Cleveland Indians: Redrafting First Round Picks from 2010-2016

SAN DIEGO, CALIFORNIA – OCTOBER 02: Jack Flaherty #22 of the St. Louis Cardinals throws to the plate against the San Diego Padres during the first inning of Game Three of the National League Wild Card Series at PETCO Park on October 02, 2020 in San Diego, California. (Photo by Sean M. Haffey/Getty Images)

The Pick

After a surprise trip to the playoffs in 2013, the Indians picked 21st in the 2014 MLB Draft and selected University of San Francisco outfielder Bradley Zimmer.

Unfortunately for the Indians, Zimmer has been a bust. He played in 101 games as a rookie in 2017, slashing .241/.307/.385 with eight home runs and 39 RBI’s.

He then had injury-riddled 2018 and 2019 seasons where he played a combined 43 games and in 2020 played in 20 games before being demoted to the teams’ alternate site after batting just .162 with one home run.

Redraft

There are a handful of names that the Indians missed on by taking Zimmer, such as A’s star third baseman Matt Chapman but Cardinals right-hander Jack Flaherty would’ve been the perfect pick in a re-draft.

Flaherty, who was drafted 34th overall by St. Louis, finished fifth in NL Rookie of the Year voting in 2018 after pitching to a 3.34 ERA with 182 strikeouts in 151.0 innings and 28 starts.

In 2019, the right-hander finished fourth in Cy Young voting as he posted a 2.75 ERA with 231 strikeouts in 196.1 innings and 33 starts.

2020 was a struggle for the right-hander, but in large part, due to injury and in the COVID shortened season, Flaherty deserves a pass given his success the two years prior.

With Corey Kluber and Mike Clevinger gone, he’d be the perfect No. 2 starter behind Shane Bieber for the Indians to build their rotation behind if he had been selected.

The Pick

Redraft

Schedule