On Monday, we debuted a new series in which you will determine the ranking of the best prospects in the Indians organization. The choices for #1 were as follows, with the percentage of votes received in parentheses.
- OF Clint Frazier (7%)
- SS Francisco Lindor (87%)
- OF Tyler Naquin (0%)
- LHP Justus Sheffield (1%)
- OF Bradley Zimmer (4%)
By an overwhelming margin, you selected Francisco Lindor as the top prospect in the system. Lindor was the team's first round selection in the 2011 Draft (8th overall selection). At the time, Lindor was known as a polished defender, with enough of a bat to make him an everyday MLB shortstop. We didn't know at the time whether he'd develop any power, but his glove was never in doubt. Baseball America rated him the top prospect in the organization for the last three seasons, which is impressive given that he didn't turn 21 until this past November.
How can we quantify how good Lindor is in the field? Lindor has soft hands (60-70 score on the 20-80 scouting scale), and above average arm (60), and has garnered comparisons to Omar Vizquel (!) in how he anticipates where batters are going to hit the ball. If that wasn't enough, just about everyone who has worked with him has raved about his work ethic, so he's going to get the most out his excellent physical tools.
And if that wasn't enough, Lindor has made outstanding strides at the plate. He's been pushed through the minors mainly because he can handle the position defensively, but at no point has he been overwhelmed by pitchers 3-4 years older than him. As a 20-year-old, he hit .276/.338/.389 between Akron (AA) and Columbus (AAA), quite impressive if you consider his age and experience. He's an above-average runner, and could eventually hit at the top of the order at the major-league level.
Prospect analysts like to use the term "high ceiling" when it comes to prospects; it denotes that that player has the capacity to greatly improve with experience. Lindor has both a high ceiling and a high floor, in that he could become an All-Star caliber player, but at the very worst would be a solid player based just on his defense alone. Because of that, the Indians didn't even think about bringing Asdrubal Cabrera back, and although Lindor may start the season in Columbus, it's just going to be a matter of time until he's playing shortstop in Cleveland.
Now it's your turn: who do you think is the #2 prospect in the Indians system?
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