Cleveland Indians: A discussion on the Tribe’s farm system

More arms on the way for the pitching staff

In addition to being loaded at short, the Indians have 12 pitchers in their top 30–three lefties and nine right-handers.

If there is anything Cleveland has been undeniably successful at across the board over the last several years, it’s been in the development of young pitchers. At no time was this more on display than in 2019, when Shane Bieber took the reins of the MLB rotation and Aaron Civale gave the Tribe one gutsy performance after another in what can fairly be classified as an emergency starting role down the stretch.

Zach Plesac and Adam Plutko performed admirably (if a little over their heads) as well, and Mike Clevinger took a step from third starter to front-line ace this season. If we expand our assessment of the Indians’ ability to mold starting pitchers to go back a few years, look no further than Corey Kluber: an afterthought in a three-team trade at the 2010 deadline who has since won two Cy Young awards.

With such a wealth of young arms in their system–including four among their top 10 prospects in Logan Allen, Triston McKenzie, Daniel Espino, and Ethan Hankins–there is cause for optimism that the pitching mill will continue to churn out quality starters for years to come.

It also shouldn’t go overlooked, as Callis notes, that the Indians began to replenish a lack of left-handed pitching at the 2019 deadline with their acquisitions of Allen (Cleveland’s number-four prospect) and Scott Moss.