Cleveland Indians: 3 Spring Training Invitees And Their Chances of Making the Team

There are several players who are not yet on the Cleveland Indians roster, but they could be in the dugout on Opening Day.

The Cleveland Indians don’t have many questions when it comes to the 25-man roster. The only real concern surrounds the health of Michael Brantley, who still isn’t fully cleared to return.

Not that he can’t help, but the Indians did make it to the World Series without him last season. Players like Rajai Davis, Brandon Guyer, Tyler Naquin, and Jose Ramirez all stepped up to fill the perceived holes on the roster, and the same can happen this year with different players.

These players could be traded for, or signed, during the season, or perhaps they are already with the organization, just not on an official basis.

The Indians are bringing Austin Jackson, Chris Colabello, and Wily Mo Pena to spring training this season, all of whom have a chance to make the big league roster. Not all may have the same chance, but nothing is out of the question when it comes to players stepping up for this Indians team.

With the roster nearly set, one of these players would have to really make a splash in March and prove that not giving him a roster spot would be a major mistake. That, or a starter would have to go down with an injury.

Anything can happen between now and the regular season, so let’s look at the three aforementioned invitees and analyze their respective chances of making the team.

Austin Jackson has the easiest route to make the roster, given he plays well in March.

Indians fans may remember him best for his time with the Detroit Tigers, where he played from 2010-2014. He has had stints with the Seattle Mariners, Chicago Cubs, and Chicago White Sox since then, and is looking to become a key piece in a team’s outfield in 2017.

Jackson has the ability to fill Rajai Davis’ role this season if he can make the roster. The difference this year is that Abraham Almonte will not be suspended to start the season, thus making it harder to crack the roster.

In 2015, Jackson’s last full season, he slashed .267/.311/.385 between his time with the Mariners and the Cubs. And at only 30 years of age, there is still plenty of time for him to have a career resurgence and provide the Indians with further outfield depth.

Right now, the only shot Jackson has to make the team is if Michael Brantley starts the season on the disabled list. But that seems more likely with each passing day, as the Indians are easing Brantley back into action.

So if Jackson appears to be his old self and Brantley is not ready for April, expect the former Tigers star to make the final roster.

Signing Chris Colabello was a smart move by the Indians. Who could turn down a utility player who batted .321 in his only full season at the MLB level? The answer is a lot of teams, but offering him a spring training invite was a low-risk move.

Colabello didn’t reach the MLB level until 2013, and has only played in 225 career games. His 2016 season was cut short when he was suspended for PED use.

But in 2015, he slashed .321/.367/.520 in 101 games for the Toronto Blue Jays. He did this while playing both corner outfield positions, along with some time at first base. This versatility will suit him well as he fights for a roster spot.

The problem for Colabello is that there just may not be room for him on the roster if everyone remains healthy. Even if Brantley is out, Austin Jackson seems to be first in line for that final spot.

The only way for Colabello to make it will be to play so well in spring training that the team can’t ignore him. He can also outplay Jackson and perhaps even Almonte, making him the favorite to earn a job.

But Colabello’s lack of major league service, and the fact he is 33 years old, may lead to the Indians going with a more proven option for that fifth outfielder/utility role.

Wily Mo Pena’s chances of making this Indians squad are slim at best. After signing Edwin Encarnacion, there isn’t much room for another power bat, especially one who hasn’t played in the MLB since 2011.

But Pena will be at spring training, and perhaps he can earn himself a minor league job or even a job on another team.

The signing of Pena seems to be a minor favor to Encarnacion, who is friends with the player who hit some absolute monster home runs a decade ago.

Now, as Indians fans know after last season, it is unfair to count out any player. Baseball is a wonderful sport where natural ability can sometimes overcome one’s reputation, meaning Pena could return to his old ways.

But the fact no MLB team has given him a roster spot since 2011 does not bode well for his chances of making this Indians team. Unlike in past years, 2017 is not a year for projects.

Next: 5 Reasons Indians Will Win World Series

The good news for Pena is that his time in Arizona can help him launch an MLB comeback after playing in Japan for four years. He is 35 years old, but if he can prove he is still a capable MLB hitter, he can serve as a veteran leader on a team. That team just won’t be the Indians.