Cleveland Indians: Get to know the six players acquired from San Diego

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The Cleveland Indians acquired six players in a massive deal that sent starting pitching Mike Clevinger to the San Diego Padres. Here’s a closer look at the newest Indians.

In perhaps the most significant move of the 2020 MLB Trade Deadline, the Cleveland Indians sent shockwaves around the baseball world as they traded starting pitcher Mike Clevinger and outfielder Greg Allen to the San Diego Padres for six players, including both major league talent and big-name prospects.

The Indians acquired outfielder Josh Naylor, catcher Austin Hedges and relief pitcher Cal Quantrill who were all in the majors with the Padres while also adding prospects Gabriel Arias, Joey Cantillo and Owen Miller.

While the Indians lost their No. 2 starter, this deal is expected to help them both in the short term and long term and there has been much praise for the haul Cleveland general manager Mike Chernoff and his staff were able to real in.

With six new faces joining the Indians organization, here’s a closer look at each player and their future in Cleveland.

SAN DIEGO, CA – AUGUST 4: Josh Naylor #22 of the San Diego Padres bats during the game against the Los Angeles Dodgers at Petco Park on August 4, 2020 in San Diego, California. The Dodgers defeated the Padres 5-2. (Photo by Rob Leiter/MLB Photos via Getty Images) /

The player that will make the biggest immediate impact upon arrival in Cleveland is outfielder Josh Naylor.

Naylor was drafted 12th overall in the 2015 MLB Draft by the Miami Marlins out of Canada and was traded to San Diego in 2016 in a deal that sent starting pitcher Andrew Cashner to Miami.

He is the older brother of Indians top catching prospect Bo Naylor and has had an impressive season at the plate for San Diego.

In 36 at-bats, the 23-year old is slashing .278/.316/.417 with a home run and four RBI’s. Naylor made his MLB debut in 2019, where he played in 94 games in which he slashed .249/.315/.403 with eight home runs and 32 RBI’s.

Perhaps the Indians’ most significant weakness so far this season is a lack of production from their outfield as players such as Bradley Zimmer, Jordan Luplow and Delino DeShields have all struggled and Greg Allen was sent to San Diego.

Thus, Naylor will likely be tasked with helping turn around the Indians outfield woes and finding himself in the Tribe’s every day starting lineup immediately upon arrival and in the future as he has several years of control left on his contract.

ARLINGTON, TEXAS – AUGUST 17: Austin Hedges #18 of the San Diego Padres celebrates after hitting a solo home run against the Texas Rangers in the top of the fourth inning at Globe Life Field on August 17, 2020 in Arlington, Texas. (Photo by Tom Pennington/Getty Images) /

Long time Padres starting catcher Austin Hedges will be joining the Indians after San Diego added Seattle’s Austin Nola and Jason Castro from the Angels in a separate trades.

Hedges has been with the Padres since 2015 and was their primary catcher from 2017-20. In his career, the 28-year old and former second round draft pick is slashing just .199/.257/.359 with 49 home runs and 146 RBI’s in his career but has consistently graded out as one of the best defensive catchers in baseball.

He has shown pop in his career despite his low batting average as in 2017, he smacked 18 home runs and 55 RBI’s.

This season Hedges has struggled at the plate; however, as in 29 games, he’s slashing just .158/.258/.333 and three home runs and six RBI’s but has again played great defense as he’s made just one error with only one passed ball allowed.

In Cleveland, Hedges will likely slide into the backup catcher’s spot as Sandy Leon is hitting just .130 on the season.

SAN DIEGO, CA – SEPTEMBER 9: Cal Quantrill #40 of the San Diego Padres pitches during the first inning of a baseball game against the Chicago Cubs at Petco Park September 9, 2019 in San Diego, California. (Photo by Denis Poroy/Getty Images) /

The final player currently playing at the big league level by the Indians in the deal with San Diego is right-handed reliever, Cal Quantrill.

Quantrill is a 25-year-old from Canada who was originally drafted in the 25th round in the 2013 MLB Draft by the New York Yankees but opted to play college baseball at Stanford. That decision paid off as he was selected with the eighth overall selection in the 2016 draft by San Diego.

As a rookie in 2019, Quantrill pitched in 23 games, with 18 being starts. He posted a 6-8 record and 5.16 ERA, but in 2020 has shown signs of significant improvement moving into the bullpen full-time.

In 10 games with nine being relief appearances, Quantrill is 2-0 with a 2.60 ERA and has struck out 18 batters in 17.1 innings of work.

With the Indians, he figures to slide into the sixth inning role or any mid-relief inning to help get the ball to set-up men Nick Wittgren and James Karinchak and then closer Brad Hand. He also could help out to make a spot start if the team still wants to limit Zach Pleseac‘s time in the majors or want to give one of their starters an extra day of rest for the stretch run.

MEXICO CITY, MEXICO – MARCH 23: Gabriel Arias of San Diego Padres runs to first base in the 4th inning during a friendly game between San Diego Padres and Diablos Rojos at Alfredo Harp Helu Stadium on March 23, 2019 in Mexico City, Mexico. The game is held as part of the opening celebrations of the Alfredo Harp Helu Stadium, now the newest in Mexico to play baseball. (Photo by Hector Vivas/Getty Images) /

The highest-ranked prospect added by the Indians in the eight-player deal is shortstop Gabriel Arias.

Arias is a native of Venezuela who was ranked as the Padres seventh-best prospect by MLB Pipeline at the trade time.

The 20-year-old is now ranked as Cleveland’s fifth-best prospect in the updated MLB Pipeline Rankings and as the Indians’ second-best shortstop prospect only behind Tyler Freeman who ranks as Cleveland’s second-best prospect.

Arias has been stellar in three seasons of minor league action as he’s slashing .270/.319/.396 with 23 home runs and 147 RBI’s.

He played the entire 2019 season with San Diego’s High-A Affiliate in Lake Elsinore, California and slashed .302/.339/.470 with 17 home runs and 75 RBI’s in 120 games.

The 20-year-old still has a long way to go before reaching the majors as Pipeline projects his arrival to the majors will be in 2022, but if he pans out to live up to his potential, there’s a chance he could be Cleveland’s shortstop of the future with Francisco Lindor not expected to be with the team past 2021.

BALTIMORE, MD – JUNE 26: Cleveland Indians cap and glove in the dug out before a baseball game against the Baltimore Orioles at Oriole Park at Camden Yards on June 26, 2015 in Baltimore, Maryland. The Orioles won 4-0. (Photo by Mitchell Layton/Getty Images) /

As part of the trade, the Indians bolstered their minor league pitching depth by adding left-hander Joey Cantillo.

Cantillo was drafted in the 16th round of the 2017 Draft by the Padres but quickly soared through their minor league rankings and was their ninth best prospect per MLB Pipeline at the time of the trade.

He joins the Indians’ farm system as the organization’s 15th ranked overall prospect and as the top-ranked left-handed pitcher in the Cleveland system.

In parts of three minor league seasons’ Cantillo has made 41 career appearances with 32 being starts and has posted a 13-7 record, 2.51 ERA and has held opposing hitters to a .187 average.

Last season Cantillo pitched in 19 games at the Padres Low-A affiliate in Fort Wayne, Indiana and posted a 9-3 record and 1.93 ERA in 98 innings of work. He was promoted to High-A Lake Elsinore for his final three outings and went 1-1 with a 4.61 ERA.

With the Indians being one of the best at developing young pitchers, Cantillo’s future should be in good hands as he continues to work towards reaching the big leagues.

PEORIA, AZ – OCTOBER 16: Owen Miller #14 of the Peoria Javelinas (San Diego Padres) bats against the Salt River Rafters during an Arizona Fall League game at Peoria Sports Complex on October 16, 2019 in Peoria, Arizona. (Photo by Joe Robbins/Getty Images) /

The Indians finished off their mega-deal with San Diego by landing utility infielder Owen Miller.

Miller has played second, third and shortstop throughout his minor league career after being selected in the third round of the 2018 Draft out of Illinois State by San Diego.

The infielder was the Padres 11th ranked prospect and comes to Cleveland ranked 19th in their system.

Miller has slashed an impressive .307/.367/.441 with 17 home runs and 101 RBI’s in parts of two minor league seasons.

He spent the 2019 season with San Diego’s Double-A Affiliate in Amarillo, Texas and slashed .290/.355/.430 with 13 home runs and 68 RBI’s in 130 games. MLB Pipeline projects Miller’s arrival to the majors to be 2020, but with the Indians depth in the infield, and no 40-man roster expansion, it’s hard to imagine him getting the call this season.

Regardless, Miller should be one that will help soften the blow of the inevitable departure of Lindor and be a mainstay in the Indians infield for several years to come.

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