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2013 in Review: Minors
Levels: DSL Indians (R-) • AZL Indians (R-) • Mahoning Valley (SSA) • Lake County (A-) • Carolina (A+) • Akron (AA) • Columbus (AAA)
Players: SS Francisco Lindor • C Tony Wolters • RHP Mitch Brown • SS Dorssys Paulino • OF Tyler Naquin • 2B/SS Ronny Rodriguez • OF Luigi Rodriguez • OF LeVon Washington • RHP Cody Anderson • OF Clint Frazier • RHP Trevor Bauer
Over the next few days, I'll be reviewing the Cleveland farm system as we head into the 2014 season, ending with the latest Prospects That Matter (PTM) list. PTM is not a ranking system, but a list of players that I feel that the average Indians fan should get to know better. Inclusion is not based on tools or upside (though those things could tip the scales in either direction if a player is borderline) but on age, level, and success. Age and level are pretty cut and dry, but what constitutes success? That is something that in previous updates I have interpreted rather broadly, and this time I'd like to define "success" more specifically.
But first, I want to review some other rankings and lists that have been released over the winter. These are more traditional lists of prospects, which are based on abilities, upside, and success. They are based on watching the players in action, as well as conversations with other scouts in the industry. Prospect evaluation is not an exact science (we're talking about humans, not chemical elements), and so you should not limit your reading to just one source or even a couple sources. In addition to those lists below, I also recommend:
- John Sickels' Minor League Ball, which is in the process of releasing the 2014 Top 20 lists by organization. Here's his 2013 mid-season review and 2013 pre-season list.
- Indians Baseball Insider (formerly Indians Prospect Insider), which is run by Tony Lastoria, has an extensive listing of Tribe prospects
Baseball Prospectus (Jason Parks)
(list is free, scouting reports require subscription)
- SS Francisco Lindor
- OF Clint Frazier
- CF Tyler Naquin
- RHP Cody Anderson
- C Francisco Mejia
- 2B Jose Ramirez
- SS Ronny Rodriguez
- IF Dorssys Paulino
- 2B Joe Wendle
- RHP Dace Kime
Baseball America (Jim Shonerd)
(list is free, scouting reports require subscription)
- SS Francisco Lindor
- OF Clint Frazier
- RHP Trevor Bauer
- CF Tyler Naquin
- RHP Cody Anderson
- IF Dorssys Paulino
- SS/2B Ronny Rodriguez
- RHP C.C. Lee
- 2B/SS Jose Ramirez
- RHP Austin Adams
(select "20 by Team", then "Indians" from the drop-down menu)
- SS Francisco Lindor
- RHP Trevor Bauer
- CF Clint Frazier
- IF Dorssys Paulino
- CF Tyler Naquin
- RHP Cody Anderson
- SS/2B Ronny Rodriguez
- RHP Dace Kime
- RHP Mitch Brown
- CF Luigi Rodriguez
- C Tony Wolters
- 2B/SS Jose Ramirez
- CF LeVon Washington
- RHP C.C. Lee
- LHP Kyle Crockett
- OF D'vone McClure
- 1B Jesus Aguilar
- C Alex Monsalve
- LHP Sean Brady
- RHP Dylan Baker
Some takeaways from these lists:
- Francisco Lindor and Clint Frazier seem to be the organization's consensus top two prospects.
- There are wild disagreements with Trevor Bauer. BP leaves him entirely off the list (update: because according to BP's standards, he had exhausted prospect status), while both BA and MLB.com leave him among the top prospects in the organization.
- Francisco Mejia, who had a great debut in Arizona, was left off of Baseball America's and MLB.com's list, but is fourth on BP's list. Mejia just turned 18 in October, and he's played in a grand total of 30 professional games, so I understand why there's some reluctance to list him this early in his career.
- You don't see many starting pitchers on these lists. Bauer and Cody Anderson right now are the top two prospects, and after that you're down to pitchers the Indians drafted this past June (Dace Kime, Sean Brady). This is why I've been concerned about the starting pitching depth in the organization, and why the Indians may still add pitching before Spring Training begins.
- There is some disagreement with whether Jose Ramirez or Ronny Rodriguez is the better prospect. Ramirez made it to the majors in 2013 and should see some significant time in Cleveland in 2014, but his size could limit him to a reserve role. Rodriguez, on the other hand, seems to need more time in the minors, but has the tools to be a major-league starting shortstop.
Next: PTM and "Success"
