Cleveland Indians: 5 potential in-house replacements for Francisco Lindor

The Cleveland Indians are expected to part ways with Francisco Lindor sometime in the next year, so who could be called on to replace him?

The 2020 season just concluded and the offseason has barely begun, but talk the surrounding the Cleveland Indians moving on from Francisco Lindor is already is mid-season form. There is still one more year of arbitration left before Lindor is able to negotiate his mammoth contract that is sure to result in his exit out of Cleveland.

Lindor leaving is sure to leave an insurmountable gap on the team offensively, defensively and in the clubhouse. Regardless, someone will have to attempt to fill the shoes of one of the game’s elite players.

The Indians have acquired a plethora of middle infield talent in their minor leagues in preparation of Lindor’s departure, but majority of the players aren’t ready for the majors just yet. In total, the Indians have nine middle infielders on their Top 30 prospect list.

There are other avenues that the club could take in trying to replace Lindor. The most obvious one would be the add a bridge-type player through free agency. This could be a serviceable player on a one or two year deal to fill the spot until the players in the minors are ready. Given that the Indians want to save money, a top level free agent is out of the question and even a middle tier one might be, too. This option would probably be a bare bones deal that wouldn’t bring much benefit.

The other option would be to make a trade, but that again would cost the team assets that they don’t want to part with. It would make more sense to use in-house prospects than to trade some away for a player that will leave sooner.

That leaves the most logical option to be to tap into the minor leagues. With so many high-potential players, the team could use multiple while figuring out which one works best. It will be nearly impossible to replace Francisco Lindor, but this is the team’s best option.

Tyler Freeman – Highest Level: A+

At the top of the list for the players expected to fill in for Francisco Lindor is the Cleveland Indians’ No. 2 prospect Tyler Freeman. While Freeman is the one that should be the long-term solution, he might not be ready in the short-term.

The cancelation of the 2020 season for the minor leagues took a big toll on some players and Freeman is one of them. This could have been a big leap in the 21-year old’s development, but it was instead spent away from the organization.

So far, Freeman has only played as high as A+, spending half of the 2019 season in Lynchburg. He was rather impressive there, slashing .319/.354/.397 over 62 games while also maintaining .976 fielding percentage at shortstop over 57 games played at the position, totaling 482 innings. He committed just six errors and helped turn 28 double plays.

There is little to question when it comes to Freeman’s performance so far. In more ways than one his game mimics that of Lindor when he was coming up through the minors. The concern for Freeman is just the experience. The position is his to lose for the future, but in the meantime there needs to be a bridge to hold over until he is ready.

Ernie Clement – Highest Level: Triple-A

Of the players that are suited to take over for Francisco Lindor, Ernie Clement is probably the most MLB-ready of the bunch. He only has three games played at Triple-A Columbus, but his 113 games at Double-A Akron show that he can make the jump.

Had there been minor league baseball in 2020, Clement would have received more Triple-A experience, but since there wasn’t we have to take the small sample size, plus his Double-A play.

With Akron in 2019, Clement saw action in 98 games and was right around average at the plate with a slash line of .261/.314/.322. However, when called up to Columbus, his bat improved to .545/.615/.636 over his three games.

A fourth round pick out of Virginia by the Cleveland Indians in the 2017 draft, Clement is more known for his defense. His glove has been the best at second base, but he has many more games played at shortstop.

During the 2019 season, he was perfect in the field at shortstop for Columbus in two games of action. As for Akron, he ran out to short in 90 games and was able to sustain a .941 fielding percentage.

Clement might be the ideal player to play the bridge role until Freeman is ready. His bat and glove are both sustainable, but not long-term options at this point.

Owen Miller – Highest Level: Double-A

One of the players acquired in the Mike Clevinger trade, the Cleveland Indians could turn to Owen Miller once Francisco Lindor leaves the picture. Having played considerable time at Double-A, but no higher, Miller falls right between Freeman and Clement in terms of being ready for the majors.

Currently listed as the club’s No. 18 prospect, Miller spent the entirety of the 2019 season at Double-A Amarillo in the San Diego organization. Playing in 130 games, he saw time at second, third and short, playing the most at shortstop with 71 games. Over those 71 games his fielding percentage logged in at .980 with just five errors.

Miller has also shown consistency at the plate. During the 2019 season he was able to slash .290/.355/.430 while having 28 doubles, 13 home runs and five stolen bases.

It can be assumed that Miller was another player that missed out on a promotion because of no minor leagues. He performed well at Double-A for the duration of a full season and should be a candidate to start in Columbus at the start of the 2021 season.

Should Lindor be dealt in a mid-season trade, Miller could become the player that slots in. This would give him time to be exposed to Triple-A play before making the move to the big leagues. While his debut can most likely be expected in 2021, a few weeks in Triple-A might be the best option for him.

Tyler Krieger – Highest Level: Triple-A

This is a long shot. While Tyler Krieger has the most experience on this list at the Triple-A level, he has the least amount of experience at shortstop. Dating back through all of his minor league days, Krieger has never played shortstop.

So, why is he on this list? Well, he is a utility player, having spent time at second, third and in the outfield. In terms of where he has played, it closely resembles Jose Ramirez, although, I’m not making that comparison, just an example. Krieger isn’t Ramirez.

The other side of the coin is that Krieger has struggled at the plate. He only has 13 games at Triple-A during the 2019 season and slashed an abysmal .196/.288/.283. That won’t cut it in the majors.

While Krieger won’t replace Francisco Lindor in the field or come close to replacing him in ability, he could be the one that replaces him on the roster. If Lindor is dealt before the start of the season or early in the season, Krieger is the most ready in terms of experience and could push whoever is at second base over to shortstop if needed. This isn’t the ideal situation, but it is an option nonetheless.