Cleveland Indians: Are More September Call Ups on the Way?
By Matt Bretz
Aug 7, 2015; Cleveland, OH, USA; Cleveland Indians center fielder Tyler Holt (13) celebrates with Cleveland Indians right fielder Lonnie Chisenhall (8) after scoring during the third inning against the Minnesota Twins at Progressive Field. Mandatory Credit: Ken Blaze-USA TODAY Sports
Who Could Lose a Roster Spot?
Several players could be in danger of losing their 40-man roster spot, if not now then this winter. Couple guys that could be in serious danger now include catcher Tony Wolters and starting pitcher Jayson Aquino. Wolters, a converted middle infielder, is a very good defensive catcher but injuries have limited him. He also only hit .209 with a sub .300 OBP with Double-A Akron before getting hurt. He’s got the versatility to play the infield when needed in addition to catching so he’s not a guy I suspect the Indians will want to designate, but he’s a guy who may sneak through waivers.
Jayson Aquino was acquired from the Pirates earlier this year. Originally with the Blue Jays, he enjoyed moderate success in Advanced-A ball this year in three different organizations. With the Indians at Lynchburg, he started six games and had a 2.45 ERA and 2.89 FIP. Very good numbers; however, he also had a K-rate under six per nine innings this season. He didn’t miss many bats and given he’s still in A-ball, he’s a guy that the Indians probably wouldn’t be overly disappointed if he were to be claimed.
So Who Will Be Called Up?
The Indians current big league roster is at 31 players, six over the standard 25 limit. They have 16 pitchers, nine of which are in the bullpen. There’s 15 position players giving Francona six bench players at any given time. There is no absolute need per se, to call up anyone else. However, there are a few spots where the Indians definitely could bolster the roster. Tyler Holt helping out in the outfield seems like as good a bet as any. At least one of Choice/Aguilar seems like it could also happen. Walters’s injury puts his call-up into question but if healthy I think his power is something the Indians simply can’t leave in the minors. And finally, C.C. Lee would seem all but certain to be called up.
However, things could also change too if the Indians were to falter this weekend and the season were in jeopardy. They could decide it’s better to not add service time to young players that may never really see the field. Then again, they could also decide it’s more beneficial to see guys like Aguilar, Choice, and Ramsey getting looks with an eye on 2016 and beyond. I wouldn’t count on all these young players getting the call, but I would expect two to four of them getting calls, regardless of the Indians playoff situation, with Tyler Holt, Michael Choice, Jesus Aguilar, Zach Walters (if healthy), and C.C. Lee as the most likely candidates.
So which players would you like to see added that haven’t already been called up? Did I miss one that you would like to see? Let us know in the comments below.