPS
John Barr (OF – MV): .500 (6-12), 4 R, 2 2B, 1 3B, 0 HR, 3 RBI, 6 BB, 1 K, 3 SB, 1.533 OPS
Rob Nixon (RHP – MV): 1-0, 1.80 ERA, 1 G, 5.0 IP, 3 H, 2 BB, 6 K, .167 BAA
Michael Goodnight (RHP – KIN): 1-0, 1.69 ERA, 1 G, 5.1 IP, 3 H, 0 BB, 6 K, .176 BAA

Previous Winners:

08/25 to 08/31: Jared Goedert (3B – Columbus)
08/18 to 08/24: Elvis Araujo (LHP – Arizona)
08/11 to 08/17: Francisco Jimenez (LHP – Kinston)
08/04 to 08/10: Paolo Espino (RHP – Akron)
07/28 to 08/03: Jerad Head (OF – Columbus)
07/21 to 07/27: Tony Wolters (SS – Mahoning Valley)
07/14 to 07/20: Beau Mills (1B – Akron)
07/07 to 07/13: Luigi Rodriguez (OF – AZL Indians)
06/30 to 07/06: Elvis Araujo (LHP – AZL Indians)
06/23 to 06/29: Kirk Wetmore (LHP – Mahoning Valley)
06/16 to 06/22: Zach McAllister (RHP - Columbus)
06/09 to 06/15: Scott Barnes (LHP – Columbus)
06/02 to 06/08: Beau Mills (1B - Akron)
05/26 to 06/01: Anthony Gallas (OF - Lake County)
05/19 to 05/25: Tim Fedroff (OF – Akron)
05/12 to 05/18: Steven Wright (RHP – Lake County)
05/05 to 05/11: Cord Phelps (INF – Columbus)
04/28 to 05/04: Chun Chen (C – Akron)
04/21 to 04/27: Chad Huffman (OF – Columbus)
04/14 to 04/20: Alex White (RHP – Columbus)
04/07 to 04/13: Drew Pomeranz (LHP – Kinston)

IPI Minor League Player of the Month
(for August)

Paolo Espino (Right-handed pitcher – Akron/Columbus)
3-0, 1.35 ERA, 7 G, 33.1 IP, 20 H, 5 ER, 4 BB, 39 K, .149 BAA

Paolo Espino

All right-handed pitcher Paolo Espino can continue to do is perform, and that is exactly what he has done this year. Because he does not throw hard, is small in size, and is not valued highly in the industry he has been glossed over the past few years as a prospect. In the meantime he just continues to go out there every night and compete and keep his team in games whether it be as a reliever or a starter.

Of late Espino has been starting because of the mass mount of callups from the Triple-A Columbus rotation due to injuries and need in Cleveland. Since being inserted into the rotation in mid-August he has been on fire, and is a role he has seen the most success in this year with Columbus. He opened the season in the Columbus bullpen but struggled and was quickly sent to Double-A Akron where he regrouped and was back in Columbus for a short stint in July and then for good a few weeks ago.

Espino, 24, has now pitched in 12 games with Columbus, 7 of them in the bullpen (6.75 ERA, 13.1 IP, 20 H, 4 BB, 12 K, .345 BAA) and 5 as a starter (1.73 ERA, 26.0 IP, 15 H, 3 BB, 29 K, .158 BAA), and it is clear he feels more comfortable as a starter.  Holding opposing players to just 15 hits in 26.0 innings is impressive, but when you add just 3 walks and 29 strikeouts to that total it is incredible. Overall this season in 34 combined appearances (10 starts) between Akron and Columbus he is 8-1 with a 2.77 ERA (120.1 IP, 101 H, 11 HR, 25 BB, 119 K).

It remains to be seen if Espino's continued success this season at the Double-A and Triple-A level will elevate his standing as a prospect in the industry. He does not overpower hitters as he throws a fastball that sits 88-91 MPH and throws a very good curveball, and is a lot like right-hander Josh Tomlin in that he just knows how to pitch and has a lot of toughness. The difference between him and Tomlin is his overall lack of athleticism. Tomlin’s athleticism allows him to repeat his delivery well, something Espino has trouble with from time to time. When you do not have very dominating stuff you have to be on-line with your mechanics and command and that is an area that he has struggled with in the past, though obviously has continued to improve.

Espino will not be a minor league free agent until after the 2012 season, so he likely will be in Columbus all of next season as a depth starter or swing guy in the bullpen. He is Rule 5 Draft eligible this offseason, though at the moment it does not look like the Indians will add him to the 40-man roster in the offseason or he will get selected in the draft in December….although either one of those things can change.

Honorable Mentions:

Jared Goedert (3B – COL): .363 (37-102), 20 R, 8 2B, 8 HR, 20 RBI, 12 BB, 18 K, 1.104 OPS
Chad Huffman (OF – COL): .364 (32-88), 13 R, 13 2B, 2 HR, 12 RBI, 10 BB, 18 K, 1.037 OPS
Cory Burns (RHP – AKR): 0-1, 6 saves, 0.63 ERA, 11 G, 14.1 IP, 11 H, 4 BB, 15 K, .224 BAA
Toru Murata (RHP – KIN): 2-0, 0.47 ERA, 8 G, 19.0 IP, 13 H, 1 ER, 2 BB, 20 K, .191 BAA
Cody Allen (RHP – LC): 2-0, 0.00 ERA, 8 G, 19.0 IP, 13 H, 0 ER, 5 BB, 30 K, .164 BAA
Danny Jimenez (LHP – MV): 2-1, 1.52 ERA, 5 G, 23.2 IP, 22 H, 4 ER, 8 BB, 17 K, .234 BAA
Leonardo Castillo (INF – AZ): .344 (32-93), 16 R, 6 2B, 2 HR, 15 RBI, 3 BB, 18 K, .866 OPS
Mitch Nilsson (C – AZ): .393 (22-56), 9 R, 7 2B, 1 HR, 10 RBI, 5 BB, 11 K, 1.014 OPS

Previous Winners:

July: Luigi Rodriguez (Outfielder – Lake County)
June: Jesus Aguilar (First Baseman – Lake County)
May: Tim Fedroff (Outfielder – Akron)
April: Tyler Cannon (Infielder – Lake County)

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). Use discount code 2Z6F362B to receive 40% off the book through the site store!

Posted in: Adam Abraham,Paolo Espino