Cleveland Indians: Francisco Mejia is a great sign for long-term success

Francisco Mejia is standing out as a bright piece of the Cleveland Indians’ future. He is a quick-to-move catcher, and is great at the plate.

Francisco Mejia is shining bright in the Cactus League this year. In his most recent success, he was 1-for-1 against the Kansas City Royals on Saturday. He made that one hit count. Mejia’s grand slam in the seventh inning won the Indians the game and turned many heads toward the minor league catcher.

Spring training is so far so great for Mejia, who has driven in eight runs and hit two home runs in Goodyear this March. After Saturday’s performance, the Indians are now wondering if Mejia is on the brink of catching in the majors. And it will only get better from here.

While he is barely old enough to walk into a bar, Mejia is one of the Indians’ top prospects. Defensively, Mejia is quickly gaining credibility as a reliable catcher. He turned 10 double plays last season with 682 putouts and 85 assists. He held a .988 fielding percentage and a solid 8.82 range factor.

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The real eyebrow-raiser is Mejia’s batting. Last year, he hit .342/.382/.514 between High-A Lynchburg and Low-A Lake County, hitting 10 home runs and 80 RBI. More than a good hitter, he’s already broken records, as he holds the minor league title for longest hitting streak in 62 years, after a 50-game hitting streak.

Think of Mejia as a sample of the future Indians. And the best of his fellow prospects mixed in? An elegant sample platter. Imagine Bradley Zimmer dominating the outfield, Brady Aiken on the mound, and Nolan Jones on third base, with Mejia as backstop, to name a few. Mejia, among others, in the works means we are booked for continued success, even after this projected successful 2017 season.

With Roberto Perez  and Yan Gomes both taking over home plate this season, Mejia won’t likely see much time as the Tribe’s catcher. But he’s standing out as a bright piece of the Indians’ future. He is a quick-to-move catcher, and can bat like no one’s business.

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The Indians didn’t just build their team for current success—they’re thinking long-term. The Indians’ minor leagues grow stronger by the minute, and already have a number of powerful, young prospects that the Indians can look forward to for a long time to come.