Cleveland Indians: Four cornerstone players for the Tribe’s future

As the Cleveland Indians continue through a transition phase, which four players can serve as the cornerstones of the club moving forward?

There’s no question that the Cleveland Indians are moving through a transition phase this offseason. If recent moves of trading away players like Corey Kluber, Trevor Bauer and Mike Clevinger weren’t enough, the rumors of a Francisco Lindor trade should be the final indicator of the changes coming to Cleveland.

Cleveland has been known for the last decade or more for being a team that is looking to save money and the financial implications of the 2020 season have only tightened the purse strings further for the club. Because of this, the Tribe are looking to shed weight from the payroll left and right. Whether it be letting players like Carlos Santana, Brad Hand and Cesar Hernandez walk or trying to trade away key players like Lindor or perhaps even Carlos Carrasco, Cleveland is trying to save as much money as possible.

Due to the circumstances and the changes the roster will endure this offseason, the 2021 edition of the Cleveland Indians is sure to look much different than what we’ve become accustomed to seeing. That isn’t to say the team is doomed from the start, but the way the team accomplishes wins and the key players could differ.

However, the new-look Cleveland Indians that will take the field in 2021 will have the necessary cornerstones for continued success moving forward. When looking over Cleveland’s roster there are four players that standout from the rest as potential leaders of tomorrow, if not today.

Now, there’s more than four pieces in place, but these four players provide the foundation for the future of the franchise, being able to contribute from four different areas. While all of them might not play up to the level of what we’re used to from the Tribe’s top players yet, there is potential for these four to grow into the core of the team and be the faces of the franchise, if not their positions across Major League Baseball.