2011 Indians Top 50 Prospects: #49 Roberto Perez

Roberto Perez - Catcher
Born: 12/23/1988 – Height: 6’0” – Weight: 200 – Bats: Right – Throws: Right

(Photo: Tony Lastoria)

History: Perez was selected by the Indians in the 33^rd round of the 2008 Draft out of Lake City Community College (FL). He was originally drafted by the Los Angeles Dodgers in the 29^th round of the 2006 Draft.  In the offseason he got a rare opportunity as a player from Low-A to go out to the Arizona Fall League where in 11 games he went 7-for-44 at the plate with 0 HR, 5 RBI and had a 3-11 walk to strikeout rate.  He then went out to the Puerto Rico Winter League and in 15 games went 9-for-29 at the plate with an 8-6 walk to strikeout rate.

Strengths: Perez is a defensive minded catcher who is still developing as a hitter. He has average power with some occasional pop in his bat, and is a patient hitter with an advanced approach at the plate. His patience and high walk rate may be the foundation to what eventually makes him a more serviceable hitter. As a defender, Perez is considered to have the ability to catch right now in the big leagues and has the potential to be an excellent major league defensive catcher. His quick, powerful, accurate right arm and ability to control the running game is definitely an asset as he led the 16-team Midwest League in fielding percentage among catchers and finished 2nd in caught stealing percentage. The Indians have been very pleased with his leadership abilities and the way he handles a pitching staff, calls games, receives the ball, and blocks balls in the dirt.

Perez has come a long way physically as when he first reported to the Indians after signing in 2008 he was very out of shape. He lost over 20 pounds going into the 2009 season and it helped him make big strides that year. During the 2009 season he also caught a lot of former Indians’ right-handed pitcher Jake Westbrook’s bullpen sessions while he rehabbed in Arizona and went to Triple-A Columbus for a few weeks to be the bullpen catcher.  Between the weight loss and getting to work with more experienced players, it served as a springboard to make him the catcher he is today.

Opportunities: The offensive side of his game is something that Perez still needs a lot of work on.  He made some progress last season with a much improved approach at the plate, but he still had a poor season as a hitter when he put the ball in play. To improve as a hitter he needs to continue to work on getting his hands through the ball since he has a tendency to open up too soon and foul off pitches and hit groundballs. One area that he is still refining defensively is his pitch calling in situations he knows a team will run in, as well as maintaining good tempo and footwork with his throws.

Outlook: There is no question Perez was the glue to the Low-A Lake County team that won the Midwest League championship last year as he worked extremely well with the pitching staff all season, shut down the opposing team's running game, and was very good defensively behind the plate with his blocking and receiving. If the offense can ever come for Perez where he can just hold his own at the plate, there is no doubt he will play in the Major Leagues because of his outstanding defensive abilities. He needs a lot of work on becoming a more consistent hitter at the plate, though he made good strides last year with his approach at the plate drawing 80 walks and putting up a .360 on-base percentage. He should open the 2011 season as the starting catcher at High-A Kinston.

Year	Age	Team	Lvl	G	AB	R	H	2B	3B	HR	RBI	BB	SO	SB	AVG	OBP	SLG	OPS
2009	20	Mahoning Valley	A-	4	14	3	3	1	0	0	1	1	4	0	.214	.267	.286	.553
2009	20	AZL Indians	R	34	131	24	46	12	0	3	31	16	28	4	.351	.438	.511	.949
2009	20	Lake County	A	17	50	10	12	1	0	0	5	8	19	0	.240	.381	.260	.641
2010	21	Lake County	A	118	378	54	82	22	3	6	38	80	88	1	.217	.360	.339	.699
		Totals		173	573	91	143	36	3	9	75	105	139	5	.250	.377	.370	.747

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2011 Indians Top 50 Prospects: #50 Juan Romero

Juan Romero – Third Baseman
Born: 06/16/1993 - Height: 6’1” - Weight: 175 - Bats: Right - Throws: Right

(Photo: Tony Lastoria)

History: Romero was a free agent signing out of the Dominican Republic by the Indians in 2010. The Indians were pretty high on him when he signed, and aggressively pushed him to rookie-level Arizona without even sending him to the Dominican Summer League. At rookie level Arizona he tied for the league lead in home runs and was 14^th in OPS.

Strengths: Romero only turned 17-years old in mid-June and showed incredible raw power for his age.  He has tons of upside with a great swing and a good body that should lead to even more strength as he matures. He is improving as a defender and has all the tools to be a solid third baseman, and may have the most projection of any third baseman in the system, which says a lot with the likes of Lonnie Chisenhall, Giovanny Urshela, and Kyle Bellows around. Because of his athleticism and strong arm, the Indians feel that he could also one day make a smooth transition to right field, but that will only be as a fallback as their main priority is to develop him at third base.

Opportunities: The strikeouts are obviously a big issue with Romero, but time is on his side and his plate discipline and strikeout issues are something that the Indians will focus on going forward. His raw power and athleticism combined with his plate discipline woes are a lot like that of Abner Abreu when he first came into the system, so while the upside is exciting, there is still a lot of improvements to be made.

Outlook: Romero made some big strides in his pro debut in 2010, and due to his youth and projection his developmental curve is still very far ahead of him. The Indians plan to be aggressive with a lot of their young Latin and high school signings this year, so he will get a chance to move up another level in 2011. He should open the season in extended spring training and then when short season leagues start up in June should be assigned to Single-A Mahoning Valley.

Year	Age	Team	Lvl	G	AB	R	H	2B	3B	HR	RBI	BB	SO	SB	AVG	OBP	SLG	OPS
2010	17	AZL Indians	R	40	145	21	35	10	2	7	14	16	67	2	.241	.321	.483	.804
		Totals		40	145	21	35	10	2	7	14	16	67	2	.241	.321	.483	.804

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IPI 2011 Top 50 Prospect Countdown: Preview

After back to back 90-plus loss seasons and a complete rebuilding project in place, these are some of the darkest days in the history of the Cleveland Indians franchise.

But hang in there Tribe fans, because there finally appears to be some light at the end of the tunnel and the organization may finally be on the upswing.

A lot of this has to do with some talent they have assembled that is already playing at the Major League level, but most of it has to do with them a lot of the talent on the cusp of joining those already in Cleveland.

The Indians have put together one of the strongest farm systems in all of baseball with the help of some very good drafts of late and an influx of upper level talent from veteran for prospect trades the past few years. Whether or not you agree with what players they have acquired in trades, selected in the draft, or signed internationally, the bottom line is that the system is as strong and deep as it has ever been.

There have been some recent positive developments at the big league level from the farm system with the likes of catcher Carlos Santana, lefty reliever Rafael Perez, shortstop Asdrubal Cabrera, outfielder Shin-Soo Choo, right-handed starter Fausto Carmona, right-handed starter Carlos Carrasco, and others. Others like infielder Jason Donald, outfielder Michael Brantley, catcher Lou Marson, right-handed pitcher Josh Tomlin, and first baseman Matt LaPorta have shown flashes of being solid to good players, but need more time to what they can be. And yes, there have been some disappointments with the likes of outfielder Trevor Crowe, third baseman Andy Marte, left-handed pitcher Jeremy Sowers, left-hander David Huff, and others.

But that is the way things work with prospects. It is the cost of doing business as some live up to expectations and excel, but a majority fail to fall short of the hype.

That is where strength in numbers is so important and why banking on just a handful of players to "make it" can create a problem. The more options you have, the more times you can afford to miss.

Whether or not strength in numbers amounts to anything in the long run for the Indians is up to their Player Development Department to develop these players into options at the big league level. Time will tell.

There is no Carlos Santana who clearly resides above all and as the #1 prospect in the organization, but there are four or five prospects that have a legitimate case to be the #1 prospect in the organization this year. After those five, depending on who you talk to, there are as many as 25-30 guys who could round out the top ten.

That's the depth talking, and why this will be another important year to see the development of many players on the diamond. Last year the Indians for the most part had a very successful year in the minors with the development of their players and only had a few serious injuries to priority players. Hopefully they can repeat the success of last season, and if they do the big league team will be much better for it in 2011 and beyond.

While the organization may not have any player in the farm system at the moment considered a top flight All Star caliber prospect (most organizations only have one or two), a lot can change over the course of the season. Who considered Carlos Santana a top flight prospect going into 2008? Baseball America had him ranked as the Los Angeles Dodgers 25th best prospect going into that season, yet by the end of that season he was considered a no doubt star in the making and the #1 prospect in the Indians organization.

That is the beauty of the minor league season. Some players improve their stock, some see it plummet. What looks like depth at the start of the season is not by the end. What can be a weakness today becomes a strength tomorrow.

So while the Indians may not have a crème de la crème guy at the top of their farm system going into the 2011 season, because of some very good drafts of late and good signings internationally there are several players this year who certainly have the potential to jump into elite that status.

It is going to be another fun year following the developments in the Indians’ farm system and draft, so enjoy the ride and most importantly have fun!

Strengths and Weaknesses:

The strength of the Indians farm system is its depth in pitching. They have power arms of all shapes, sizes and abilities at all levels and in all roles. They do not have anyone presently viewed as an ace in waiting, but those perceptions change quickly and they have several candidates who could fill such a role like lefty Drew Pomeranz, right-hander Jason Knapp, right-hander Alex White, or even one of their young promising Latin arms way down the food chain in rookie ball. In the bullpen they have arms all over the place with guys like right-hander Bryce Stowell, left-hander Nick Hagadone, right-hander Zach Putnam, right-hander Josh Judy and others.

The Indians also have a lot of depth at second base, third base and the outfield. At second base they have Jason Kipnis and Cord Phelps. At third base they have Lonnie Chisenhall, Giovanny Urshela, Kyle Bellows, and Juan Romero. In the outfield they have Nick Weglarz and LeVon Washington.

The weakest areas of the organization are shortstop and first base. The Indians do not have any players in the system who currently project to be a big league regular. Beau Mills, Jordan Brown, and Wes Hodges are the best at the position, but all of them are in rapid decline as far as prospect standing goes. At shortstop the Indians have absolutely no one in the upper levels considered to have everyday big league potential, though they have lots of promising shortstops on the come in the lower levels with the likes of Tony Wolters, Jorge Martinez, and Ronnie Rodriguez.

Eligibility:

The criteria to determine who is eligible for the 2011 prospect ranking requires that a player must still be rookie eligible (under 50.0 career innings pitched or less than 130 career at bats in the big leagues). Like most other publications, service time is not considered. The only players not eligible for these rankings are those who have yet to play stateside, namely those players who played the entire 2010 season in the rookie level Dominican Summer League (DSL) or were a 2010 international signing and did not play last year. The reason for this is simple, in that I have not seen most of these players play and a lot of the scouts I know have not seen them either. So, the opinions and info is practically non-existent except for what I have learned in conversations with the Indians. While no DSL players are in this listing, several will be included in my 2011 Latin Top 15 listing in the upcoming book.

Ranking Guidelines:

Some may wonder what the basis is behind the rankings. While some people rate prospects purely on results (stats), some on standing (class level/age), and some purely on potential (projection), I try to combine all three to try and strike a balance. Admittedly, I generally favor projection more, especially with the very young kids versus some of the minor league veterans.

Two things to note in the ranking are that relievers and older players will typically be ranked low. The Indians have a lot of relievers, but the general rule of thumb is the pitchers deemed to have higher upside are being developed as starters. Once those pitchers no longer are an option as a starter they typically move into a relief role, which bumps a lot of the pitchers already in a relief role into a much smaller role or out of the system completely. Players already in a relief role have limited upside unless they throw in the upper 90s or have a devastating secondary pitch, so many high profile relievers may find themselves in the 30-50 range in the ranking.

Also, older players in the higher levels who may have once been a high level prospect but look to have plateaued as far as their value goes will not rank well. The rankings are based entirely on upside and what kind of player they can become, and is not who is closest to the big leagues. As a result, someone who has been in Triple-A for awhile and who may also be on the 40-man roster may not exactly rank as high as a lot of other younger players still clawing their way up through the system. This is due to limited upside for the older player as compared to a greater upside for the younger ones viewed to have significant upside.

Bottom line, it comes down what value the player has to a big league team and what kind of big leaguer they can be. The rankings are arbitrary and are really just a guideline to show the players to watch out for and most importantly provide some information on each player so fans know who they are.

Almost all of the information in these scouting reports comes from my notes in conversations I have had with various Indians executives, players, coaches, scouts, and other non-Indians personnel over the course of the last year. I have also supplemented where necessary with information I obtained over the year from comments Farm Director Ross Atkins, Amateur Scouting Director Brad Grant, and Scouting Director John Mirabelli have made via radio or print, as well as some information from other media outlets.

Who are some guys to watch for potential breakout years?

Keep an eye out for right-handed pitcher Anthony Dischler, third baseman Giovanny Urshela, right-handed pitcher Felix Sterling, shortstop Jorge Martinez, and infielder Ronnie Rodriguez. The Indians have been much more aggressive of late with their younger players, particularly their Latin players as they had nearly a half dozen 2010 signees debut stateside at rookie level Arizona, so several players could be on the verge of a breakout season this year.

A few guys who may or may not find their way into the ranking who are considered low level prospects who could make some noise this year are left-handed pitcher Kyle Petter, right-handed pitcher Marty Popham, left-handed pitcher Mike Rayl, and first baseman/outfielder Chase Burnette.

Thanks for the support, enjoy the reports and information, and most of all, good luck to the players this upcoming season.

Up Next: The countdown begins on Friday with #50.

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Pomeranz Is Ready To Kick Off His Career

Pomeranz has his sights set on the upcoming

2011 season (Photo: Tony Lastoria)

Pitchers and catchers report for the start of spring training in about four weeks. With that comes the start of another baseball season.

For Cleveland Indians left-handed pitcher Drew Pomeranz, it is the beginning of a career.

Pomeranz, 22, was the Indians’ first round pick in last year’s draft out of the University of Mississippi. Because he signed on the August 16th deadline he missed out on a chance to get his feet wet and pitch in short season ball last year. As a result, his first pro pitch came in Instructional League in the fall. His first official pitches will occur early on in the Cactus League schedule this spring, and when he makes his first start at his likely destination of High-A Kinston when the season starts.

There is no doubt with the start of spring training looming and the chance to finally get his career going that Pomeranz is chomping at the bit to get things going.

"Yes, I have pretty much lived in Oxford and am staying at Ole Miss pretty much the whole time working out, throwing, and doing what I need to do to get ready,” Pomeranz said in an interview on Friday with the IPI. “I am definitely ready to get to Arizona and get started. I am excited to get out there and throw my first pitch of the season as it is a little different when you are pitching for a team in the season than it is in college and Instructional League."

At the moment Pomeranz is living off campus at Ole Miss. He likes the arrangement as he has free use of the facilities to lift weights, run, and grab a catcher any time he needs to throw. When he is not working out or throwing he fills up a lot of his free time hunting and playing Halo on Xbox 360.

Pomeranz has worked out all offseason to keep in shape and has recently started a throwing program to get himself ready for the start of the upcoming season. He throws about every other day on Monday, Wednesday and Friday, and this week just started throwing flat grounds to a catcher. Very soon he is expected to start throwing bullpens, and then after that the February 15th report date for pitchers and catchers to arrive at spring training should arrive.

“They sent us home with a workout plan and throwing program for the whole offseason,” Pomeranz said. “It tells you everything you need to do with your workouts, running, and then throwing. I kind of do a little more than they say to do because I like lifting a little heavier and doing things a little different way. But it is basically the same workout that I do, I just do a little more than what they say and try and run more sprints and run a little different sometimes."

The start of baseball season will certainly be welcomed for Pomeranz as aside from a handful of Instructional League appearances he has pretty much been out of action since last May. He spent a lot of time last summer waiting around because of the negotiations process and the politics between Major League Baseball and teams with handing out overslot signing bonuses.

The signing process was nothing new for Pomeranz as he had been through it before when he was drafted by the Texas Rangers in the 12th round of the 2007 Draft. He actually came very close to signing then with Texas out of high school as he was dead set on signing, but had a last minute change of heart.

"To be perfectly honest I was dead set on signing with the Rangers,” Pomeranz said. “Even before the draft I didn't want to go to college and I just wanted to take that route of signing. At the end of the day I don't know what happened as the money that I wanted was close, but I was just like 'oh, I will go to college'. It turns out that was the best decision I ever made as I got to go to college for three years, got better, bigger and stronger and became a better pitcher and jumped about 300 draft picks."

Pomeranz earned a $2.65 million signing bonus by going to school, so his decision paid off indeed. He is quick to note that he was fortunate.

"It doesn't work out for everybody as it can go the other way,” Pomeranz said. “For me I am just really happy I made that decision."

Pomeranz’s father, Mike, and his father’s brother, Pat, both played professionally in the minor leagues in the 80s, but never made it to the big leagues. Both Mike and Pat have connections to Drew’s area scout Chuck Bartlett as former classmates in college or adversaries on the diamond.

In addition to that, Drew’s brother Stuart is four years older and went through the signing process back when Drew was just entering high school, so Drew got a great firsthand look at the signing process and was prepared when the 2007 Draft came long.

"I was pretty much prepared for it as my brother is four years older than me and he was a 2nd round pick out of high school [in 2003 by the St. Louis Cardinals],” Pomeranz said. “I sat through every meeting with every scout that came to the house, so I kind of knew how those meetings went and how to handle them and what to say. So it made it easier for me."

Pomeranz’s exposure to scouts at a young age helped many of them to develop a longer history with him.

“I am from Memphis and Oxford is an hour away, so most of the area scouts that I had in high school who scouted me were the same in college,” Pomeranz said. “I think it helped them because they have seen me since, I don't know, maybe my freshmen year in high school as I was playing varsity then. Most of these scouts, Chuck included, have probably seen me seven years by the time I was drafted [this year]. I feel like they got to know me and got a pretty good background on me by all that."

Pomeranz saw his brother go right to pro ball out of high school where he spent several years in rookie ball trying to develop his skills while all his friends went to college and were having a lot of fun doing what college kids do. He also saw his brother suffer a serious shoulder injury in 2006 which pretty much halted his career, and he knows of his father’s shoulder injury in 1992 which ended his career.

Hindsight is always 20/20, but Pomeranz realizes now he was not as ready as he thought he was to go pro out of high school.0

“I thought I was ready out of high school,” Pomeranz said. “But I showed up on campus here in Oxford and I realized had I signed that I wasn't ready. You come here for three years and grow up a little bit and make some good friends. It definitely helped me become a way better pitcher than I was my senior year in high school as I am much more prepared for pro ball now. Plus it is an easier road coming out of college as you are a little bit older and you don't have to start out in rookie ball and stuff like that."

Fast forward three years and Pomeranz is a near finished product who came out of the 2010 Draft. Sure, he has several things he needs to fine tune, but he has a lot of the skills and abilities already in place and just needs some refinement.  Because of that he should move quickly through the Indians’ minor league system provided he is healthy and performing well. He will likely follow the same path that 2009 first rounder right-handed pitcher Alex White had in 2010 as he made his pro debut at High-A Kinston to open the season and then by June was in Double-A Akron where he finished the year.

While Pomeranz will look to put up big numbers this season, the true indicator of his success will be the development of his changeup and fastball command.

"The Indians have mostly just told me to pitch and not worry about anything,” Pomeranz said. “It is mostly about just working on my changeup and throwing my secondary stuff more. I threw a lot of fastballs in Instructs which is very effective, but they would like me to throw more offspeed and develop that this year."

Pomeranz throws a fastball that sits at 91-94 MPH and has touched 95 MPH, and he complements it with an excellent knuckle curveball. He currently lacks a quality third pitch as his changeup needs a lot of work to become at least an average offering. It has potential to be an above average pitch for him, which if it does would give him three quality pitches in his arsenal to attack major league hitters.

"For me my changeup is a feel pitch as I can throw it in games if I have a feel for it, but I just don't know where it is going,” Pomeranz said. “I really didn't have a need for it in college as I just lived off of fastball-curveball. I started out in college with a good feel for it because I would throw it in a lot in practices and in bullpens, but then once the season came around I did not really throw it in games much so I lost my feel for it. So that is the big thing, just being able to feel it coming out of my hand and my release point."

Pomeranz has been a pretty durable starter throughout his college career as he has never really missed a start. He has had some minor injuries which have not caused him to miss any time but have affected his performance. He had bicep tendonitis his freshman year and a pectoral strain this past March which affected his performance and his velocity.

“A little strain is not going to keep me from throwing,” Pomeranz said. “Once I knew [the pec strain in March] was something that was not going to get any worse and that I wasn't hurt I went out the next week. I had to dial down my velocity a little bit, but I still pitched. I don't like taking time off like that."

Pomeranz is coming into the 2011 season with a blank canvas and unlimited potential. What he does over the course of the 2011 season will help paint a better picture of where his career is going and what kind of pitcher he may ultimately be.

"I am just kind of going with it right now to see how everything turns out when I get there in Arizona,” Pomeranz said. “I have no idea where they are sending me and I have no idea what is going to happen. One of my goals right now is to be as prepared as I can when I show up to Arizona and to be ready for anything.”

You can follow Drew Pomeranz on Twitter @DrewPomeranz.

Follow Tony and the Indians Prospect Insider on Twitter @TonyIPI. His latest book the 2010 Cleveland Indians Top 100 Prospects & More is also available for purchase on his site for a special year end closeout sale of $10.00 (including shipping and handling stateside).  His new 2011 book will be available soon.

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Morris is on the comeback trail

Morris hopes for another chance in 2011.

(Photo: Lianna Holub)

Cleveland Indians minor league left-handed pitching prospect Ryan Morris is on the comeback trail. He just got married on January 8th, celebrated his 23rd birthday on January 10th, and looks like he will go into spring training this March as healthy as he has been in almost two years.

Things at the moment for Morris are definitely looking great.

It is a far cry from where Morris was six months ago as left shoulder soreness limited him to just 11 total appearances between rookie level Arizona and Low-A Lake County last season and 20.0 total innings pitched.

Last year Morris was returning from a left shoulder injury he suffered in July of 2009 that sidelined him the rest of that season. The shoulder problem stemmed from tightness in the back of his shoulder that caused the humerus bone between his left elbow and shoulder to start to roll to the front. He rehabbed all of the 2009 offseason and continued his rehab throughout spring training last year and into extended spring training before being activated in June.

Morris has a bit of a funky delivery, which is what likely caused the injury. To combat the issue he and the Indians worked on his delivery mechanics last year to try and get him to avoid pulling his left hand so deep behind his back. By not letting his hand get so deep and also staying inside with the ball when he separates his hands it helped take some stress off of his shoulder area.

Even with the changes, Morris started experiencing pain again in late July and was shut down again for the rest of the season.

"It is frustrating as I was only able to throw about 20 innings [last season], but the good news is we finally got everything squared away and figured out exactly what is going on with the arm,” Morris said in a recent interview with the IPI.

After more evaluations the Indians found that Morris had really limited range of motion in his left arm – only about 45 degrees – which was not allowing him to be free and easy with his delivery like he was before. He underwent a minor arthroscopic surgery on his shoulder in September to release the joint capsule in his left shoulder in order to give him more range of motion.

Morris feels like the surgery was a success and is just what he needed to finally get back on the mound at 100%.

“The surgery was a great success and so far seems to be just what I needed,” Morris said. “My range of motion is far greater than expected and my shoulder is stronger than it has ever been. I've been doing my rehab here at home in Charlotte at Architech Sports and Physical Therapy and the Indians have been very happy with the success we have had. After my honeymoon my wife and I will be heading out to Arizona so I can continue my rehab with the Indians’ trainers and staff.”

Morris completed two months of stretching and strengthening exercises and recently started throwing again and is expected to be back pitching this spring. Where he may pitch next season or what role he pitches in is all secondary at this point as he is just happy to be throwing again and feeling healthy.

“I would love to be a starter and I love starting and I love that routine, but whatever is going to get me to the big leagues I am more than willing to do,” Morris said. “I could definitely see a bullpen role just with what we have in this organization as we have a lot of good starters and not a lot of lefty relievers. It could be something that works out and we'll see what role they want me to pitch in...but I just feel good."

While Morris has not pitched a lot in the past year, he has continued to work out to strengthen his lower half and is up to 210 pounds, which is 35 pounds heavier than his listed weight of 175 pounds on MinorLeagueBaseball.com. In the limited chances he got to pitch last season and in his bullpen and rehab sessions he also continued to fine tune his mechanics.

Morris knows that time and chances are starting to run out in his professional career, so hopefully his steps backward the past two seasons with injuries and surgery will lead to one giant leap forward in 2011.

"I wouldn't say it was a complete waste of a year [last season], but it was frustrating that I couldn't get this all worked out on my own,” Morris said. “I am glad we finally figured it out. I am still young, so hopefully this thing gets me rolling. I still feel really good about coming back next year. I am just hoping that I can hit the ground running and get back to what I do best."

Follow Tony and the Indians Prospect Insider on Twitter @TonyIPI. His latest book the 2010 Cleveland Indians Top 100 Prospects & More is also available for purchase on his site for a special year end closeout sale of $10.00 (including shipping and handling stateside).

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Tribe Happenings: Sarbaugh is No. 1

Sarbaugh has had an incredible knack for

winning in the minors (Photo: Tony Lastoria)

Some news, notes, and thoughts from my Tribe notebook…

Sarbaugh named top minor league manager

Recently Baseball America named Triple-A Columbus manager Mike Sarbaugh as their Manager of the Year. In 2010 he led Columbus to a 79-65 record and then he and his team just dominated the playoffs on their way to an International League title and Triple-A National Championship.

Sarbaugh, 43, has been in the Indians system since 1990 when he was picked up after a year with the Milwaukee Brewers. In six minor league seasons from 1989-1994 he hit .265 with 31 homers, 207 RBI, and a .725 OPS in 455 games. After retiring as a player he joined the coaching ranks in 1995 as a coach at High-A Kinston. He served as a coach for Low-A Columbus (GA) in 1996 and 1997, went back to Kinston in 1998 and 1999, and then went to Double-A Akron from 2000 to 2003.

Sarbaugh made his managerial debut in 2004 at short season Single-A Mahoning Valley and went 42-34 there and won the NY-Penn League championship, and then went to Low-A Lake County in 2005 (72-66) and had a winning season though did not make the playoffs. From there he went to Kinston in 2006 (85-64) and won the Carolina League championship, and then returned to Kinston in 2007 (87-52) and lost in the Carolina League championship series. He moved up to Akron in 2008 (80-62) and lost in the Eastern League championship series, and returned to Akron in 2009 (89-53) and won the Eastern League Championship.

All told, in seven seasons as a manager, Sarbaugh has won four league championships and been to the league championship series a total of six times. He owns a career minor league record as a manager of (534-396), and has been instrumental in the development of many players over the past decade.

Having gotten to know Sarbaugh a lot over the years, I can say he is no doubt a winner on and off the field. He not only wins, but has an incredible knack for communicating well with his players and getting the best out of them, something that is easier said than done in this day and age of professional sports.

I'd expect this upcoming season to be Sarbaugh’s last in the minors as another good year should merit his addition to the big league staff in Cleveland as an infield coach and serve as the first/third base coach in 2012. If not, he may opt to explore his options after the season to see if a better opportunity exists elsewhere.

But that appears unlikely as Sarbaugh is a favorite of Farm Director Ross Atkins and a lot of the staff in Cleveland, so hopefully something works out for him next offseason to get him up to the big leagues as part of Manny Acta’s coaching staff.

Brown clears waivers

On Friday the Indians announced that outfielder/first baseman Jordan Brown had cleared waivers and was outrighted to Triple-A Columbus. Last week they had designated him for assignment in order to clear space on the 40-man roster to add recently signed outfielder Austin Kearns.

The fact that Brown cleared waivers is not much of a surprise given how late in the offseason we are and how many rosters are full. In addition to that he was a poor fit for many teams because of his limitations defensively.

However, from what I understand the Indians did not even get a nibble of interest for a trade. Considering Brown’s resume with his two batting titles, two MVPs and him being a very good hitter, not to mention two option years remaining, you would think someone would have interest. In the end, from a roster management perspective it turns out the Indians made the right call in removing him, and apparently the Indians had over-stated his value.

This is devastating news for Brown, who now looks like he may be on the verge of another full season in Triple-A, which would be his fourth. In addition to that, he has to be shaking his head wondering what he has to do to get a chance, not to mention the cold feeling of realizing 29 other organizations passed on you as a big league option.

All hope is not lost for Brown. First base and left field are unsettled positions in Cleveland, so he could get a chance in the big leagues with the Indians sometime this season. Former Indian Chris Gimenez went through the same thing last year where he was removed around this time, cleared waivers, went to Columbus, and was back in Cleveland later in the year.

Also, I have gotten to know Brown a lot over the years, and knowing him like I do he is certainly not happy about his situation but will channel that disappointment into his play and should have a strong season this year. He went something very similar in 2009 where he was snubbed in the offseason for a 40-man roster spot and passed over in the Rule 5 Draft, then responded by going out and winning a Triple-A batting title for Columbus in 2009.

Brown will remain property of the Indians in 2011 and if he is not on the 40-man roster at the end of the season he will become a six year minor league free agent and be free to sign with any team.

New Field Coordinator

The Indians announced the hiring of their new minor league field coordinator this week, naming Tom Wiedenbauer to the post. He replaces the departed Dave Hudgens who left the organization a few weeks back to be the New York Mets hitting coach.

Wiedenbauer joins the Indians after spending 35 seasons in the Houston Astros organization where he was a player, coach, manager, instructor, field coordinator and professional scout since being selected by the Astros in the 7th round of the 1976 draft. The last two seasons he served as a professional scout for the Astros, and from 2001-2008 he served as their minor league field coordinator.

As the field coordinator Wiedenbauer ensures that all coordinators and field staff are developing players based on each individual’s strengths and limitations and that those Indians professionals are using effective methods of instruction and learning.

Winter Development Program starts Monday

The Cleveland Indians annual Winter Development Program kicks off tomorrow, Monday January 17th, at Progressive Field.

The participants in the program are outfielder Ezequiel Carrera, right-handed pitcher Chen-Chang Lee, third baseman Lonnie Chisenhall, third baseman Jared Goedert, left-handed pitcher Nick Hagadone, outfielder Chad Huffman, second baseman Jason Kipnis, right-handed pitcher Corey Kluber, right-handed pitcher Zach McAllister, left-handed pitcher Matt Packer, right-handed pitcher Vinnie Pestano, second baseman Cord Phelps, right-handed pitcher Bryce Stowell, and right-handed pitcher Alex White.

Since its inception in 1996, the program is mostly for players the Indians believe have a chance to make their major league debuts in 2011, made a late season debut last year, or are a high level prospect recently acquired in a trade. It serves as an introduction for many of the minor league players to the Progressive Field facility, big league coaching staff, and the city itself.

The program runs for two weeks and is split between the Cleveland (Jan 17-22) and Arizona (Jan 23-29) facilities. In Cleveland the players will get a chance to hone their physical, mental and fundamental skills with classroom sessions with various members of the Indians coaching staff, physical conditioning, baseball fundamental work and listening to guest speakers. They will also take part in several extracurricular activities and charity events around the city to get to know the area. In Arizona they will hone their skills on the diamond while continuing to take part in strength and conditioning activities.

Spring invites

Earlier this week the Indians announced that ten of their players from their minor league system have received non-roster invitations to big league spring training. The invites are catcher Juan Apodaca, third baseman Lonnie Chisenhall, outfielder Chad Huffman, second baseman Jason Kipnis, second baseman Cord Phelps, right-handed pitcher Yohan Pino, left-handed pitcher Drew Pomeranz, right-handed pitcher Zach Putnam, right-handed pitcher Bryce Stowell, and right-handed pitcher Alex White.

As a non-rostered player, these players are signed to minor league contracts and are not on a big league 40-man roster. All of these players have almost no chance to make the big league team out of spring training – even Phelps and Kipnis. The reason the Indians invite these players to big league camp is to allow the big league staff an opportunity to get a look at them because they have been identified as possible options they may call up later in the year.

In total the Indians have 19 non-roster invitees at Major League camp. The other nine players are first baseman Jordan Brown, outfielder Travis Buck, catcher Luke Carlin, infielder Adam Everett, right-handed pitcher Justin Germano, infielder Jack Hannahan, right-handed pitcher Doug Mathis, catcher Paul Phillips, and right-handed pitcher Anthony Reyes.

Book Update

The new 2011 Cleveland Indians Top 100 Prospects & More book is coming along well. As of this writing I have about 110 of the 175+ scouting reports and writeups done for the book. All the other reference material in the book is already done, so once I finish the remaining scouting reports I will start putting the layout together and still hope to send it off to the publisher by the end of the month or beginning of February.

Over the course of the next few weeks I will continue to chime in with quick updates on the new book and its availability in this space. Thanks again for the interest.

Coming Soon: Top 50 Countdown

As you may have noticed with the little countdown clock on the right side of the page, I will begin unveiling my 2011 Top 50 prospects this Friday.  From there it will be 50 prospects in 50 days as I will countdown by one each day until we get to #1 by early March.

Follow Tony and the Indians Prospect Insider on Twitter @TonyIPI. His latest book the 2010 Cleveland Indians Top 100 Prospects & More is also available for purchase on his site for a special year end closeout sale of $10.00 (including shipping and handling stateside).

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2011 Organizational Overview - Pitchers

Knapp is one of the Tribe's best young

pitchers (Photo: Lianna Holub)

This is the final report ranking the Indians prospects at each position and an overall report on the position. I'll be using the same rules as Tony concerning eligibility for prospects (50 IP, 130 AB, and played stateside). The age next to the players name is for next season using the July 1 cut-off date.

Left Handed Pitchers

Left Handed Pitchers Not Eligible: David Huff, Aaron Laffey, Tony Sipp, Rafael Perez

Prospect Ranking (Left Handed Pitchers):

1.) Drew Pomeranz (22)
2.) Nick Hagadone (25)
3.) T.J. House (21)
4.) Kelvin De La Cruz (22)
5.) Scott Barnes (23)
6.) Giovanni Soto (20)
7.) Matt Packer (23)
8.) T.J. McFarland (22)
9.) Chris Jones (22)
10.) Eric Berger (25)

The Indians left handed pitchers improved as a group dramatically over the last two years through trades and the drafting of Drew Pomeranz. Pomeranz is everything that Hagadone is and more and is three years younger. Hagadone will be 25 and back in AA to start the season partially due to his injury history, but also his high walk rate (63 in 86 IP) which is a huge concern. I'm starting to think that we may have to count on him as a power lefty out of the pen like Matt Thornton rather than as a starter.

I'm still high on House and De La Cruz, but a subpar season this year would lead me to slide them down the list several spots. Barnes' performance in the Arizona Fall League will make for an exciting promotion to Columbus or a short return to Akron. If Packer can reproduce the numbers from last year he may become a top 10 overall prospect for Cleveland. Soto was a solid trade pickup and he had good strikeout numbers (107 K in 113 IP) as a 19 year old at Low-A. I'd like to believe that all of the top ten have legitimate shots to be major league contributors in their careers.

Didn't Make the Cut:

Francisco Jimenez (22)
Vidal Nuno (23)
Daniel Jimenez (21)
Mike Rayl (22)
Nick Kirk (24)
Ryan Morris (23)
Harold Guerrero (21)
Kyle Petter (21)
James Reichenbach (23)
Kirk Wetmore (22)

Future Prospects From the DSL Team:

Elvis Araujo (19): Did not pitch in 2010. Araujo would be on many top 25 lists if we counted players that had not yet played in the United States. He's coming back from injury this season, but look for him to make it to Lake County at some point this season.

Organizational Report:

Cleveland - Huff / Laffey / Sipp / R. Perez
Columbus - Berger
Akron - Barnes / De La Cruz / Packer / McFarland / Hagadone
Kinston - Pomeranz / House / Soto / Jones / F. Jimenez
Lake County - Rayl / Petter
Extended Spring Training - D. Jimenez / Reichenbach / Guerrero
Cut? - Morris / Wetmore / Nuno / Kirk

Tim Belcher says many good things about David Huff and I can see the Indians giving him another shot as a starter to open the season. Laffey could open as the long-reliever in a battle with Germano and Tomlin. Sipp and Rafael Perez will slide into their roles in the pen. The only lefty I see in Columbus could be Eric Berger as the Tribe looks like they are ready to make him into a reliever which would speed his progress to the bigs. Akron's pitching should be amazing with Barnes, De La Cruz, and Packer starting for sure with McFarland and Hagadone making occasional starts.

Pomeranz starts the year in Kinston with a possible mid-season callup to Akron. House and Soto can continue their development as starters and Chris Jones seems destined to be somewhat of a long-reliever for now. Francisco Jimenez's numbers were solid last year at Lake County and he'll have to continue to prove himself with so many young relievers around. At Lake County, Rayl could start or be a long reliever with Kyle Petter pitching out of the pen. Ryan Morris was a 4th round pick in '06, but his time with the Tribe may be up. Wetmore has proven little in two years and Nuno has just as much of a shot to make the Lake County roster as Kirk, but he could return to EST.

It's tough to talk about just one part of the pitching prospects, but the Indians have some high ceiling guys among the lefties. I think we would all like to see Pomeranz in the rotation by 2013 and the dream that maybe Hagadone could still be a starter. I wouldn't mind him as a lefty in the pen with Chris Perez, Rob Bryson, Joshy Judy, and Bryce Stowell someday (I hope Knapp can start too!). Pitchers like Barnes, De La Cruz, Packer, McFarland, House, and Soto have much to show over the next two years if they want to crack what should be a strong Indians rotation in 2013.

Right Handed Pitchers

Right Handed Pitchers Not Eligible: Fausto Carmona, Justin Masterson, Mitch Talbot, Joe Smith, Jensen Lewis, Chris Perez, Anthony Reyes, Carlos Carrasco, Justin Germano, Josh Tomlin, Jeanmar Gomez, Joe Martinez

Prospect Ranking (Right Handed Pitchers)

1.) Jason Knapp (20)
2.) Alex White (22)
3.) Joe Gardner (23)
4.) Rob Bryson (23)
5.) Bryce Stowell (24)
6.) Austin Adams (24)
7.) Vinnie Pestano (26)
8.) Josh Judy (25)
9.) Corey Kluber (25)
10.) Hector Rondon (23)
11.) Bryan Price (24)
12.) Clayton Cook (20)
13.) Alexander Perez (21)
14.) Frank Herrmann (27)
15.) Chen-Chang Lee (24)

There are so many pitching options and depth among relievers that it's difficult to compile a list without changing it over and over again. After typing this, I'm sure that I won't be happy with my own rankings.

The Indians and Ross Atkins must be pretty excited about the amount of pitching depth that they have assembled. The real answer to if our trades have been successful will be if these pitchers develop into solid major leaguers and not just minor league depth. I've got Knapp ahead of White just because of his amazing strikeout rate. He'll be 20 this year at Kinston and hopefully fully recovered from injury and ready to get to Akron soon. He struck out 47 in just 28.1 innings last year. White was solid and steady last year and he looks like a middle of the rotation starter at the major league level.

Joe Gardner had a great season last year and looks like a great 3rd round pick (142/62 K/BB). I'm higher on Bryson than most, but he looks like a power reliever (80 K in 53.1 IP) that would be nice to have in the bullpen soon other than guys like Joe Smith and Jensen Lewis. Bryce Stowell's season last year was a lot like Matt Packer's. Unbelievable numbers (102/36 K/BB in 67.1 IP) that weren't expected and a quick rise through the system. It's very exciting to think about Chris Perez and prospects like Judy, Stowell, Todd, Pestano, Bryson, Lee, Bryce, and Burns battling for those few spots in the bullpen in 2012 and '13. Throw in guys like Hagadone and Knapp that could be relievers, and I'm dreaming of a bullpen that ends the game if our starter makes it through six innings with the lead.

Didn't Make the Cut:

Kyle Blair (22)
Jess Todd (25)
Zach Putnam (23)
Cory Burns (23)
Trey Haley (21)
Adam Miller (26)
Paolo Espino (24)
Zach McAllister (23)
Tyler Sturdevant (23)
Brett Brach (23)
Preston Guilmet (23)
Marty Popham (23)
Yohan Pino (27)
Felix Sterling (18)
Matt Langwell (25)
Robbie Aviles (19)
Ramon Cespedes (20
Joey Mahalic (22)
Cole Cook (22)
Brian Grening (26)
Takafumi Nakamura (23)
Danny Salazar (21)
Michael Goodnight (22)
Connor Graham (25)
Antwonie Hubbard (22)
Jordan Cooper (22)
David Roberts (24)
Carlton Smith (25)
Ryan Gardner (22)
James Ehlert (23)
Nick Sarianides (21)
Alex Kaminsky (23)
Owen Dew (22)
Nathan Striz (22)
Anthony Dischler (22)
Jeremy Johnson (24)
Travis Turek (23)
Steven Wright (26)
Dale Dickerson (24)
Alexander Morales (21)
Kyle Smith (23)
Andrew Shive (25)
Matthew Speake (24)
Casey Gaynor (24)
John Goryl (25)
Luis Encarnacion (19)
Orlando Pereira (19)
Joseph Colon (21)
Fernando Flores (20)
Jose Lopez (20)
Enriquez Pacheco (21)
Rafael Homblert (19)

Future Prospects From the DSL Team:

Oswell Munoz (20): 3-2, 1.86 - 72.2 IP, 73 K/6 BB
Enosil Tejeda (22): 7-3, 1.76 - 71.2 IP, 78 K/15 BB
Moisses Ramirez (21): 26 GP, 2-4, 1.26 - 35.2 IP, 35 K/8 BB 14 saves

All three of these pitchers put up great strikeout numbers, but it's not like any of them are 17 years old though. They'll have to prove themselves during EST and then show what they've got for a short-season team starting in June.

Organizational Report:

Cleveland - Carmona / Masterson / Talbot / Carrasco / J. Smith / Lewis / Herrmann / C. Perez
Columbus - Tomlin / Gomez / McAllister / White / Kluber / Espino / Judy / Stowell / Putnam / Todd / Pestano
Akron - Gardner / Adams / Bryson / Lee / Graham / Price / Burns
Kinston - Knapp / Brach / Sturdevant / Popham / Toru Murata / Langwell / Guilmet
Lake County - Cl. Cook / Haley / Blair / Dischler / Dew / Sarianides / Goodnight / Nakamura / Ehlert / Cespedes
Extended Spring Training - Too many names worth listing
Cut? - Pino / C. Smith / Wright / Germano / Reyes / Grening / Mahalic / Roberts / Turek / Shive / Hubbard / Johnson / Goryl / Dickerson

The top four in the Indians rotation is set and a battle for the 5th spot and the long reliever will be interesting this spring. The bullpen appears set as well though Herrmann could be pressured in spring training.

If Tomlin doesn't make the Tribe roster, he and Gomez will form a solid rotation with McAllister, Kluber, and Alex White. That leaves pitchers like Espino and Pino fighting for a long relief spot (not to mention Hector Rondon being out for the season). Judy, Stowell, Putnam, Todd, and Pestano will form a strong Columbus pen even though several of them could pitch for a few major league club already. Carlton Smith and Steven Wright can't make this roster with the progression of some of the youngsters. The big question here is what if Adam Miller is throwing well, who would get forced out?

Gardner will be in the starting rotation at Akron that will be heavily left-handed (Barnes, De La Cruz, Packer, Hagadone). Adams and McFarland can spot start and relieve with Bryson, Lee, Price, and Burns. I think that Connor Graham can hang on, which would mean Grening and Mahalic would be without a spot.

Knapp and Brach will join lefties Pomeranz, House, and Soto to form a rotation that will be fun to watch in the Indians last year in Kinston. Sturdevant and Popham pitched well enough last year to join Guilmet in the Kinston pen. Matt Langwell will be a fringe guy here and I believe Murata starts his American career in high-A. This would leave few options for pitchers like Roberts, Turek, and Shive. Good prospects Alexander Perez and Danny Salazar are injured, so they should be in extended spring training to start the season.

Clayton Cook, Haley, Kyle Blair will start for Lake County with Rayl, Dischler, and maybe Owen Dew working for the other spots. The bullpen battle here should be tough with Sarianides, Goodnight, Nakamura, Ehlert, and Cespedes working with Nick Kirk. Pitchers Jeremy Johnson and Dale Dickerson may be done this spring training.

There is enough pitching depth that tough choices will have to be made if there are no injuries. The Indians may be cutting players this year that in past years could have hung on to in the organization. Imagine if Rondon was not injured what kind of tough choices that would have to made at Columbus. We can dream of a rotation of Carmona, Carrasco, Pomeranz, White, and Gardner some day soon. In saying that list, it doesn't even take into account Masterson, Rondon, Kluber, Hagadone, Packer, De La Cruz, Barnes, and Knapp. With this much depth, some of it has to work for the Indians, right? These pitchers should set us up for that playoff push in '12 and '13 and hopefully for years to come. As an Indians fan, you have to be excited the direction that the front office went in making this happen even if it cost us some of our top players.

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2011 Organizational Overview - Catchers and Outfielders

The Indians could use Weglarz's powerful bat in

their big league lineup (Photo: Tony Lastoria)

Today we continue with the overview of the Indians organization by taking a look at the catchers and outfielders. As previously noted, I'll be using the same rules as Tony concerning eligibility for prospects (50 IP, 130 AB, and played stateside). The age next to the players name is for next season using the July 1 cut-off date.

Catchers

Catchers Not Eligible: Carlos Santana, Lou Marson, and Paul Phillips

Prospect Ranking (Catchers):

1.) Chen-Hsiu Chen (22)
2.) Alex Lavisky (20)
3.) Roberto Perez (22)
4.) Alex Monsalve (19)
5.) Juan Apodaca (24)

With another season like last year, Chen may be a top 5 prospect for the Tribe. Let's just hope he is not a one year wonder. I've got him ahead of Lavisky just because he has already proven something, while Lavisky will be 20 this season in his first year out of high school. I'd like to see Perez hit a little better to go along with his defense, and if he can do that, I'm pretty happy with where the Indians are 1-3. Monsalve is young (19), and he should get a chance at Lake County this season. You could put anyone in the 5th spot, as there are not a whole lot of 'prospects' after Monsalve.

Didn't Make the Cut:

Diego Seastrunk (23)
Luke Carlin (30)
Doug Pickens (26)
Dwight Childs (22)
Moises Montero (21)

Future Prospects From the DSL Team:

Charlie Valerio (20) - According to Tony, the Indians are moving him to first base and are very high on him. He hit .276/.387/.383 in the DSL last season, and the Indians like his power potential. He could play for Arizona this year.

Organizational Report:

Cleveland - Santana / Marson
Columbus - Carlin / Phillips
Akron - Apodaca / Pickens
Kinston - Chen / Perez
Lake County - Lavisky / Monsalve
Extended Spring Training - Valerio / Montero / Seastrunk
Cut? - Childs

The Indians seem set at catcher for the next 5 years (hopefully more) with Santana. The only thing that may change that is if they are concerned with injury and they make him a first baseman if LaPorta flops. Marson is a solid defensive backup who threw out a high percentage of base stealers at the ML level. I know everyone wishes he would hit more, but he is a good backup. Carlin/Phillips will prove to be good 3rd catchers this season until Chen develops. I have Chen at Kinston again because he only got 172 ab's at Kinston. If Chen makes it to Akron to start the season, then Childs and Pickens may be battling for the backup spot at Kinston. The best case scenario for the Tribe is that Santana and Marson excel and Chen/Perez/Lavisky push Marson as early as mid-2012. If the Tribe is making a playoff run during the 2012-2015 seasons, the continued development of Chen/Perez/Lavisky/Monsalve could provide some trade chips during one of those late season runs.

Outfielders

Outfielders Not Eligible: Grady Sizemore, Shin-Soo Choo, Michael Brantley, Austin Kearns, Trevor Crowe, Travis Buck

Prospect Ranking (Outfielders):

1.) LeVon Washington (19)
2.) Nick Weglarz (23)
3.) Abner Abreu (21)
4.) Matt McBride (26)
5.) Delvi Cid (21)
6.) Bo Greenwell (22)
7.) Tyler Holt (22)
8.) Jordan Henry (23)
9.) Ezequiel Carrera (24)
10.) John Drennen (24)
11.) Jerad Head (28)
12.) Jason Smit (21)
13.) Tim Fedroff (24)
14.) Chad Huffman (26)
15.) Donnie Webb (25)

I've ranked 15 outfielders so it would be comparable to the five I ranked at the other positions. Picking between #1 and #2 was tough, but I went with Washington due to his five-tool potential. Through all the injuries Weglarz is still producing (.897 OPS last year). I would like to see him stay healthy this year and push for a starting spot with the Tribe in 2012. I know the Indians may move Sizemore to left, but what if Brantley struggles and Weglarz is ready in '12? Would Sizemore move right back to centerfield? That's an interesting problem. I'm still high on Abreu despite his terrible BB/K rate (20/130). After those three, I think the rankings from 4-9 are fungible. The Indians will be losing Sizemore and Choo in a few years and hopefully Weglarz and either Abreu/Washington/Greenwell will have developed into players that can fill their spots when that time comes.

Didn't Make the Cut:

Aaron Siliga (18)
Mark Brown (19)
Greg Folgia (23)
Carlos Moncrief (22)
Anthony Gallas (23)
Brian Heere (23)
Trent Baker (21)
Henry Dunn (22)
Marcus Bradley (20)
Jordan Casas (23)
Kevin Rucker (21)
Joel Torres (21)

Future Prospects From the DSL Team:

Luigi Rodriguez (18) - Hit .301-2-27 as a 17 year old last season. Luigi stole 31 bases and had a solid BB/K ratio (36/35). He played 42 games in centerfield along with 21 games at second base. That's a pretty good eye and some speed for a 17 year old, but we'll see how that transfers to the AZL team in the future.

Organizational Report:

Cleveland - Sizemore / Brantley / Choo / Kearns
Columbus - Weglarz / Carrera / McBride / Crowe
Akron - Fedroff / Henry / Drennen / Webb
Kinston - Greenwell / Cid / Abreu / Folgia / Smit
Lake County - Holt / Washington / Moncrief / Baker
Extended Spring Training - Siliga / Casas / Rucker / Heere / Torres / Brown / Gallas / Bradley / Dunn
Cut? - Buck / Head / Huffman

I'm with the idea of moving Sizemore to left to save some wear and tear on his body, and that pretty well sets the Cleveland outfield. Kearns will stick as the 4th outfielder, though I think the Indians overpaid for him. If Brantley has a terrible start to the season, would they move Sizemore back to centerfield or would they bring Crowe/Carrera up?

In Columbus, Weglarz/Carrera/Crowe probably start with McBride and Jordan Brown playing some outfield as well. Carrera may have passed Crowe in the pecking order in terms of a call to Cleveland. I don't see Jerad Head or Chad Huffman making the roster unless there are some injuries.

Akron will have Fedroff, Henry, and Drennen, but the last spot will come down to Donnie Webb or Bo Greenwell. The Indians may decide that Greenwell might need more at bats in Kinston. If they think he is ready, then he'll start and Drennen will be the 4th outfielder and Webb will start in Kinston.

Cid and Abreu will make for a young interesting outfield with a lot of strikeouts with Greenwell or Webb. Greg Folgia may hang on here as a backup outfielder and DH. Jason Smit could also make the Kinston team or he could end up back in Lake County.

The Captains will have Holt and Washington providing some excitement and the 3rd and 4th spots are wide open between Carlos Moncrief, Trent Baker, and a number of other players from Mahoning Valley and the AZL team.

The Indians outfield appears set for the next two seasons, but with Sizemore and Travis Hafner done after the 2012 season, the outfield prospects will have to start producing. Nick Weglarz fits that OF/DH mold, and he isn't far away from getting his chance. Michael Brantley also hasn't proven to me that he is an every day outfielder yet, so if he doesn't produce things could get a little shaky (counting on Crowe or Carrera). Choo's last season could be in 2013 and at that point LeVon Washington hopefully is ready to take over in 2014.

With all of the high ceiling prospects the Indians have, they will have to start coming through by 2013/14. The future outfield could be Weglarz/Washington/Abreu with Brantley/Greenwell in the mix, but it would be nice if the Indians could entice Choo to sign an extension especially if we can win some division titles in '12 and '13.

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Indians Invite Ten Players To Big League Camp

The Cleveland Indians have announced that they have extended ten non-roster invitations to Major League camp. All of the invitations are from within the club's Player Development system and include some of their top prospects. Seven of the invites have been drafted by the club since 2008.

The invites are: Juan Apodaca (C), Lonnie Chisenhall (3B), Chad Huffman (OF/1B), Jason Kipnis (2B), Cord Phelps (2B), Yohan Pino (RHP), Drew Pomeranz (LHP), Zach Putnam (RHP), Bryce Stowell (RHP), and Alex White (RHP).

In total the Indians have 18 non-roster invitees at Major League camp. The other eight players are: Travis Buck (OF), Luke Carlin (C), Adam Everett (INF), Justin Germano (RHP), Jack Hannahan (INF), Doug Mathis (RHP), Paul Phillips (C), and Anthony Reyes (RHP).

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Indians 2011 Winter Development Program Starts Monday

The Cleveland Indians annual Winter Development Program kicks off Monday Janaury 17th at Progressive Field.

Now in its 16th year, the Winter Development Program will consist of a two week long program for fourteen players in the Indians minor league system, three of which were recently ranked as the top three players in their system by Baseball America (Chisenhall, Kipnis, White). Those fourteen players are:

Ezequiel Carrera (Outfielder)
Chen-Chang Lee (Right-handed pitcher)
Lonnie Chisenhall (Third baseman)
Jared Goedert (Third baseman)
Nick Hagadone (Left-handed pitcher)
Chad Huffman (Outfielder)
Jason Kipnis (Second Baseman)
Corey Kluber (Right-handed pitcher)
Zach McAllister (Right-handed pitcher)
Matt Packer (Left-handed pitcher)
Vinnie Pestano (Right-handed pitcher)
Cord Phelps (Second baseman)
Bryce Stowell (Right-handed pitcher)
Alex White (Right-handed pitcher)

The Winter Development Program is the brainchild of current President Mark Shapiro back in Janaury of 1996. The idea behind the program is to hone in on each players’ physical, mental and fundamental skills. Their daily routine involves classroom sessions with various members of the Indians coaching staff, physical conditioning, baseball fundamental work and listening to guest speakers such as former Indians Sean Casey and Eduardo Perez.

The program mostly involves players who are expected to make their Major League debut in the upcoming season, who have recently been acquired in a trade, or are a high level prospect nearing a big league opportunity. It serves as an introduction for many of the minor league players to the Progressive Field facility, big league coaching staff, and the city itself.

The Indians will conduct the program out of Progressive Field from January 17th to January 22nd. Over the course of the first week they will live with host families in the Cleveland area and attend various extracurricular activities as well as other community and charitable appearances and tours of local attractions. At the end of the first week they will culminate at the Indians Player Development Complex in Goodyear, Arizona from January 23rd to January 29th where they will hone their skills on the diamond while continuing to take part in strength and conditioning activities.

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2011 Organizational Overview - Corner Infielders

The Indians need LaPorta to start producing

at first base in 2011 (Photo: AP)

Today we continue with the overview of the Indians organization by taking a look at the corner infielders, namely third base and first base.  As previously noted, I'll be using the same rules as Tony concerning eligibility for prospects (50 IP, 130 AB, and played stateside). The age next to the players name is for next season using the July 1 cut-off date.

First Basemen

First Basemen Not Eligible: Matt LaPorta, Travis Hafner

Prospect Ranking (1st Basemen):

1.) Jordan Brown (27)
2.) Beau Mills (24)
3.) Jeremie Tice (24)
4.) Jesus Aguilar (21)
5.) Wes Hodges (26)

This position has many players that were one time or another ranked in the Tribe's Top 10 list. Now three of them (Brown, Mills, Hodges) are just hoping to keep any prospect status. I've got Brown first just because he has done everything the Indians have asked of him, and he may get his shot elsewhere if he does not clear waivers. Mills has more ppower than Brown, but he'll likely be returning to Akron again for a 3rd straight season. Tice really had a nice season last year with 14 HR and 70 RBI, and Aguilar has some good, raw power and it will be interesting to see how he does with a full season team this year. Hodges inability to stick at third base makes him not as usable and he could be a surprise cut from the Columbus roster.

Didn't Make the Cut:

Chase Burnette (23)
Chris Kersten (25)
Ben Carlson (23)
Nate Recknagel (25)
Andrew Kinney (23)

Future Prospects From the DSL Team:

Charlie Valerio (20): He played 48 games at 1B and just 17 at catcher. He hit .276-4-37 and had a 37/34 BB/K ratio. The Indians plan to develop him as a catcher, but first base could be a position he falls back to down the road. He could make a name for himself on a short season team this season.

Orgizational Report:

Cleveland - LaPorta / Hafner
Columbus - Brown / Hodges
Akron - Mills / Recknagel
Kinston - Tice / Kersten
Lake County - Burnette / Aguilar
Extended Spring Training - Valerio / Kinney
Cut? - Carlson

First Base involves a lot of hoping on the part of Indians fans as severak former top prospects are hanging onto their careers at the position. It is clearly a position of weakness in the organizational, and it is possible down the road someone like Chun Chen is moved there to fill a need. The first hope is that LaPorta becomes the jewel of the Sabathia trade and hits 30 HR's every season. That would allow Brown/Hodges/Mills to flesh themselves out this season and potentially repair their rapidly declining value. I think that Hodges might not make Columbus due to their need for a utility middle infielder on the bench and not another 1B/DH type like him. Recknagel could make the Akron roster as a DH, but he can't do much else. The one wide open battle will be for the backup 1st Basemen/Designated Hitter at Kinston behind Tice. I know Ben Carlson was a high pick (6th '09), but Chris Kersten has proven more to me so far and would deserve that spot, and it could also be Recknagel too.

Overall, this position is in danger if LaPorta fails. Brown could fill in, but he is not the long term answer and would only be a stop gap at the position. Maybe (hopefully) Mills will surprise us all and start smashing the ball and prove that his 1st round draft status was worthy.

Third Basemen

Third Basemen Not Eligible: Jayson Nix, Jack Hannahan

Prospect Ranking (Third Basemen):

1.) Lonnie Chisenhall (22)
2.) Kyle Bellows (22)
3.) Giovanny Urshela (19)
4.) Jared Goedert (26)
5.) Hunter Jones (19)

Though the position is a mess at the Major League level with the trades of Casey Blake and Jhonny Perlata and the failure of Andy Marte, the future is bright at the minor league level. Former first round pick Lonnie Chisenhall has risen to the top of almost everyone's prospect list and the Indians are counting on a long and successful career from him. Chisenhall will be in Columbus to start the year, and if the Indians are somehow making a run in the summer, maybe he'll get the call. If they are struggling again, we'll have to wait until September to see Chisenhall.

Kyle Bellows' solid season last year at Kinston has him set to replace Chisenhall at Akron. Everyone raves about his defense as he only made 8 errors at 119 games for Kinston at third. Urshela has shown a good bat at each stop so far and he geta raves for his defensive work, so it will be exciting to see how he does at Lake County this season as a 19 year old. Jared Goedert exploded last season with 27 HR and 83 RBI, but he hasn't put up a consistent season like that throughout his career. With Chisenhall at third in Columbus, I think Goedert has a shot to be a backup on the Indians roster to start the season. I've got Hunter Jones ranked 5th at third base because he did play seven of his eight games last season for the AZL team at third. I'm not sure what the Indians future plans for him will be, but with the depth at third ahead of him, they may decide to play him somewhere else (outfield).

Didn't Make the Cut:

Adam Abraham (24)
Juan Romero (18)

Future Prospects From the DSL Team:

Leonardo Castillo (18): .269-0-16 last year as a 17 year old for the DSL team. He played the bulk of the games third base with Erik Gonzalez playing the rest. He made 19 errors in 58 at games at third, so will need a lot of work there when he comes stateside this season.

Orgizational Report:

Cleveland - Nix / Goedert
Columbus - Chisenhall
Akron - Bellows
Kinston - Abraham
Lake County - Urshela
Extended Spring Training - Jones / Romero
Cut? - Hannahan

I know that no one is really excited about Jayson Nix being our third basemen, but he is likely going to be starting for Cleveland in April. I know that he is not amazing, but it appears that the Indians' leadership has made the decision that they'll get more out of Nix than they would have gotten out of Andy Marte, and I can't say that I don't agree with them. I think Jared Goedert can make the Indians as a corner infield backup and he may be able to push Nix for playing time. I think the Indians would be willing to let him sit on the bench for extended periods of time rather than Cord Phelps.

If the Indians are battling for first in June/July and Chisenhall is tearing up the International League, then we may get an early glimpse of Lonnie. If not, then he'll make an appearance in September and then hopefully never leave the Indians infield for the next 10+ years. Of all the Tribe prospects, the Indians really need him to pan out to help their plans at contention in 2012.

If Chisenahall ends being the top prospect we hope that he will be, then Kyle Bellows will just be working on his development at Akron with no pressure. Bellows could be a nice fall-back option if Chisenhall doesn't succeed, or he could be trade-bait in 2012 if the Indians are making a playoff run.

Adam Abraham saved his career in the 2nd half of the season last year at Lake County. With no one else really ready to play third at Kinston, Abraham will get his chance to stay ahead of Urshela in the third base depth chart. I don't see Bellows, Abraham, or Urshela moving from the teams they start the season with this year. What's nice about third base is that each of the players on a full season team essentially have the position to themselves. Barring injury they should all get to play 130+ games at the hot corner.

As questionable as third base is at the big league level, the Indians have a top prospect (Chisenhall), a solid prospect (Bellows), and a young promising prospect (Urshela). That's the kind of organizational balance that the Indians would like to see at every position.

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2011 Organizational Overview - Middle Infielders

Kipnis is the top middle infielder in the

Indians system (Photo - Lianna Holub)

Over the course of the next several days I will be posting a report ranking the Indians prospects at each position and an overall report on the position. This will serve as a good appetizer for Tony's Top 50 countdown which starts next week.  I will be using the same rules as Tony concerning eligibility for prospects (50 IP, 130 AB, and played stateside). The age next to the players name is for next season using the July 1 cut-off date.

Second Basemen

Defining who is a second basemen and who is a shortstop is a little hazy. If you don't see someone here, they will be on the shorstop list.

2nd Basemen Not Eligible: Jason Donald, Luis Valbuena

Prospect Ranking (2nd Basemen):

1.) Jason Kipnis (24)
2.) Cord Phelps (24)
3.) Karexon Sanchez (23)
4.) Nicholas Bartolone (20)
5.) Argenis Martinez (21)

The top 2 here are very exciting for fans of the Indians. Kipnis will be on the Top 5 list of many and the development of Phelps last year gives the Indians a bright future at the position as early as July of this season. It would seem with Kipnis blocking him, that Phelps may have to become a utility infielder at Columbus to get his at bats. If Kipnis is the real deal for the Indians unitl 2015+, then Phelps will have to prove his value at third base and maybe some shortstop to beat out Jason Donald to stick with the Tribe in 2012.

Tony recently wrote a nice article on Sanchez, who has some pop for a middle infielder, but he has never hit for a great average and he strikes out too much. Bartolone was a surprise draft pick in the 6th round, but he held his own last year at Arizona and Mahoning Valley. Martinez has shown little offensive ability so far and this may be a make or break year for him as a starter. He could eventually become a minor league backup.

Didn't Make the Cut:

Kevin Fontanez (21)
Preston Mattingly (23)
Logan Thompson (21)
Aaron Fields (23)
Robel Garcia (18)
Daniel DeGeorge (24)
Justin Toole (24)

Future Prospects From the DSL Team:

Erik Gonzalez (19): Hit .346-1-27 last year and he played almost everywhere (2B/SS/3B/OF). Should be the starting 2B for the AZL team in June after his time at EST.

Orgizational Report:

Cleveland - Donald / Valbuena
Columbus - Kipnis / Phelps
Akron - Sanchez
Kinston - A. Martinez
Lake County - Bartolone / Fontanez
Extended Spring Training - Fields / Thompson / Garcia / E. Gonzalez
Cut? - Mattingly / Toole / DeGeorge

The quick development of Jason Kipnis has turned Jason Donald into a body to just keep second base warm until the middle of this season. Donald has gone from a Top 5 Phillies prospect to someone who needs to really prove himself in April and May this season. A hot start by Donald, and a slow start by Kipnis may keep Donald at the position all season.

I don't really like the thought of Valbuena getting a lot of at bats, but he can play three infield positions and that makes him valuable for now. If Kipnis gets the call mid-season, then Donald will become the utility infielder and Valbuena may be sent to Columbus. I'd say he would more than likely be released as Kipnis's promotion would give time for Phelps to play a little second, and the Indians will need to make a roster spot for Kipnis since he is not on the 40-man roster.

Columbus has two solid second basemen, but a hole at shortstop. I'm not sure Phelps has the ability to play short, but if he wants to play at the major league level for Cleveland, then he'll have to prove himself as more valuable than Donald for 2012.

At Akron on down, there really isn't too much to be thrilled about, though we have some solid players. Sanchez and Martinez will have a full time job most of the season. Akron will need a utility infielder, but I think a couple from the shorstop list (Cusick, Rivas) will fight for that spot and Mattingly who can really only play 2B/OF will be out. Bartolone will start at 2nd for Lake County, but it seems wide open as to whom will be the backup infielder in Eastlake. I suppose Fontanez, Tyler Cannon, Fields, and Thompson will fight it out.

The position is pretty strong at the top, and it would be great if the Indians could draft or develop someone at the lower levels to be on track for 2015 and beyond.

Shortstops

Shortstops Not Eligible: Asdrubal Cabrera, Adam Everett

Prospect Ranking (Shortstops):

1.) Tony Wolters (19)
2.) Juan Diaz (22)
3.) Casey Frawley (23)
4.) Jorge Martinez (18)
5.) Kyle Smith (23)

Shortstop is a position that is a little light in prospects for the Tribe. Second base has the big two at the top, but there are no proven prospects at shortstop. 3rd round pick Tony Wolters jumps to the top of my list due to his age and projection, but there really isn't anyone competing for that top spot other than Diaz. Hitting .284-8-60 at A+ last year, Diaz has the Akron position all to himself this year with the loss of Carlos Rivero (Phillies). Rivero was really the player that everyone thought would rise through the system and possibly push Asdrubal Cabrera, but he stalled at Akron.

Though he'll be 23 at Kinston, Frawley put forth some solid numbers (.262-13-74) at Lake County last season. He'll need to continue that hitting at Kinston to stay one step ahead of Wolters going into next season. He may hang on with the organization for some time and possibly develop into a utility infielder at the ML level. Many people may put Jorge Martinez ahead of Frawley on their list, but he had an .891 fielding pct. at shortstop last year for the AZL team. Granted, he was 17 and playing stateside for the first time, but he'll more than likely be on a short-season team again this year. The 5th spot was wide open, but I like how Kyle Smith plays and he is a solid defensive shortstop that can play second base and occasionally third.

Didn't Make the Cut:

Tyler Cannon (23)
Ron Rivas (23)
Matt Cusick (25)
Cristo Arnal (25)

Future Prospects From the DSL Team:

Jairo Kelly (18): Hit .250-0-26 last year for the DSL team. He was 6'0"/170 as a 17 year old, so it will be interesting to see how he develops at EST this year and his probable debut for the AZL team.

Orgizational Report:

Cleveland - Cabrera
Columbus - Everett
Akron - Diaz / Cusick
Kinston - Frawley / Smith
Lake County - Wolters / Cannon
Extended Spring Training - J. Martinez / J. Kelly
Cut? - Rivas / Arnal

Asdrubal Cabrera has a lock on the shortstop position and I'll take his .285-8-60 every season. He'll only be 25 this season, and hopefully healthy, so I'd like to see him develop a little more pop. As our lineup develops into 2012, Asdrubal's numbers will look good in the 8 or 9 spot in the lineup.

I'm not sure 34 year Adam Everett would accept a spot at Columbus, but he won't make the ML roster and there is a glaring need at shortstop for the Clippers. Everett could use his performance at AAA to get himself a shot at a ML job mid-season. If Everett doesn't end up in Columbus, I guess the Tribe could stick Cristo Arnal there, but there has to be a better free agent option. Matt Cusick got his first experience at AAA for the Yankees last season, and he could end up as the Clippers' shortstop, but I'll guess Everett goes to Columbus and Cusick becomes the backup infielder at Akron behind Juan Diaz.

Casey Frawley will be the starting shortstop at Kinston, and I can see Kyle Smith as his backup. I actually think that Smith will play well enough to steal some at bats away from Argenis Martinez at second base for Kinston. Tony Wolters will get his shot with Lake County as a 19 year old. I can't imagine that Wolters won't start the season in Eastlake, but if he doesn't, then Nicholas Bartolone would slide over to short from second base. The backup utility guy at Lake County will be an interesting decision. Tyler Cannon, Aaron Fields, and Logan Thompson could all claim the spot, though I'll give the upper hand to Cannon. Whoever it is might not get many at bats as Wolters and Bartolone probably won't sit much.

The shortstop position isn't a strong one for the Indians, but with a young Cabrera at the position and Jason Donald as a capable fill-in at the 6-spot, the Indians are okay at the top. They'll just need one of their young prospects to be ready by 2015.

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