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

2B/SS Omar Estevez, Los Angeles Dodgers

With Corey Seager and Gavin Lux locked in at the major league level and a handful of other middle infield prospects on the Top 30 list, it isn’t much of a surprise that the Los Angeles Dodges left off No. 22 prospect Omar Estevez. Despite being 22-years old with a debut projection of 2021, the Dodgers just didn’t have room for him.

The Cleveland Indians on the other hand could very well have a completely different middle infield the next time we see them take the field. Cesar Hernandez is now a free agent and it seems all but certain that Francisco Lindor will be traded. While the Indians have prospects that will eventually slide into those positions, they might not be ready to make the leap in 2021.

Instead, the Indians could invest in a player like Estevez to fill the role for a season at a low cost. Being versatile defensively, Estevez could very well become a utility infielder or even an every day player during the 2021 season and beyond.

His numbers don’t necessarily jump off the page offensively, although they are serviceable, but his defensive ability is what could make him a target.

In the minors, Estevez has played 245 games at shortstop, totaling almost 2,100 innings at the position. Over that span, he’s had 934 chances at short and has committed just 40 errors for a .957 fielding percentage. While he’s played less innings at second base, his fielding percentage is on par at .965.

Depending on the path the Cleveland Indians want to take with their infield, Estevez could be a band-aid fix for the season with potential to create a role moving forward.