MLB.com releases new top 100 prospects and top 20 Indians prospects

MLB Pipeline (the prospect branch of MLB.com) has released the midseason update to their top 100 prospects list, in addition to an updated top 20 for each team.

Francisco Lindor rises from #10 on the overall list to #5, second among all shortstops, and they expect him to be up for at least a September cup of coffee this season. An excerpt from their comments on Lindor:

"Lindor is an elite defensive shortstop, and many scouts consider him to be the best defender in the Minor Leagues. He has a strong arm, and he ranges well to both sides."

Clint Frazier remains fairly static on the list; he's at #49 now (ninth among all outfielders) after starting the year at #48. Their ETA for making it to the big leagues is 2017. From their comments:

"Frazier isn't overly physical, which gives some scouts pause, but his overall array of tools and his makeup help him overcome any concerns about his size."

Those two top the team's top 20, of course, and here's the full list (click through to read comments on each player, and see grades for their various tools/pitches), along with where each player was ranked on their preseason list:

1. Franciso Lindor, SS (1)
2. Clint Frazier, OF (2)
3. Tyler Naquin, OF (5)
4. Bradley Zimmer, OF (NR)
5. Jose Ramirez, 2B (8)
6. Francisco Mejia, C (7)
7. Justus Sheffield, LHP (NR)
8. Erik Gonzalez, SS (12)
9. Joe Wendle, 2B (11)
10. Jesus Aguilar, 1B (19)
11. Cody Anderson, RHP (4)
12. Dorssys Paulino, OF (6)
13. Giovanny Urshela, 3B (NR)
14. Mike Papi, 1B (NR)
15. Dylan Baker, RHP (16)
16. Carlos Moncrief, OF (10)
17. Adam Plutko, RHP (NR)
18. Tony Wolters, C (9)
19. Luis Lugo, LHP (NR)
20. Sean Brady, LHP (18)

Zimmer, Sheffield, and Papi were the Tribe's first three draft picks last month, so this was their first chance to make the list. I think it's especially nice to see Sheffield so high already, given his youth (18) and the constant need for some high-end pitching. That youth means he's a ways away though, with an ETA of 2018.

Urshela is highest on the list among players who were already in the system, but unranked. The 22-year-old is a plus defender at third base, and is having his best offensive season since entering the team's farm system back in 2009.

Aguilar made the biggest jump among prospects who were already on the list.

Anderson and Paulino are the most notable drops, along with Ronny Rodriguez, who spent a couple years in the top ten, but isn't even on the list anymore. Anderson had a breakout season at Double-A in 2013, but has not been able to repeat it, while Paulino's defense at shortstop was so bad during the first month or so of this season, that he was moved to the outfield.

Four of the top seven are not expected in Cleveland til at least 2017, while Lindor, Naquin, and Ramirez could be helping the team by next summer (heck, Ramirez is helping the team right now).