Cleveland Indians: 5 most important players in 2017

He may only be 23 years old, but Francisco Lindor has cemented himself as one of the faces of the Cleveland Indians.

The young shortstop has only played one full MLB season, but made the most of it by being named an All-Star, finishing ninth in AL MVP voting and winning a Gold Glove award.

This sets him up with high expectations for 2017, but there is no need to worry about how he will perform. His dominance at the World Baseball Classic showed he is ready to surprise fans once again.

With Jason Kipnis out and Jose Ramirez potentially shifting to second base for the first month of the season, Lindor will be the most important part of the infield. He will have to work with whoever is at third, along with Ramirez, to keep the group playing at a high rate.

Lindor’s offense is also important for the team, as he will look to improve upon his .301 average from last season. With questions surrounding Ramirez and his ability to repeat his high offensive marks from last season, Lindor will be looked to as someone who can be relied upon in any situation.

He doesn’t need to win any postseason awards to help this team, although it will be hard for voters to not hand him hardware if he plays how he did last season. His natural ability to make plays in the field may mesmerize fans, but it is just how he plays.

He hasn’t even hit his prime yet, so it will be fun to see just how great Lindor becomes in only his second full season with the Indians.