The Cleveland Indians’ farm system is often criticized for lack of depth, but it still contains a handful of prospects which if not dealt could provide plenty of thrills in the coming years.
No. 10: LeVon Washington
Washington was drafted in 2010 in the second round with the 55th overall pick. He is a left handed hitting outfielder that is known for his speed. He missed most of 2012 due to injury but batted .333 (16-48) in 13 games in the low minors. His ETA for the big leagues is around 2015.
No. 9: Alex Monsalve
Monsalve is thought to be the catcher of the future offering the promise of power from the right side of the plate. In 2012 he hit .265 with seven home runs and 36 RBIs in 73 games at Class-A Lake County. His ETA is around 2015.
No. 8: Mitch Brown
Brown is a young and strong right handed pitcher who was drafted in the second round of the 2012 draft with the 79th overall pick. Brown carries an arsenal of four pitches (fastball, curveball, changeup, and cutter). He simply needs to work on his command. His ETA is around 2016.
No. 7: Dillon Howard
Howard came to the Tribe in 2011, chosen in the second round with the 67th overall pick. He struggled in 2012 going 1-7 with a 7.90 ERA but managed to strike out 35 in 41.0 innings pitched. Like most young pitchers, he needs to work on his command before advancing higher in the farm system. His ETA is around 2015.
Naquin was the top pick, 15th overall, for the Indians in the 2012 draft. He is a left-hand hitting outfielder who was one of the top performers in college baseball at Texas A&M.; Naquin has a strong arm and while he does not hit for power, he has the ability to get on base. His ETA is around 2015.
No. 5: Ronny Rodriguez
Rodriguez is a right-hand hitting shortstop prospect how joined the organization in 2010. He showed some promise offensively hitting .264 with 19 home runs and 66 RBIs in 126 games at Class-A Carolina last season. He is certainly one to keep an eye on. Look for his arrival around 2015.
No. 4: Scott Barnes
Barnes was drafted in 2008 during the eighth round by the San Francisco Giants but came to the Tribe via trade. He appeared in 16 games as a reliever for the Indians in 2012 posting a 0-0 record paired with a 4.26 ERA. In 19 innings he allowed 17 hits, seven walks, and struck out 16. Look for Barnes to make a bigger impact with the Indians as soon as next season.
No. 3: Tony Wolters
Wolters is another shortstop prospect that was drafted in the third round in 2010 with the 87th overall pick. He spent time both at second base and shortstop last season due to overall needs within the organization. His bat improved later in the season and has the ability to hit for average making him perfect for the No. 2 hitter slot. Look for Wolters to make an appearance around 2014.
Cleveland continues to stockpile shortstop prospects adding Paulino in 2011. The 17-year-old made his professional debut in the low minors this past season batting .355 in 172 at bats in short-season Class-A Mahoning Valley this past season. He boasts above average speed and has the potential for power. Look for his debut around 2015.
No. 1: Francisco Lindor
Lindor is the pride of the Indians farm system drafted in the first round, eighth overall, in the 2011 draft. He is the No. 13 overall MLB prospect and the No. 2 overall shortstop prospect in MiLB. He hits for average and power from both sides of the plate and has plenty of defensive ability. This 19-year-old is tabbed as Cleveland’s shortstop of the future expected to make his debut as soon as 2014.
All stats provided by MLB.com
Paul Rados is an avid Cleveland Indians fan and a Featured Contributor for the Yahoo! Contributor Network. Follow him on Twitter@PSRados.
