Indians Prospect Countdown: #10-6

And then there were ten. From here on out, we're looking at players who are going to be counted on to fuel the Indians next "window of contention," whether that window cracks open in 2013 or beyond. One of the players that we're looking at today has already pitched at the corner of Carnegie and Ontario. One should be there as early as 2014, injury permitting. We're also going to look at a pair of centerfielders from drastically different backgrounds; one a 1st round pick out of Texas A&M who is making the transition from RF, and one who was an infielder in the Dominican Republic until the Indians decided his athleticisim and speed would be of better use in CF. Finally, we'll break down the details on a Dominican SS/2B with surprising pop for his size, and who doesn't stop smiling as long as his feet are on a baseball diamond.

10. Cody Allen, RHP

DOB: 11/20/1988

Height/Weight: 6-1/220 lb.

Bats/Throws: Right/Right

Acquired: 23^rd round pick in the 2011 MLB draft

2012 Stats: 0-1 with a 3.72 ERA, 27 K and 15 BB in 29 IP for Cleveland; 3-2 with 3 saves and a 1.87 ERA, 52 K and 9 BB in 43 1/3 IP between Carolina, Akron and Columbus.

Scouting Report: Selected in the 23^rd round of the 2011 draft out of St. Petersburg College, Allen signed quickly and threw 54 2/3 innings with 75/14 K/BB across four levels in 2011, primarily in Mahoning Valley and Lake County. His meteoric rise through the system continued in 2012, as after making brief stops in Carolina (4 IP) and Akron (7 2/3 IP), he made 24 dominant appearances in Columbus (31 2/3 IP, 2.27 ERA, 35 K, 9 BB) before debuting in The Show about 13 months after he was drafted. Allen doesn’t have the ultimate ceiling of some of the guys that appear below him on this list, but he has an awfully high floor as he’s already reached the majors and proven to be effective against MLB hitters.

Allen’s primary pitch is his plus fastball, a mid-90’s offering that consistently misses bats. When he’s locating the pitch, he pitches ahead in the count and makes it very, very tough on hitters. He compliments the fastball with a hard, plus curveball that sits in the low to mid-80’s. When he’s working in the zone, he’s an extremely effective pitcher who should be able to pitch in the back end of a major league bullpen for a long time. He reminds me a lot of Vinnie Pestano; he’s a two-pitch guy who is fearless on the mound and just goes out and attacks hitters every time he’s on the bump.

Allen doesn’t really have a third pitch, and as such he doesn’t really have anything to change speeds or the eye level of the hitter. His curve is more of a slurve than a 12-6 offering, and while it’s effective there’s a chance hitters will start to hit him harder after he’s been around the league a few times. His command and control got a little sloppy when he reached the majors last year, as he walked 6 more hitters in his 29 innings in Cleveland than he did in 43 1/3 innings in the minors. Some of that can likely be put down to his inexperience in the pros, and I’d expect his control to improve in 2013. It bears monitoring, but I fully expect Allen to be an effective member of the Tribe bullpen in 2013 and beyond.

Glass half-full: An elite arm in the backend of a bullpen, whether he eventually sets up or closes

Glass half-empty: A solid setup arm in the back end of a bullpen

Photo Credit: Al Ciammaichella

9. Luigi Rodriguez, CF

DOB: 11/13/1992

Height/Weight: 5-11/160 lb.

Bats/Throws: Switch/Right

Acquired: International free agent in 2009

2012 Stats: .268/.338/.406 with 11 HR, 48 RBI and 24 SB in 117 games for Lake County.

Scouting Report: When he was signed out of the Dominican Republic in 2009, Rodriguez was primarily a 2B. The Indians had him split time between 2B and the outfield in the Dominican Summer League back in 2010, but converted him full-time to an OF when he made the move stateside in 2011. When you watch Rodriguez play the game, it’s easy to see why the Indians wanted to take advantage of his athleticism in CF. He’s one of the fastest players in the organization, and a superior athlete. He can make some spectacular plays in the outfield, but he’s young, raw and can still look lost at times.

Rodriguez has surprising pop for his size, but will probably top out at average power. His hit tool is below average right now, as he still has a lot of swing and miss in his game (133 K’s last year). He needs to improve his pitch selection and recognition, as he still struggles against offspeed stuff. He did draw 50 walks last year, but with his bat profiling as a leadoff hitter it would be nice to see that number continue to climb as he gets more at-bats against advanced pitching. As a switch hitter he’s much better from the left side, having put up a .275/.356/.413 line as opposed to a .243/.272/.383 line from the right side of the plate. There’s some doubt as to whether Rodriguez’s overall skills will improve with experience, but the raw tools are all there so he’s going to get every opportunity to succeed. His speed could be a weapon on the basepaths, but he still needs to work on reading pitchers and getting better jumps. I’d like to see him try and steal more next year even if his success rate isn’t great, because that’s really the only way he’s going to get better.

Defensively, Rodriguez is tantalizingly inconsistent. He has plus speed and covers a ton of ground in CF. He goes back on the ball extremely well and does a nice job running down line drives in the gaps. His arm is average but adequate, but it will never be a weapon like Tyler Naquin or Carlos Moncrief. He still has trouble with reads on some balls off the bat, especially line drives hit right at him which can be the toughest for a CF to get a read on. Like with the bat, the inexperience sometimes shines through but all of the raw tools are there to project a future CF, but he needs more reps in order to turn that projection into reality.

Reps, reps reps. That’s the story for Luigi Rodriguez. He’ll likely play all of 2013 in Carolina, which is a challenging environment for a 20-year old. The triple slash line is far less important that the potential improvement in his overall approach and defensive ability. If he posts a sub-.700 OPS but makes strides in his tools from April to September, then it will be a successful season for the young CF. Look past the stats to the raw performance with Rodriguez, because experience and improvement are what we should be looking for in 2013.

Glass half-full: A 1^st division, leadoff hitting CF

Glass half-empty: Never fixes his approach and tops out at AAA

8. Tyler Naquin, CF

DOB: 4/24/1991

Height/Weight: 6-2/175 lb.

Bats/Throws: Left/Right

Acquired: 1^st round pick (#15 overall) in the 2012 draft

2012 Stats: .270/.379/.380 with 0 HR, 11 2B and 4 SB in 36 games for Mahoning Valley

Scouting Report: The selection of Naquin at #15 overall in this past June’s draft had some scratching their heads, as few analysts around baseball had the Texas A&M outfielder ranked that high on their boards. He has several above average tools, but the only one considered to be plus right now is his arm. He doesn’t have the power projection of a typical corner OF, and there are questions about whether or not he can remain in CF defensively as he was primarily a RF in college. He’s a good athlete with a funky swing, but he makes it work for him. He signed quickly and for $1.75 million, which was $500,000 below slot for the #15 pick.

Naquin’s bat to ball ability is his selling point at the plate, with one scout calling him a “future batting champion.” He does a great job making contact, and despite a pretty funky stance/swing, he puts the barrel of the bat on the ball. His power projection is below average, as he’s a guy who will probably hit 12-18 HR per season in his prime. If he can stay in CF defensively, his hit/power profile is just fine. But if he has to move to a corner, it leaves a little something to be desired.

Naquin was primarily a rightfielder in college, but not because he wasn’t able to handle CF. His collegiate team just happened to employ one of, if not the, fastest players in college baseball, so Naquin and his cannon arm slid over to RF. He’s got good speed and an amazing arm, so he could easily stay in CF long-term. What he needs now are repetitions in CF to work on his reads, routes and angles. The questions about Naquin’s ability to handle CF focus more on his lack of experience there rather than his lack of CF-quality tools. The Indians seem convinced he can play CF long-term, and if so his selection at #15 looks like much less of a reach and more of a bargain. After years of watching Grady Sizemore, Michael Brantley and especially Johnny Damon “throw” balls in from the outfield, the chance to see Naquin gun down runners from the CF fence will be a very welcome sight.

Naquin is one of the few players in the system that I’ve never seen play live and in person, so I’m really looking forward to getting a long look at him in spring training this year. He’ll likely start out the season with low-A Lake County, but there’s a chance the Indians have him skip the level entirely and debut with high-A Carolina. Either way, he should be in Carolina before the all-star break as his age and experience should have him ready to take on that challenge. If his hit tool is what everyone thinks it is and he sticks in CF, the Indians may have found a below-slot steal in the first round of the draft last year.

Glass half-full: A cannon-armed CF who hits .300 and pops 15-20 HR annually

Glass half-empty: A cannon-armed RF who hits .270 and pops 10-15 HR annually

Photo Credit: Al Ciammaichella

7. Ronny Rodriguez, SS/2B

DOB: 4/17/1992

Height/Weight: 6-0/170 lb.

Bats/Throws: Right/Right

Acquired: International free agent in 2010

2012 Stats: .264/.300/.452 with 19 HR and 66 RBI in 126 games with Carolina.

Scouting Report: Rodriguez signed as an international free agent following the 2010 season, and the Indians immediately put the young Dominican to a difficult test in the Midwest League. As a 19-year old with the Captains, Rodriguez held his own, putting up a .723 OPS and hitting 11 HR in 98 games. For a kid his age in his first taste of professional baseball, that’s a pretty respectable line. He played all of last season in the high-A Carolina League, and his numbers improved across the board. He finished 4^th in the league with 19 HR and 11^th with his .452 SLG and was added to the Akron roster for the AA playoffs. After the minor league season came to an end, Rodriguez was sent to the elite Arizona Fall League where he was the youngest player on the Scottsdale Scorpions roster. Rodrigues hit just .239/.257/.373 in 18 games for Scottsdale, but the experience was a positive one as Rodriguez was exposed to the most advanced pitching he’s ever seen. For a 20-year old in his first full season as a professional, it was a very successful year.

Rodriguez has impressive power for a kid his size. He has plus bat speed and extremely quick wrists. He turns on an inside fastball as well as anyone in the system, and has plus pull power even on pitches down and away from him. His hit tool will probably never be more than average, and his approach needs work (88 K and just 19 BB in 483 AB last year), but watching Rodriguez pound balls out of the ballpark in batting practice and then in games is an impressive feat. He can struggle against righties, specifically against righties with good secondary stuff, and that’s something he’s going to need to work on if he hopes to succeed in and above AA. His impressive power can sometimes be a curse, as he gets a little pull-happy and tries to yank pitches he should be taking up the middle or to RF. That is a main cause of his strikeouts, as he’ll chase way too many pitches down and away that he couldn’t hit with a shovel. Improving his pitch recognition and selection is going to be key for Rodriguez going forward.

Defensively, Rodriguez played 80 games at SS and 45 games at 2B last year. After making 38 errors in 97 games at SS in 2011, he improved to 28 errors at short and just 5 at 2B. I said last year that Rodriguez has the raw tools to play SS, but he needed to get better at making the routine play. Judging solely on the error total, he was able to do that. Rodriguez is a talented natural athlete with a cannon for an arm. He has outstanding range, and does a nice job making the play in the hole and nailing runners at 1B with a jump-throw. He needs more reps at short, as his footwork can sometimes get a little rough, but when he’s just reacting to a play and lets his natural ability take over, he’s a lot of fun to watch. Some scouts are pigeonholing him as a 2B already, but I think that with hard work and experience he can stick at SS.

Rodriguez is another one of those guys who is just fun to watch play the game. He’s always smiling on the diamond and it’s clear he’s having a blast just playing baseball. He’s still raw and AA pitching will present a big challenge for the soon to be 21-year old, but even if he struggles out of the gate I think he’ll end up finding success at that level in 2013. He’s a great athlete with extremely quick hands and plus raw power, and those are things you just can’t coach. I know I say this a lot, but he really is one of my favorite players in the system and is a guy you just can’t help but like. I’ve had him everywhere from 4^rd to 9^th on this list before settling on him here, but he could easily have the type of season that has me regretting not slotting him in at #3 or 4 overall in the system.

Glass half-full: A 1^st division starter at SS in The Show

Glass half-empty: A 1^st division starter at 2B in the International League

Photo Credit: Al Ciammaichella

6. Danny Salazar, RHP

DOB: 1/11/1990

Height/Weight: 6-0/190 lb.

Bats/Throws: Right/Right

Acquired: International free agent in 2006

2012 Stats: 5-2, 2.36 ERA with 76 K and 27 BB in 87 2/3 IP between Carolina and Akron

Scouting Report: Salazar was a somewhat surprising add to the 40-man roster last winter, and the 22-year old righty vindicated the Indians trust in him by submitting one of the strongest seasons by any pitcher in the organization. Salazar went under the knife for Tommy John surgery in 2010, and pitched just 14 2/3 innings in 2011 as a result. The Indians handled their prized righty with kid gloves in 2012, allowing him to start just 22 games and throw fewer than 90 innings. But the innings he did throw were outstanding ones, as he allowed just 98 baserunners all season between Carolina and Akron. Salazar was a key part of AA Akron’s championship season, going 4-0 with a 1.85 ERA in his 6 starts for the Eastern League champion Aeros.

Salazar sets everything up with his fastball, a pitch with easy mid-90’s velocity out of his loose, clean delivery. He was a shortstop in the Dominican Republic before the Indians had him concentrate on pitching full-time, and his athleticism shows through on the mound. When he’s locating his fastball effectively, minor league hitters are pretty much helpless against him. In addition to the fastball, Salazar throws a hard, biting slider that has outstanding late life. The slider velocity is high enough that hitters can easily mistake it for the fastball, and often start their swing before realizing that the pitch is going to end up a foot outside and in the dirt. The slider is already an above average pitch and has a future plus grade. His other secondary offering is a changeup that while decent, lags behind the fastball and slider at this stage of his development. If the changeup develops into a legitimate third pitch, lingering questions about Salazar’s eventual role as a starter will dissipate in a hurry.

If Salazar can remain in the rotation, he’s got a chance to be a solid #3 starter, if not better. That’s a big if though, as his height, injury history and shallow repertoire are all working against him at this stage of his career. Obviously, I believe he can pull it off or I wouldn’t have him ranked this high. It will be interesting to see how the Indians handle Salazar; he’s already on the 40-man roster, and his stuff would allow him to slide into a major league bullpen as soon as this year. But he’s not going to be ready to start at the major league level just yet, and needs a full, healthy season in the minors before that’s even worthy of discussion. If the Indians are in contention down the stretch and are in need of a bullpen arm, Chris Antonetti and company are going to have to resist the temptation to reach down on the farm and drop Salazar into that role. If he can stay healthy, pitch effectively and work on his changeup, Salazar could be a rotation option at some point in 2014. If not, he’s got a great fallback option as a power two-pitch guy in the back-end of a major league bullpen.

Glass half-full: A solid #3 starter in The Show

Glass half-empty: A solid back-end bullpen arm in The Show

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Indians Prospect Countdown: #15-11

Photo Credit: Al Ciammaichella

We're really getting into rarefied air now, as we look at the #15-11 prospects in the entire Indians system. Unsurprisingly, we're going to take a look at another power righthanded reliever, but this time it will be the best power righthanded reliever who has yet to grace the mound on the corner of Carnegie and Ontario. Additionally, we'll look at a lefty who has already seen time with the big club, a 2011 draft pick looking to pick up the pieces after a disasterous 2012, a breakout 2B who went from unranked last year to just shy of the top-10 this year and finally...#WASHTIME!

15. Trey Haley, RHP

DOB: 6/21/1990

Height/Weight: 6-3/180 lb.

Bats/Throws: Right/Right

Acquired: 2^nd round pick in the 2008 draft

2012 Stats: 4-1, 2.33 ERA with 49 K and 19 BB in 38 2/3 IP between Rookie Arizona, Carolina and Akron.

Scouting Report: If you saw Trey Haley walking down the street, the first thought that would pop into your head would likely be “this guy is a pitcher.” He just looks like he was built to throw a baseball. Tall, strong, with long arms and legs, it’s easy to see where Haley gets his velocity from. His 2.33 ERA from last year is actually deceptively high; 5 of the 10 ER Haley allowed last season occurred in 6 innings of rehab work with Rookie League Arizona. In 32 2/3 IP in Carolina and Akron, Haley allowed just 5 ER on 18 hits, striking out 40 and walking 17. He didn’t allow a single HR last year, and has given up just one longball since the beginning of the 2011 season (83 IP). Haley was a starter through the 2010 season, but the Indians began the transition to the bullpen in 2011 due to control and durability problems. But as far as pure arms go, Haley has one of the best in the organization.

Haley has one of the best fastballs in the organization, a plus-plus four-seamer that sits comfortably in the 94-96 MPH range and can touch triple digits. He also has a two-seamer that has a little less velocity, but nice sinking action and generates a lot of groundballs. Haley has the ability right now to get minor league hitters out with just his fastball-sinker combination. But he compliments his fastballs with a solid curveball that flashes plus, a slider and a developing changeup. The curveball is his best secondary offering at this stage of his career, a pitch that became much more consistent last year. His slider lags behind the curve, but it has a lot of potential as a real swing and miss pitch for Haley because it’s velocity is close enough to his fastball to fool a lot of hitters. He uses the changeup sparingly, but scouts that have seen it say it’s a potential weapon for him down the road if he can continue to refine the pitch. It’s an impressive repertoire for a reliever, something that Haley benefits from due to his days as a starter.

Haley missed time the past two seasons with what he thought was a groin injury, but ended up being diagnosed as a sports hernia. He had surgery to finally correct the lingering issue midseason last year, and when he came back he was stronger and more effective than ever. Haley was transitioned to the bullpen in part due to his durability issues and in part due to his spotty command. There’s a decent chance now that the hernia is finally fixed that one or even both of those issues could be behind him. Haley is a big, athletic kid with a very clean, repeatable delivery. There’s no mechanical flaw holding him back from having better command, and if he can cut down on the walks and locate his fastball in the zone, then there’s a possibility that he could end up in the rotation again down the road. An arm as talented as his almost seems like a waste in the bullpen, as even as an elite closer he’d only be throwing 60-80 innings per season as opposed to 200+ as a starter. I’m not sure what the Indians have in mind for the talented righty out of Nacogdoches, TX, but if he returns to a starting role, there’s a chance that he’s a top-5 prospect in the organization next year. As it is he has the potential to be a backend arm in a major league bullpen as soon as this season, although he could use some additional seasoning in the minors. It will be interesting to see what the Tribe brass ends up doing with Haley, as with a little patience I think he can still be a starter in the major leagues.

Haley pitched effectively in the elite Arizona Fall League this past offseason, was added to the 40-man roster. He’s clearly in the Indians plans for the future, it’s just a matter of how soon and in what role. He’ll likely open up 2013 with AA Akron, but could move quickly to AAA Columbus if he remains in the bullpen. He has an outside shot at pitching in the major leagues as soon as 2013 if the big club has a need for a righthander out of the bullpen.

Glass half-full: A #2 starter in a major league rotation

Glass half-empty: An elite backend reliever

Photo Credit: Al Ciammaichella

14. Scott Barnes, LHP

DOB: 9/5/1987

Height/Weight: 6-4/200 lb.

Bats/Throws: Left/Left

Acquired: From San Francisco in exchange for Ryan Garko in 2009

2012 Stats: 0-0 with a 4.26 ERA, 16 K and 7 BB in 19 IP for Cleveland; 2-3 with a 3.98 ERA, 67 K and 23 BB in 52 IP with Columbus.

Scouting Report: Drafted after his junior year at St. John’s University, Barnes had been a starter for his entire professional career until last season. He opened up in the Clippers rotation, but after just three starts Barnes transitioned to a bullpen role to fit with the needs of the parent club. He dominated AAA hitters, and was hit-and-miss in 19 innings over a pair of stints with the big club. He had a chance to make his MLB debut in 2011, but tore his ACL coming off the mound to field a bunt in July of that year while with the Clippers.

Barnes pitches primarily off of his fastball, an above-average offering from the left side that sits consistently between 91-94 and can touch as high as 96. His velocity plays up due to his deceptive delivery, as Barnes has a funky motion that hides the ball from the hitter until the last second. He compliments the fastball with an above-average slider and a developing changeup. When his changeup is on, Barnes can be effective against hitters on both sides of the plate. The pitch has excellent down and away action with a righthanded hitter at the plate, and that pitch will be the key for Barnes becoming more than just a LOOGY at the major league level. Barnes was outstanding against righties while with Columbus, as he allowed just 19 hits in 36 IP while striking out an impressive 51 hitters. That success didn’t carry over to the major leagues, as Barnes allowed 5 runs, 2 HR and struck out just 8 in 10 1/3 innings against righties in The Show. Fastball location and pitch sequencing are going to be important for Barnes in the majors, and having three pitches as a lefthanded reliever is a luxury that he needs to exploit.

I was a little surprised when the Indians moved Barnes to the bullpen, as I thought (still think) he has the stuff to be a solid back of the rotation starter and would be more valuable in that role. The team clearly feels that the relief role is the right place for Barnes though, so that’s where he’ll stay for 2013 at least. His stuff clearly plays up in shorter bursts (17 K in 16 AAA IP as a starter and 50 K in 36 AAA IP as a reliever), and with his history in the rotation he’s a guy who can be stretched out over multiple innings if that’s what the situation calls for. He should get every opportunity to open the season at the corner of Carnegie and Ontario, especially after the trade of fellow LHP Tony Sipp this offseason. Barnes is 25 now, so his developmental arc is more or less complete; he doesn’t have a lot of projection in him at this point. He’s a versatile arm that throws a mid-90’s fastball from the left side, and that’s something that will never go out of style. I’d expect Barnes to be more effective this season after getting his feet wet in Cleveland last year, and think he can stick in the Bullpen Mafia for most if not all of the 2013 season.

Glass half-full: A solid backend reliever, or even a transition back to starting where he could be a solid back of the rotation arm

Glass half-empty: Long man out of the bullpen

Photo Credit: Al Ciammaichella

13. Dillon Howard, RHP

DOB: 7/1/1992

Height/Weight: 6-4/210 lb.

Bats/Throws: Right/Right

Acquired: 2^nd round pick in the 2011 MLB draft

2012 Stats: 1-7, 7.90 ERA 35 K and 18 BB in 41 IP for Rookie League Arizona

Scouting Report: Yikes. If there are women and children around, please hide last year’s stat line from their eyes. Howard had probably the most disappointing year in the entire system, as the pitcher that I had ranked as the #2 prospect in the organization didn’t pitch outside of the complex leagues, and he got lit up like a pinball machine while he was down there. Howard suffered through some nagging injury issues throughout spring training and in extended spring training, and his highly-anticipated debut in low-A Lake County never even happened. When he did pitch, his stuff was worse than when he was a high school senior, and the unexpected step back in velocity resulted in his struggles on the mound. It was a lost season for the 19-year old righthander, and one can only hope it was more of a blip on the radar than a harbinger of things to come.

When he was in high school, Howard showcased a heavy, low-90’s sinker that resulted in a lot of swing and misses and groundballs. He complimented that pitch with a lively 4-seam fastball that ran up into the mid-90’s, and used the pitch effectively up in the zone to get hitters to chase. His secondary pitches are an above-average changeup that could be a plus pitch down the road, and a solid curveball. The curve was considered to be the pitch Howard needed to work on the most, as he has a tendency to overthrow the pitch which causes it to get slurvy, flatten out and get hit hard. His senior year in high school, Howard went 9-1 with 0.31 ERA and 115 K in 58 innings of work. In case you’re trying to do the math in your head, that breaks down to just 2 earned runs allowed. He was a unanimous selection for HS Player of the Year in Arkansas, and was seen as a polished high school arm that had the potential to move quickly through the professional ranks.

The only time I was able to see Howard pitch was in a bullpen session in Spring Training last year, so I can’t even speculate as to what went wrong for the talented righty in 2011. He had a 1^st round grade coming out of high school, and only fell to the Indians in the 2^nd round because of signability concerns. The Indians inked him to an overslot bonus of $1.85 million, and were lauded by the experts for spending the money to bring Howard into the fold. That kind of talent does not simply evaporate, so I’m hoping his struggles were a combination of injuries, ironing out mechanics and adjusting to life as a professional baseball player. The really concerning thing was the drastic dip in velocity, as reports had Howard struggling to crack the 90 MPH barrier on the radar gun. He’s a difficult player to rank because of the talent and performance gap so far in his brief career, and this ranking shows that I’m giving him at least a partial mulligan for last year. But if he has another season like 2012, we’re going to be talking about him as a bust.  

Glass half-full: A solid #3 in a major league rotation

Glass half-empty: Whatever happened in 2011

Photo Credit: Al Ciammaichella

12. LeVon Washington, OF

DOB: 7/26/1991

Height/Weight: 5-11/170 lb.

Bats/Throws: Left/Right

Acquired: 2^nd round pick in 2010 MLB draft

2012 Stats: .333/.439/.354 with 4 RBI and 1 SB in 13 games between Rookie-level Arizona, Lake County and Carolina.

Scouting Report: Someday soon, LeVon Washington is either going to make me look really smart or really silly. In 2 “full” seasons as a professional since signing in 2010, Washington has accrued far more twitter followers than games played, as the young OF has appeared in just 92 games in his brief career. #WASHTIME played in 79 uninspiring games in 2011, putting up a .647 OPS for low-A Lake County, as the Florida native suffered through a litany of nagging injuries that caused him to miss time throughout the season. Washington rededicated himself to his training in the 2011 offseason, reporting to Goodyear in 2012 in outstanding shape and with a new perspective on what to expect in professional baseball. Washington had an outstanding camp and came out of the gate red hot for the Lake County Captains in 2012, and a move to Carolina seemed imminent. Unfortunately, Washington suffered a torn labrum in his hip (he’d already torn the labrum in his shoulder in college) that ultimately required another surgery. He came back to play a few games with high-A Carolina at the end of the season, but it was basically a lost year for Washington due to the injury.

This ranking is all about projection at this point, but Washington’s raw tools are hard to ignore. He has above-average bat speed and a compact swing from the left side that generates surprising pop for a guy with his build. He’s never going to be a 30 HR guy, but 15-20 is not out of the question. He has gap power and plus speed, and that combination should translate into plenty of doubles and triples even if he doesn’t end up hitting a lot of balls out of the ballpark. He’s got a solid approach, can take a walk and do some damage on the basepaths once he gets there.

Defensively, Washington is either a CF or a LF. He has the speed for CF, but the previously-mentioned torn labrum that he suffered in his throwing shoulder during his college days has his arm topping out at fringe-average. It was well below average in 2010, but when I saw him making throws from the OF during Spring Training 2011 it had vastly improved. It will never be a weapon like a Naquin or Moncrief, but it’s not going to be Johnny Damon-esque like it was in 2010 either. He covers a lot of ground in the OF and that speed would be nice to have in LF, but his bat profiles better as a CF.

Washington has drawn Carl Crawford comparisons since he was in college, as the raw tools are that exciting. Unfortunately, Washington has followed in Crawford’s footsteps with respect to their checkered injury history, but without the corresponding success on the diamond. Again, this ranking is all about projection, as Washington hasn’t been healthy enough to do anything of note in the Indians organization since being drafted in 2010. But I can’t shake the impression he made on me in Spring Training last year, when he was the best player on the back fields, drilling balls into gaps, hustling around the bases and making spectacular plays in the OF. The tools and dedication to the game are there, Washington just needs a healthy season for a chance to pull it all together. If he can stay on the field in 2013, it could be a breakout year that sees him rank in the top-5 on next year’s prospect countdown.

Glass half-full: Carl Crawford, v.2010

Glass half-empty: Carl Crawford, v.2011/12

Photo Credit: Al Ciammaichella

11. Jose Ramirez, 2B

DOB: 9/17/1992

Height/Weight: 5-9/165 lb.

Bats/Throws: Switch/Right

Acquired: International free agent in 2009

2012 Stats: .354/.404/.465 with 3 HR, 27 RBI and 17 SB in 70 games between Mahoning Valley and Lake County.

Scouting Report: Ramirez is an easy guy to overlook before you see him in the batters box. When you see him playing catch, fielding grounders in warm-ups and jogging around the outfield, the thought that this is a .450+ SLG guy never really enters your mind. But once the physically unimposing switch hitter digs in and starts hitting BP, it’s easy to see why he’s ranked this highly on the prospect countdown. As a 19-year old in the difficult offensive environment of the Midwest League, Ramirez went out and slugged 20 XBH in 67 games, good for a .462 SLG and a .865 OPS. For a teenage 2B in his first appearance in a full-season league, those are some pretty good numbers.

Ramirez is not a big power guy, as his 3 HR last year would indicate. But he has a plus hit tool and above average speed, so that should translate into plenty of doubles and triples even if the over the fence power never really matures. He features a smooth, pretty swing from both sides of the plate, and his hands take a very natural path to the ball. He does a nice job barreling the baseball and makes surprisingly loud contact for a player his size. He’s a free swinger, but doesn’t strike out much and knows how to take a walk. His approach could use a little work, but he’s further ahead of most international signs his age as his 25 walks to 26 strikeouts last year would indicate.

Defensively, Ramirez is a solid 2B who projects to be an above-average defender. His glove is very consistent and he makes all the routine plays (just 2 errors last year). He’s quick and has good range, and the only thing holding him back from being a plus defender at 2B is his arm strength. His arm is fringe-average, and as such he has trouble making plays up the middle that require a strong off-balance throw to 1B. The arm limits him to 2B defensively, so while he’s a solid up-the-middle defender he’s never going to be a guy who can profile at SS.

Because he’s limited to 2B and doesn’t have much power projection, Ramirez’s value is directly proportional to his hit tool. Raw hitting ability is awfully tough to coach, so Ramirez has a step up over a lot of “tools guys” in the organization. He’s going to have to continue to hit at every step of the way though, as guys with his size and power projection aren’t going to be given as many opportunities as players with more “projection” in them. Ramirez will likely play all of 2012 in the high-A Carolina League, another difficult hitting environment that will test the young Dominican with some advanced offspeed stuff. If he can maintain his average and OBP in 2013 with the Mudcats it will be a very encouraging sign for his prospect status. It’s tough to ignore a 19-year old 2B with an .800+ OPS in the Midwest League, and will be even more difficult if he can repeat the feat in Carolina.

Glass half-full: A solid 2^nd division starter at 2B.

Glass half-empty: The bat doesn’t play, and neither does Ramirez.

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Indians Prospect Countdown: #20-16

Photo Credit: Al Ciammaichella

Well Tribe fans, we're about to break into the top 20 prospects in the Indians organization. A sincere thanks for following along on our little ride, and I promise we're on the home stretch here. Today, we'll look at a power hitting 1B who has a little trouble with the slider, a tantalizing young OF from Venezuela, a 2012 draftee with a heart of gold, a(nother) power righthanded reliever who's dealing with some injury issues and a southpaw starter who is one of the most entertaining interviews in the entire organization, even if he is an LSU fan.

20. Jesus Aguilar, 1B

DOB: 6/30/1990

Height/Weight: 6-3/240 lbs

Bats/Throws: Right/Right

Acquired: International free agent in 2007

2012 Stats: .280/.372/.461 with 15 HR and 71 RBI in 127 games between Carolina and Akron

Scouting Report: Aguilar is one of the few power corner IF prospects in the Indians system. He’s a big, big kid who looks like the 6’3” 240 lb official listing might be a bit low. He has impressive raw power, and when he really gets into a pitch it can go a long, long ways. His raw power is up there with anyone in the system, but as Aguilar has risen through the system the power has struggled to show up in game situations. He broke out with an .865 OPS and 23 HR in 2011, mostly in the low-A Midwest League with the Lake County Captains. But in 2012 with the Carolina Mudcats, he managed just 12 HR in 107 games. He did have an impressive run with AA Akron to close out the season, putting up a .292/.402/.500 line with 3 HR and 13 RBI in 20 games in the Eastern League. But his K rate also jumped when he was promoted to AA, as he struck out 24 times in those 20 games after whiffing just 91 times in 107 Carolina League contests.

Aguilar’s power is really his only plus tool. His hit tool is average, and he’s still susceptible to breaking balls down and out of the strike zone. He can turn around a fastball as well as anyone in the minor league system, which was proven in his at-bats against uber-prospect Dylan Bundy. Aguilar collected hits against Bundy in the Carolina League, Eastern League playoffs and the MLB Futures Game last season, all while facing Bundy’s upper-90’s heat. But to be a more complete hitter, he’s got to get better with his pitch recognition and selection. As he progresses through the minor league levels, breaking balls are just going to get better and better, and his approach will be exploited by more advanced pitching.

Aguilar’s defense is considered below average, although it is improving. He’s really working hard at that aspect of his game, as last year in Spring Training he’d go out onto the fields as much as an hour early to take groundballs from minor league instructor Travis Fryman. But his range remains below average, even as he continues to improve his hands. Aguilar is a bat-only prospect at 1B, and guys like that really have to mash in order to make it to The Show. 15 HR and a .461 SLG is decent, but it’s not mashing, and Aguilar’s power stroke will have to come back if he wants to continue to advance up the organizational ladder.

Aguilar should begin 2013 back in AA Akron, which will be a challenge for the soon to be 23-year old 1B. If he can clean up his approach and do a better job laying off of breaking balls (particularly sliders) down and out of the strike zone, he can make pitchers come to him with fastballs in the zone more often. And if he gets a mistake up in the strike zone, he can really make pitchers pay. If his approach remains the same or even regresses, then Aguilar will have real trouble with AA pitching.

Glass half-full: A middle of the order presence at 1B

Glass half-empty: Pedro Cerrano before Jobu taught him to hit the curveball

19. Anthony Santander, LF

DOB: 10/19/1994

Height/Weight: 6-2/187 lbs

Bats/Throws: Switch/Right

Acquired: International free agent in 2011

2012 Stats: .305/.381/.494 with 4 HR and 23 RBI in 43 games with Rookie Arizona

Scouting Report: Santander was one of the Indians big signings out of the international market in 2011, along with shortstop Dorssys Paulino. Santander was born and raised in Venezuela, and signed with the Indians for $385,000. He made his stateside debut in the complex leagues as a 17-year old last season, and more than held his own with an .874 OPS in 43 games with the Rookie League Indians.

Santander is going to make his money with his bat. He has an above-average hit tool, and even though he just started switch-hitting a couple of years ago he’s already showing promise from both sides of the plate. He’s not an elite athlete, but has a smooth, clean swing from both sides of the plate and does a nice job getting the bat on the ball. His power projects to be above average, as he’s got quite a bit of room to fill out on his 6’2” frame. Adding strength and good weight will help him become a potential impact bat down the road.

Defensively, Santander has above-average speed but a below-average arm so he’ll likely be limited to LF at higher levels in the system. He played nine games in RF last year, but unless his arm takes a big step forward he’s not going to be able to play in right beyond Arizona. Even with the limited defensive profile, Santander is a potential impact prospect thanks to his ability at the dish. His size, speed and projection are a tantalizing package in a system desperate for corner bat prospects. He’ll probably open 2013 in extended spring training and join up with the short-season Mahoning Valley Scrappers when the NYPL starts up in June.

Glass half-full: A middle of the order bat in LF

Glass half-empty: His bat can’t carry him all the way to the show

18. Kieran Lovegrove, RHP

DOB: 7/28/1994

Height/Weight: 6-4/185 lbs

Bats/Throws: Right/Right

Acquired: 3^rd round pick in 2012

2012 Stats: 0-2, 6.00 ERA with 18 K and 9 BB in 21 IP for Rookie Arizona

Scouting Report: Lovegrove was the Indians 3^rd round pick in last June’s draft (110 overall), and he signed for an underslot bonus of $400,000 (just under the $432,700 commissioner’s “recommendation” for the pick). Lovegrove has a real believer in ESPN’s Keith Law, as Law ranked him as the #46 overall player in the draft and then put him in his Indians top-10 prospect list this offseason. Lovegrove was born in South Africa and came to the US when he was 5 years old, and actually started playing cricket before picking up baseball. He signed in time to debut in the complex leagues last year, throwing 21 innings with Rookie League Arizona.

Lovegrove has an above-average fastball, sitting in the 89-93 MPH range with consistency and touches 95. He’s still a pretty wiry kid, and that velocity could pick up a couple of ticks as he fills out and adds some more strength to his frame. His best secondary pitch is a slider that has sharp, late life and is especially tough on righthanded hitters. Lovegrove’s delivery still has some kinks, as the Indians would like to see him use his lower half more to generate extra power and take some of the stress off of his arm. If the Indians developmental staff can get adjust his stride and get him to use his legs, his velocity will creep up and he should be able to command his stuff more effectively.

Lovegrove is a mature kid for his age, and while in high school he co-fouded a charity for low income youths who want to play baseball or softball. Lovegrove and a couple of teammates founded the Going to Bat foundation, and they’ve been able to provide bats, balls, gloves and other gear to schools all over the US and even South Africa. It’s a really neat thing for a high school kid to do, and show’s Lovegrove’s maturity and character.

Lovegrove will be just 18 for most of the 2013 season, and will likely pitch primarily in the complex leagues again. There’s a chance he could move up to Mahoning Valley when the short-season leagues start up in June, but I wouldn’t expect to see him in Lake County at any point in 2013. Lovegrove has a lot of talent, but with his age and mechanical issues, he’s going to need plenty of time in the minors working out the all of the kinks.

Glass half-full: A #3 starter in a major league rotation.

Glass half-empty: A power reliever in the back of a bullpen.

Photo Credit: Al Ciammaichella

17. T.J. House, LHP

DOB: 9/29/1989

Height/Weight: 6-2/215 lb.

Bats/Throws: Right/Left

Acquired: 16^th round pick in 2008

2012 Stats: 10-5, 3.56 ERA with 116 K and 50 BB in 149 1/3 IP for Carolina and Akron

Scouting Report: Signed to an overslot bonus of $750,000 in 2008, the former Tulane commit out of Mississippi had a disappointing season in 2011. House repeated high-A in 2011 and took a significant step backwards in his development, posting a higher ERA, higher BB rate, gave up more hits per 9 and struck out fewer hitters than in 2010. By any measure it was a disappointing season for the 21 year old lefty, and House was determined not to let that season’s struggles repeat themselves. House reported to spring training in 2012 in the best shape of his career, having lost about 30 lbs with an aggressive offseason training regimen. He also went back to a more ¾ delivery that he used in high school after having started to throw more over-the-top as a professional. Whether it was the delivery, the better conditioning or both, House had a much better season in 2012. He opened in the high-A Carolina League for the 3^rd straight season, but moved quickly to AA Akron after just 4 starts (2-0) with the Mudcats. With the Eastern League champion Aeros, House went 8-5 with a 3.98 ERA in 124 1/3 IP. He struck out 90 AA hitters and walked 44, a much better ratio than his 89 K and 50 BB in 149 IP with Kinston in 2011. He was instrumental in the Aeros run to the Eastern League championship and was especially effective down the stretch.

House has a plus fastball from the left side, running his 2-seamer as high as 95 MPH. It sits consistently between 91-93, and has nice arm-side run from the ¾ arm slot. When he’s locating the fastball, it’s an effective pitch against hitters on both sides of the plate. His best secondary offering is his slider which has nice late life and tilt. It’s murder on lefties, and has really helped House hold down same-siders throughout his career. He also throws a changeup that really made strides last season and can flash plus. Developing the changeup is key for House, as he really needs that 3^rd pitch to change speeds on hitters. He also throws a curveball, but it’s not as effective as his other three offerings. He profiles well as a #4 or even a #3 starter in a major league rotation.

After leading the Aeros in IP last year, House was assigned to the elite Arizona Fall League following the 2012 season. The AFL is a notorious hitters league, but House had a really solid campaign as a starter with the Scottsdale Scorpions. House made 6 starts in the desert, going 3-1 with a 3.00 ERA. He struck out 26 and walked just 9 in 27 IP, and overall he allowed just 29 baserunners. Small sample size, but he faced 39 lefthanded batters while with the Scorpions and just 5 of them reached base.

Depending on how the 25-man roster eventually shakes out, House has a good chance to start off the 2013 season with AAA Columbus. Even if he ends up back in Akron for the beginning of the season, House will be just 23 years old for the entire 2013 season. He’s ahead of the curve at his age, and there’s plenty of time for House to continue to mature and refine his craft in the minors. House was added to the 40-man roster this offseason ahead of fellow LHP T.J. McFarland, and McFarland had already pitched most of a season for AAA Columbus. It’s clear House is in the organization’s plans in the near future, and that future could come as soon as 2014.

Glass half-full: A #3 starter in a major league rotation

Glass half-empty: A #5 starter in a major league rotation

Photo Credit: Al Ciammaichella

16. Chen-Chang Lee, RHP

DOB: 10/21/1986

Height/Weight: 5-11/190 lb.

Bats/Throws: Right/Right

Acquired: International free agent in 2008

2012 Stats: 2-0 with a 2.57 ERA, 8 K and 1 BB in 7 IP for AAA Columbus

Scouting Report: Lee started the 2012 season in AAA Columbus and was primed for a run to the corner of Carnegie and Ontario. He was seen as one of the first pitchers in line to be called up to the Indians should injury or ineffectiveness befall one of the members of the Indians bullpen. Unfortunately, his season was cut short after just 7 innings of work due to an elbow injury that would require Tommy John surgery. It all worked out for the Indians as Cody Allen made his meteoric rise all the way to Cleveland from Carolina, but it had to be frustrating for Lee to be on the sidelines instead of pitching with the Clippers or even the Indians in 2012.

Lee has long been one of the most dominant relievers in the system, striking out 286 hitters in just 234 1/3 career innings pitched (11 K/9!) while walking just 74 and posting an even 3.00 ERA.  He has allowed just 15 HR his entire professional career. Those are some incredible numbers, and it’s easy to see why the Indians saw the 25-year old as a major league option as early as last season. He’s got an electric arm, and has amazing velocity for a guy that’s not even 6’ tall.

Lee’s fastball explodes out of his hand, sitting comfortably between 92-95 MPH and can touch 97. He attacks hitters from a variety of arm angles, from ¾ down to full-on sidearm, which helps that fastball dance all over the place depending on where his release point is on that particular pitch. He compliments that fastball with a plus-plus slider, a pitch that has outstanding tilt and hard, late life. The pitch is murder on righthanded hitters, and results in some very ugly swings when hitters are incorrectly guessing fastball. In addition to the slider, Lee throws a sinker and a forkball that acts as his changeup. The forkball can really dive down through the zone, but it’s not as effective an offering as his slider. It’s a weapon that he can use to attack lefthanded hitters, but with his low arm slot and wipeout slider he’s much more effective against righties.

Lee’s developmental arc is pretty much complete, and if not for his injury last year it’s possible he wouldn’t even be eligible for this list. If he’s back healthy in 2013, he’ll be an option for the major league bullpen this season. The Indians bullpen is pretty crowded this year, but between injuries, ineffectiveness and trades it’s likely that Lee will have an opportunity to pitch in The Show at some point in 2013. He’s 26 years old, so the time is now for the power righthander. Worst-case, he can be a weapon against same-siders out of the bullpen. He’s going to have to start the season on the DL while recovering from the TJ surgery, but should be back pitching in the Clippers bullpen at some point in the first half of the 2013 season.

Glass half-full: Backend reliever in a major league bullpen.

Glass half-empty: Elbow issues persist and he doesn’t pitch in the majors.

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Indians Prospect Countdown: #25-21

 

One of my personal favorite prospects will be highlighted in today's installment of the prospect countdown. I'll give you a hint; he plays a position that starts with "C" and ends with an "R." In addition to another backstop with a bright future, we'll look at a 2012 draft pick who grew up in Alaska and is trying to buck the trend and play professional baseball, a player who missed all of 2012 due to injury, another power righthanded reliever and a 3B-turned-OF who has one of the prettiest swings in the entire organization, non-Chisenhall division.

25. Dylan Baker, SP

DOB: 4/6/1992

Height/Weight: 6-2/215 lbs

Bats/Throws: Right/Right

Acquired: 5^th round pick in the 2012 draft

2012 Stats: 0-1 with a 4.12 ERA, 30 K and 15 BB in 24 IP for Rookie Arizona

Scouting Report: Baker was drafted in the 5^th round in last year’s draft out of Western Nevada College. With Western Nevada his 2^nd year, Baker went 13-0 with a 1.91 ERA, striking out 126 in 84 2/3 IP. For his efforts in college, Baker was named as the Senic West Athletic Conference Pitcher of the Year. He grew up in the baseball hotbed of Juneau, Alaska, and led his high school team to a pair of state titles. He signed early enough to get some time with the Rookie League Arizona Indians, starting eight games and striking out 11.2 batters per 9 innings pitched. Baker’s favorite baseball movie growing up was Major League, so he and the Indians seem meant to be.

Coming out of college last year, Baker was seen as one of the top junior college arms available. He’s a big, strong kid with above-average velocity with a fastball that sits consistently between 91-94 MPH and has touched 97. He throws from high, over the top arm angle and the pitch has nice plane and sink. His best secondary offering is a hammer 12-6 curveball that really falls of the table as it comes in on hitters. In addition to the curve, he throws a changeup that still needs work but has flashed plus with excellent fade down and away from righthanded hitters. If the change can become more consistent, Baker will have a much better chance to stick in the starting rotation long-term. If not, then he’s likely headed to the bullpen as a power two-pitch reliever.

Baker is one of very few baseball players to come out of Alaska, and he actually walked on to his junior college baseball team in 2011. Going from a JuCo walk-on to a 5^th round draft pick in a single season is pretty remarkable, and shows how hard Baker is willing to work to get to the next level. Some experts had him getting drafted as early as the 2^nd round, so the Indians were happy to have an opportunity to select him as late as they did last year. He should start out 2013 in the Lake County rotation, so Northeast Ohio fans will have an opportunity to get an up close and personal look at the powerful righthander.

Glass half-full: A solid #3 starter in a major league rotation

Glass half-empty: A 2-pitch power reliever

Photo Credit: Al Ciammaichella

24. Austin Adams, SP

DOB: 8/19/1986

Height/Weight: 5-11/185

Bats/Throws: Right/Right

Acquired: 5^th round pick in the 2009 draft

2012 Stats: DNP

Scouting Report: Adams ranked as the #4 prospect on this list last season, but suffered a shoulder injury and was unable to pitch in 2012. Prior to the injury, Adams had a triple-digit arm, touching 100 MPH when he really reached back for something extra. His fastball sat comfortable in the mid-90’s, as well as a plus slider, a curveball and a changeup. He had a starter’s arsenal, and when he was commanding his fastball and not walking hitters he looked like a potential #2 starter in a major league rotation.

Adams had shoulder surgery last spring, and wasn’t able to throw a single competitive pitch in 2012. He has worked hard to rehab and come back from the injury, but shoulder injuries are particularly tough to predict. If Adams had Tommy John surgery, I’d be much more comfortable with his potential in 2013 and down the road. But shoulder injuries have a lower track record of success than the more tried and true TJ surgery. Adams is doing everything he can to work his way back to health, but sometimes things are just beyond a players control.

Adams is an excellent athlete, having played shortstop in addition to pitching while he was playing for NAIA Faulkner College. He uses his lower half well to generate velocity, so hopefully he can use his legs to take some of the stress off of his shoulder. If Adams is back to his old self, he’s a top-10 prospect in the organization with a chance to pitch in the Indians rotation. If not, hopefully he can at least salvage a role in the bullpen. I really have no idea what to expect out of Adams this season, so this ranking is more of a guess than anything else. Hopefully he can overcome the shoulder injury and his velocity can bounce back to pre-2012 levels.

Glass half-full: Adams overcomes the injury and pitches in a major league rotation

Glass half-empty: The injury saps Adams of his velocity and he’s unable to make it to The Show

Photo Credit: Al Ciammaichella

23. Shawn Armstrong, RP

DOB: 9/11/1990

Height/Weight: 6-2/210 lbs

Bats/Throws: Right/Right

Acquired: 18th round pick in the 2011 draft

2012 Stats: 2-3, 4 saves with a 1.60 ERA, 78 K and 37 BB in 67 2/3 IP between Lake County, Carolina and Akron

Scouting Report: Armstrong only threw two innings in 2011, striking out a pair and allowing one hit in 2 IP for the Mahoning Valley Scrappers. The Indians started the power righthander in Lake County last year, but that was a brief stop as he made a pair of scoreless appearances, striking out 4 in 3 2/3 IP. Armstrong spent most of 2012 terrorizing Carolina League hitters, as he made 26 appearances with the Mudcats. In 43 2/3 IP with Carolina, he posted a 2.06 ERA and recorded 52 K while walking 23. Promoted to the AA Akron Aeros for the stretch run to the playoffs, Armstrong somehow got better, going 1-0 with 3 saves while putting up a miniscule 0.89 ERA in 20 1/3 IP for the Eastern League Champion Aeros. Oh, and in 69 2/3 career innings pitched, Armstrong has yet to allow a single HR. Impressed yet?

Armstrong’s arsenal is simple but effective. He sets up hitters with his fastball, a plus offering that sits consistently in the mid-90’s. Once he has hitters thinking fastball, he puts them away with his plus slider, a wipeout pitch with outstanding late life that can really make righthanded hitters look silly. He’s a true power reliever who doesn’t mess around; he goes right after hitters with his best stuff and if they hit it, they hit it. More often than not though, the opposing batters slink back to the dugout in failure, hoping that by their next turn at the dish Armstrong has been replaced by someone else on the bump.

Armstrong is a good athlete and has smooth, easily repeatable mechanics. When he’s locating his fastball well, Armstrong is next to impossible to hit. The Indians sent him to the elite Arizona Fall League following the 2012 season, and while he didn’t get a lot of work he was effective when he did pitch. In 5 appearances, Armstrong allowed just two hits and no runs in 5 2/3 innings of work, walking 4 and striking out 3. He should begin the 2013 season in either Akron or Columbus, and has himself set up for a shot at the Indians bullpen as early as this season. He has the stuff to be a closer down the road, and at the very least should be a backend reliever in a major league bullpen.

Glass half-full: A power backend reliever

Glass half-empty: It’s tough to envision a world in which Armstrong isn’t a power backend reliever

Photo Credit: Al Ciammaichella

22. Jordan Smith, OF

DOB: 7/5/1990

Height/Weight: 6-4/205 lbs

Bats/Throws: Left/Right

Acquired: 9^th round pick in the 2011 draft

2012 Stats: .316/.367/.453 with 9 HR and 74 RBI in 116 games for Lake County

Scouting Report: Smith was selected in the 9^th round of the 2011 draft out of Division II St. Cloud State in St. Cloud, Minnesota. There aren’t many Division II players drafted in the top-10 rounds of the MLB draft, and even fewer played their college ball in Minnesota. But Smith’s bat is special, so he’s an exception to that rule. He signed quickly and had an impressive debut in 2011 with the Mahoning Valley Scrappers, hitting an even .300 and putting up a .794 OPS in his first season as a professional. Smith followed that up with an even better 2012, finishing 2^nd in the pitcher-friendly Midwest League in hitting, 6^th in RBI and 9^th in the league in OPS.

Smith has a pretty, smooth swing from the left side of the plate, not unlike Indians 3B Lonnie Chisenhall. It’s a level, line-drive swing that doesn’t put a lot of backspin on the ball but provides gap power for Smith. He has the size and frame to put on some additional bulk, which should help turn some of those doubles into HR down the road. Smith struggled against lefties in 2012, but was much better last season. He hit .317/.365/.478 with 8 HR in 360 AB against righties and .315/.375/.370 with 1 HR in 108 AB against southpaws. While it would be nice to see some more power against same-siders, the overall line is extremely encouraging and shows a lot of growth in one offseason for the young OF.

When he was drafted, Smith was primarily a third baseman. After appearing in 45 games at the hot corner and just 19 in the OF in 2011, Smith was converted to a full-time OF in 2012. Every game Smith played in the field last year was in RF, and in 96 games there he committed 3 errors and recorded 6 outfield assists. Smith has a strong arm and is an average runner, so with additional repetitions he should be able to handle RF just fine. Transitioning from the infield to the outfield isn’t quite as smooth as some would make it out to be, but Smith is a good athlete and should be able to make the move.

Smith is a fun guy to watch hit, as even though he’s not pounding balls over the fence in BP his swing really is a thing of beauty. He has a smooth, clean path to the ball and consistently drills line drives all over the ballpark. I saw him hit a HR in Lake County last year and I doubt the ball ever got more than 20 feet off the ground; it was just a perfectly hit line-drive that didn’t come down until it was over the fence. Smith will likely be the everyday RF for the Carolina Mudcats this season, and it will be interesting to see if he’s been able to add strength to his frame over the offseason and if he can start turning some of those doubles into HR’s. If so, he’s got a chance to make a big leap as a prospect this year.

Glass half-full: A .290/.380/.480 RF with 20-25 HR per season

Glass half-empty: A .280/.360/.430 RF with 10-15 HR per season; more of a 4^th OF

Photo Credit: Al Ciammaichella

21. Eric Haase, C

DOB: 12/18/1992

Height/Weight: 5-10/180 lbs

Bats/Throws: Right/Right

Acquired: 7^th round pick in the 2011 draft

2012 Stats: .263/.298/.474 with 3 HR and 22 RBI in 31 games between Rookie Arizona and Mahoning Valley

Scouting Report: This is probably a lot higher than most of the experts are going to have Haase, but I don’t care. I was able to see quite a bit of the young catcher last year in Goodyear, and came away extremely impressed. Haase was a 7^th round pick out of a Michigan high school in the 2011 draft, and the Indians ponied up with a $580,000 bonus to sign him away from his college of choice. What college was Haase, who was awarded the title of “Mr. Baseball” in Michigan his senior year, committed to attend? None other than The Ohio State University, of course.

Haase has above-average raw tools across the board. With the bat, he’s got a plus hit tool and plus raw power. His senior year in high school, his team had graduated most of the star players that propelled them to a state championship in Haase’s junior year, so he was by far the best player on the team as a senior. Teams consistently pitched around Haase, so he took that as an opportunity to learn to be a better opposite-field hitter. Whatever the reason, it worked, as I saw Haase pound several balls off of and over the RF fence in batting practice last year in Spring Training. He’s got a simple, smooth swing that keeps the bat in the hitting zone as long as possible. In addition to the opposite field power, he has extremely quick wrists that afford him the opportunity to turn on inside fastballs with ease. Haase really can hit the ball wherever it is pitched, a skill not typically associated with players of his experience level.

Behind the plate, Haase has a cannon arm and quick actions. He pitched in high school, and his fastball was clocked in the mid-90’s so arm strength will not be an issue for him behind the dish. He moves well and does a nice job blocking pitches in the dirt. He has all of the tools to be an above-average catcher defensively, and just needs more repetitions and experience handling a professional pitching staff.

Haase actually hit leadoff for his high school team his senior year, and is an above-average runner. For a catcher, he has downright blinding speed. Not sure how long that will last with all of the stress on his lower body that will occur behind the plate, but for now at least his legs are good for his 5^th above-average tool.

Haase is a tireless worker behind the plate and a natural leader. He’s a friendly kid who is a pleasure to talk to, and has all of the intangibles you’d look for in a catcher. Carolina Mudcats manager and minor league catching coordinator Dave Wallace had nothing but great things to say about Haase last year when I spoke with him, and that’s always a great sign for a young player. Haase put up an .826 OPS with 3 HR and 22 RBI for the Rookie League Indians last year, and went 1-12 in a brief 3-game audition with the Mahoning Valley Scrappers at the end of the season. It will be interesting to see where the Indians start the 20-year old backstop this year, as I think he’s ready for his full-season debut in Lake County but they may hold him out until the NYPL starts up in June. Either way, Haase has a bright future in the organization despite being somewhat of an under-the-radar player so far in his brief career.

Glass half-full: A 5-tool catcher, which is pretty darn rare

Glass half-empty: Long way to go between the Scrappers and the Indians

Follow @Gotribe31