Cleveland Indians: Top 30 Prospects Countdown, 16-20

No. 17: Emmanuel Clase

If Bobby Bradley isn’t the most intriguing player on this list, then it has to be Emmanuel Clase, at least for the 2021 season. The main return in the Corey Kluber trade, the pressure is relatively off for Clase. Kluber only pitched one inning for Texas before ending his season with an injury and then signing with the New York Yankees this offseason. That means for Clase, he can just pitch rather than trying to live up to being the return.

Coming back from a suspension in 2020, Clase will need to prove that he can stay on the field in Cleveland. However, being a fire-throwing reliever at just 23-years old (Happy Birthday, Emmanuel!), he should have plenty of time to do that.

With Texas during the 2019 season, Clase tossed 23.1 innings over 21 games, so there’s a chance he might not be on this list for very long once his prospect status is removed. Over those 23.1 innings, he maintained an ERA of 2.31 by giving up just six earned runs while striking out 21 and logging a save.

In Spring Training, we’ve already witnessed similar numbers with him giving up two runs through his first four innings and striking out five in the process. With a bullpen that has multiple strong arms, especially in clutch situations, Clase should have plenty of time to ease back into the season. But if he can get back to his 2019 form quickly, watch out.