The 2012 Cleveland Indians Top Prospects List

Starting in February, our own Geordy Boveroux undertook the ambitious project of compiling a top prospects list for the Cleveland Indians organization. Here’s a summary of Geordy’s list—be sure to check out each player’s full profile!

No. 15: Cord Phelps. No one should be judging Phelps from his 35-game cup of tea in the majors last year, especially with all the quality play he has shown throughout his minor-league career. He’s a very well-rounded player who needs to continue to work hard; he isn’t the most physically gifted guy around, but he’s still athletic enough to make plays offensively and defensively. (full profile here)

No. 14: Chun-Hsiu Chen. Of all the Tribe’s promising catching prospects, the furthest along in terms of development is Chen. If he can make adjustments to bring his strikeout numbers back down and raise his OBP as he progresses, he could be a really valuable asset for the Tribe in the high minors and would probably be the one dangerous MLB-ready bat they’ll have in Columbus. (full profile here)

No. 13: Scott Barnes. As a 6’4″ southpaw he’s just what the Indians currently lack in their rotation: a big lefty. He will never be more than a No. 3 starter at best since his fastball is only average (usually sitting in the low 90’s) and his slider isn’t a true out pitch, but he has consistently produced throughout his minor-league career. (full profile here)

No. 12: Austin Adams. Austin Adams is probably the most intriguing prospect in the Indians’ farm system. He’s a 25-year-old starting pitcher who’s only 5’11,” yet he can hit 100 mph on the radar gun. Because he is short and throws so hard. there are questions about how he will hold up as a full-time starter. Making him into a reliever could get a lot more use out of his plus-plus fastball. (full profile here)

No. 11: Alex Lavisky. As a catcher, Lavisky has big-time ability at the thinnest position in baseball. He has already shown some nice power that can only improve. Lavisky also has much to offer defensively: he has a strong arm and plenty of athleticism. This year is the perfect time for his coming-out party as a top prospect. (full profile here)

No. 10: Felix Sterling. As a 6’3″ 200 righty, Sterling definitely has the build you want in a big-league pitcher, and he’s still only 18. He probably won’t be much more than a No. 3 starter in the majors, but he has shown some nice strikeout ability and could end up being a solid middle-of-the-rotation candidate. (full profile here)

No. 9: Luigi Rodriguez. Rodriguez is probably one of the safest bets out of the plethora of young raw talent the Indians have at the bottom of their minor league system right now. But with that lower floor comes a lower ceiling as well. Rodriguez will probably never develop the power necessary to take the next step as a prospect. Instead, he’ll be a singles machine and will steal a lot of bases. (full profile here)

No. 8: Jake Lowery. If Lowery is able to stay at catcher and his power pans out, he could be a real impact player. As a first baseman or a designated hitter, he could still be a decent option thanks to his plate discipline. He might not get more than 20-25 home runs in his prime, but if he continues to keep his walks up and strikeouts down he should be a solid option for the Tribe in about two years. (full profile here)

No. 7: Chen Lee. At 5’11” Lee, 25, is undersized for a pitcher, but he is still able to generate good velocity on his pitches: he regularly throws his fastball in the mid-90s. Lee compliments his heater with a slider and split-changeup, which adds up to a ton of strikeouts for the Taiwanese right-hander. (full profile here)

No. 6: Jake Sisco. Back at full strength in 2012, Sisco will have the chance to show off his mid-90’s fastball—the extra velocity he gained was a big reason he shot up the draft board. He has the upside of a solid No. 2 starter, though an above-average number three starter is a more likely projection. At worst, he’ll be a back-end big league starter with some above-average strikeout potential. (full profile here)

No. 5: Tony Wolters. Francisco Lindor gets the hype and Ronny Rodriguez could be an offensive force, but Wolters has a surprisingly well-rounded game too. He doesn’t have any one outstanding tool,—unless you count his intelligence. Scouts rave about how Wolters is the prototypical “baseball rat.” (full profile here)

No. 4: LeVon Washington. Washington will never be a .300 hitter—maybe something in the .260-.270 range would be the norm in his prime. Washington could show some double-digit power in his prime, and he can definitely keep up with players like Desmond Jennings and Cameron Maybin on the basepaths. (full profile here)

No. 3: Nick Hagadone. If you ask anyone who keeps a keen eye on the minor leagues, they would tell you that the Indians have stockpiled some of the best relief pitching prospects out there. The crown jewel of all those late-inning arms is Nick Hagadone. He has true closer potential, and it could be him (not Vinnie Pestano) who supplants Chris Perez as the Indians’ closer down the road. (full profile here)

No. 2: Dillon Howard. At 6’4″ and 210 pounds, Howard has the perfect frame for a front-line starter and the repertoire to match. Howard’s main weapon is his hard sinking fastball that can touch 95, as well as a well-developed change-up for a high schooler. Thanks to his solid three-pitch offering, Howard was widely considered the best pitcher to ever come out of his home state of Arkansas. (full profile here)

No. 1: Francisco Lindor. At this point, most Indians fan know all about Lindor and what he has to offer. He’s one of the rare high school shortstops who should be able to stick at that position throughout his professional career, and it’s not unreasonable to foresee a couple of Gold Gloves in his future. Lindor could be a special player in Cleveland, he and Carlos Santana could be the players who define the next decade of Indians baseball. (full profile here)

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