Cleveland Indians 2016 Top 30 Prospects Review – No. 24 to 19

Reviewing the Cleveland Indians 2016 Preseason Top Prospects – No. 24 to 19

Today, we continue our top prospect review with the next six players from our preseason list. Included are several advanced college bats, a reliever with big league experience, and a pair of players that were nearly dealt this summer.

#24 Tyler Krieger, 2B/SS

Coming in at number 24 on our preseason top prospect list, Krieger was making his Indians organizational debut in 2016. He was the Tribe’s 4^th Round pick in 2015 but didn’t play due to a shoulder injury. He began the year at Class-A Lake County where he hit a stout .313/.385/.427 in 69 games. He added a trio of home runs, 13 doubles, four triples, and 15 stolen bases. He then played 59 games at Advanced-A Lynchburg after being promoted.  He picked up mostly right where he left off with the Captains, hitting .282/.369/.405 with two home runs, 13 doubles, four triples, and six stolen bases. Drafted as a shortstop, he played exclusively second base in 2016 for both the Captains and Hillcats, totally 117 games at the position.

Future Outlook: Krieger was an advanced college player who came in and did exactly what one wants to see from guys like that, hit well at the lower levels. The 22-year-old switch hitter transitioned flawlessly to pro ball though will face a big test once he reaches Double-A, which could come very early in 2017 if not opening day, depending how aggressive the Indians want to be with him. Once thought to have the range to stick at shortstop, an arm injury his last year at Clemson may have permanently moved him to second base though he has potential to be an effective major leaguer there thanks to the bat. Power still could use some developing, but he showed good discipline at the plate walking over 10-percent of the time. It’s still way too early but he has a bit of that Jason Kipnis-vibe to him. Physical tools don’t jump out at you but a guy that knows how to play and should move up the list next year.

#23 Greg Allen, OF

Allen came in at number 23 on our preseason top prospect list and looked like he may not be around for 2017 after initially being traded to the Milwaukee Brewers as part of the failed Jonathan Lucroy deal. The 23-year-old switch-hitting outfielder enjoyed an impressive year with the Indians. He began the year at Advanced-A Lynchburg where he hit .298/.424/.402 in 92 games before earning a late season promotion to Double-A Akron where he continued to hit, batting .290/.399/.441. Overall Allen hit an impressive .295 with an amazing .416 on-base percentage. He also stole 45 bases between the two clubs and scored 119 runs. To top it off, he was named a minor league Gold Glove winner by Baseball America after the season.

Future Outlook: Allen is one of the best defensive outfielders in the organization. He played exclusively center field this season but has experience in right as well. Defensively he’s probably big league ready right now; however, he’ll likely start the season at Double-A Akron to finish developing his bat. He offers very little power (career .101 ISO), but the speed and on-base skills could make him a quality starter in centerfield. The Indians have a lot of outfield depth but Allen is starting to make a name for himself and it would not be a complete shock to see him in Cleveland at some point next year, even if it’s just in a backup role.

#20 Shawn Armstrong, RHP

One of the few prospects on our list that had big league experience, Armstrong came in at number 20 in March. An absolutely electric arm, Armstrong struggled at times in 2016, spending most of the season at Triple-A Columbus. In 47 games (49 innings), he did post an impressive 1.84 ERA and 2.19 FIP for the Clippers. He also struck out over 13 per nine innings or 35.3% of hitters he faced. However, he also walked over five per nine or 14.2% of all hitters he faced. Despite that, he held hitters to a .157 batting average against, keeping his WHIP at just 1.14. He also saw action with the big league club on multiple occasions and is currently in the pen as a September call-up. To date, he’s appeared in 10 games for the Indians posting a 2.53 ERA, 4.46 FIP, 5.9 K/9, and 4.2 BB/9.

Future Outlook: There’s no denying that Armstrong has stuff one wants to see in a big league pen. He can rear back and get a strikeout when needed and his stuff moves enough that it’s hard for hitters to square him up. However, until he improves his command he is likely to be stuck on the I-71 shuttle between Columbus and Cleveland. He’ll enter 2017 with one more minor league option left but could impress enough in Spring Training to stick with the club. Either way, 2017 could be Armstrong’s last chance to stick with the Indians. He’s got the stuff for it…

#19 Mark Mathias, 2B/3B

Coming in at number 19, Mathias, like Krieger, enjoyed a solid offensive season the year after being drafted by the Indians. Taken in the 3^rd Round of the 2015 draft, the right-handed hitting second baseman began his season at Advanced-A Lynchburg where he hit .282/.382/.408 in 115 games. He got a late call up to Akron but only appeared in five regular season games there. A college second baseman out of Cal Poly, he played his first shortstop and third base as a pro this year with the Hillcats, appearing 26 games at third and 19 at short in addition to 69 at his natural second base. He only hit five home runs on the season but did hit an impressive 40 doubles between Lynchburg and Akron.

Future Outlook: Mathias is similar to Krieger in that a bulk of his offensive value comes from his ability to get on base. Also like Krieger, he has yet to show much power in the way of home runs but the extra base hits were there. It would not be a surprise to see both Mathias and Krieger at Akron next season though how their time will be split is something to watch for. Mathias is a bit stretched at shortstop and the power isn’t an ideal fit at third base though he’s capable of playing there. Mathias is another guy who doesn’t have the physical tools but knows how to get on base and is a prospect that is on the rise as well.

Next: Indians 2016 Prospects Review – No. 30 to 25

We are now one-third of the way through reviewing our preseason top prospect list. Several prospects impressed while a few dropped off the map. Be sure to check back for our continued reviews of the Cleveland Indians’ 2016 top prospects and don’t forget to let us know your thoughts on the Tribe’s system.