Cleveland Indians: Five Players That Could Play a Key Part in 2016

Mandatory Credit: Peter Llewellyn-USA TODAY Sports

Abraham Almonte – OF

The Indians’ midseason firesale wasn’t really a firesale–more of a house cleaning of bad money–but it did lead to some changes that could benefit the team in the long run. Almonte could be one of those changes, and he’s a guy you can’t help but pull for. If you haven’t heard his story you can read it here.

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At 26, he’s far from over the hill, but not likely a long-term solution. The Indians have several talented outfielders coming up through the system, but they aren’t likely to be ready by next season. He could be the stop-gap solution that Michael Bourn was supposed to be–but at a much better price.

The remainder of this season is an audition for Almonte, and so far he’s impressed. His line of .268/.327/.515 with an OPS of .843 are all career highs. He’s added five triples while stealing three, showing his speed. He’s shown a little bit of power with his three home runs, but that’s not something the Tribe would be counting on.

While guys like Bradley Zimmer, Clint Frazier, and Tyler Naquin work their way to Cleveland, Almonte could be a solid solution on the short-term in the Indians’ outfield. A low risk, high-reward guy like Almonte is what they need–not the typical million dollar free agent bust they’ve had in recent years.

Next: A career saving move?