Cleveland Indians: Five players to target in the Rule 5 Draft

The deadline to protect players for the Rule 5 Draft has passed. Of the players left off rosters, who could the Cleveland Indians look to add?

The Rule 5 Draft presents an interesting opportunity for teams, like the Cleveland Indians, to fill gaps on their roster. While every year there are players that are taken to make an impact, the Rule 5 Draft this year might be the most important it has been in recent memory. In an offseason where teams are attempting to save money, adding a player through the Rule 5 Draft could be the perfect move.

Players that signed at the age of 18 or younger become eligible for the Rule 5 Draft if they aren’t added to the 40-man roster within five seasons. Players that are signed when they are 19 or older have four seasons. If these players aren’t added to the 40-man roster, then they can be drafted by the other 29 teams in the league during the Rule 5 Draft, but there is a catch.

For each player selected during the Rule 5 Draft, the team that picked a player has to pay $100,000 and keep the player on their major league roster for the entirety of the upcoming season. If the player doesn’t stay on the roster for the full season, then they are offered back to their original club for $50,000.

In an offseason where every team is attempting to save money, the Rule 5 Draft could see a lot of action. The minimum salary in Major League Baseball is just over $570,000. Paying a player that much, plus the $100,000 to select them, is much cheaper than trying to find a player on the free agent market.

For a team like the Cleveland Indians who are looking to save as much money as possible, the Rule 5 Draft could be a key cog in the club’s offseason. While there are plenty of players that will be eligible for the Rule 5 Draft, here are five that the Cleveland Indians should look into a bit more.

OF Akil Baddoo, Minnesota Twins

The Minnesota Twins had to make some difficult decisions when deciding on their 40-man roster this past week. They were only able to add three players, but had seven players on their Top 30 prospect list that became Rule 5 eligible this year and weren’t already on the 40-man.

For that reason, the Twins were forced to leave off two of their top 15 prospects, including outfielder Akil Baddoo, the Twins No. 13 prospect. If you’re a frequent reader here, Baddoo’s name might sound familiar. He was part of the Francisco Lindor trade possibility with the Twins. Now, he could be even easier to grab for the Cleveland Indians.

Currently 22-years old, Baddoo was projected to arrive in the big leagues in 2021, which would work perfectly for the Rule 5 Draft. The catch would be making sure there’s a roster spot for him for the entire season. Luckily, Baddoo has a skill set that will help him always have a role.

Normally a center fielder, Baddoo has the ability to play all the outfield positions, but what he can do offensively is what could make him a Rule 5 Draft selection.

During the 2018 season, Baddoo played 113 games for Single-A Cedar Rapids and put up a balanced stat line. He logged 11 home runs and 11 triples while adding 24 stolen bases. The triples and stolen bases stick out as an indicator that he could be lethal on the base paths. If Baddoo has next level speed, then he could very easily have a role of a pinch runner or late inning defensive substitution, much like the way Greg Allen was used during his tenure with the Tribe.

OF Moises Gomez, Tampa Bay Rays

With a strong enough outfield in the majors that allowed the Tampa Bay Rays to designate Hunter Renfrow for assignment, it shouldn’t be a surprise to see them leave an outfielder off their 40-man roster. The No. 15 prospect in the Rays’ organization, Moises Gomez is another player that could slide into the Indians’ outfield rotation.

Like Baddoo, Gomez has a skill set that the Cleveland Indians can find a role for during the 2021 season. At just 22-years old, Gomez has a lot of potential and was originally projected to debut in 2021.

While Baddoo’s strengths came on the base paths, Gomez’s strengths are in the field. Having played all three outfield positions through the minor leagues, Gomez has a career fielding percentage of .970. Center field proved to be the most difficult for him at .958, but the corner outfield spots came naturally, registering a fielding percentage of .972 in both left and right.

There’s also been flashes of power from Gomez. During the 2019 season he hit 16 home runs with High-A Charlotte after belting 19 during the 2018 season with Single-A Bowling Green.

Baddoo and Gomez are both intriguing prospects for the Cleveland Indians. It could come down to what the Tribe are looking for as both have very different skill sets. Regardless, either one could be a valuable selection in the Rule 5 Draft.

SS Alfredo Rodriguez, Cincinnati Reds

With eight players on their Top 30 list eligible for the Rule 5 Draft and only four spots open on the 40-man roster, the Cincinnati Reds had to split hairs when it came to adding players. One player left off was shortstop Alfredo Rodriguez.

Despite being 26, Rodriguez was expected to debut in 2020, but the shortened season messed with those plans. Now, he could be making his debut elsewhere, maybe even with the Cleveland Indians. Similar to Estevez, Rodriguez would help bridge between the Hernandez, Lindor double play unit until when the Tyler Freeman, Gabriel Arias tandem is ready.

Rodriguez split the 2019 season between Double-A and Triple-A, logging most of his games at Double-A. What made the difference for Rodriguez to get the call up was his ability at the plate. For starters, he was able to slash .286/.325/.347 over 104 games. On top of that, he walked 22 times and stole 13 bases while also driving in 25 runs.

The walks and stolen bases seem to fit the mantra of what the Cleveland Indians aim to be. With so much uncertainty in the middle infield, Rodriguez could be a candidate to fill in for the time being with stats that would work for now.

OF Orlando Martinez, Los Angeles Angels

While it would have been nice if the Angels would have left off Brandon Marsh, they instead leave off Orlando Martinez. At 22-years old, Martinez is a left-handed outfielder that is projected to debut at the major league level during the 2021 season.

The catch for Martinez is his experience level. The cancelation of the minor league season in 2020 really hurt his chances as he has only played at High-A. Granted, he spent the entire 2019 season there, but that also doesn’t look too great on a resume.

However, there is still potential for Martinez. Despite playing at High-A for all of 2019, he was able to demonstrate his ability to do a bit of everything. At the season’s end he was slashing .263/.325/.434 while also slugging 12 home runs, registering 21 doubles and swiping five bases. The one downside, he struck out 79 times over 88 games played, but he did draw 36 walks.

For Martinez, the experience is the main concern. While he’s played at the same levels as Baddoo and Gomez, he didn’t shine the way they did. For Baddoo, it was his speed. As for Gomez, his fielding. Martinez didn’t have one statistic that stood out like that, which could push him off the Indians’ board.