Cleveland Indians 2021 MLB Draft Hub: Who, What, When, Where

Cleveland Indians 2021 MLB Draft Hub: Who, What, When, Where

The 2021 MLB Draft is upon us and with games around the league being postponed for weather, more attention can be shifted to the next wave of MLB talent entering the league. For fans of the Cleveland Indians, the team has been able to see success in the draft recently, logging some of the club’s best classes of the last 25 years, including building majority of the team’s current starting rotation when healthy during the 2016 MLB Draft.

While the 2021 MLB Draft will bring in the next wave of players to professional baseball, the MLB Draft doesn’t draw nearly the attention of the NFL, NBA or NHL Drafts. Given the time it takes for players to reach the majors and the high-rate of busts, there just isn’t as much attention put on the rounds or players selected.

However, as the Cleveland Indians have proved time and time again, this is where small market teams lay the foundation of the future. Over half of Cleveland’s current active major league roster was drafted by the club, so this is a very important aspect of preparing for the future.

With that being said, here’s everything you need to know about the 2021 MLB Draft.

WHO?

The Cleveland Indians will enter the 2021 MLB Draft holding the 23rd overall pick in the first round, being a place the team has selected recently. The 2020 draft saw the team select 23rd as well and in 2019 the Tribe were 24th. In total, Cleveland has 21 selections in their pocket over the 20 rounds of the 2021 MLB Draft.

As for the prospects on the Tribe’s radar, Cleveland has made a point in recent years to take prep players (high school) in the first round over college talent. Dating back to the 2011 MLB Draft, the Tribe have made 15 selections in the first round. Of those, 11 have been prep level players.

Over that same time span, Cleveland has been sticking to pretty much the same positions. Out of the 15 selections, seven were pitchers, five outfielders, two shortstops and one lone catcher, Bo Naylor, in 2018.

As for this season, the Cleveland Indians are being projected to stay along the same lines. Mock drafts around the game are showing heavily to prep talent once again for the Tribe.

WHAT?

The Cleveland Indians will head into the 2021 MLB Draft with just one pick in the first round after having two in 2020 and three in 2018, making the one selection even more important to get right.

This will also be the first time that the MLB Draft is part of the All-Star Weekend. In addition to picking 23rd in the first round, the Tribe also have the 58th overall pick (22nd pick of the second round) and the 69th overall pick (33rd pick of the second round) due to “competitive balance” selections.

This will be key for the Tribe as they have three selections in the first two rounds. It isn’t multiple first round picks, but there are plenty of opportunities to land top talent early in the draft.

WHEN?

The 2021 MLB Draft is set to take place over the span of three days, beginning on July 11 and ending on July 13. The first day, July 11, will be just the first round and will begin at 7 p.m EST.

The draft will resume on July 12 at 1 p.m., covering rounds two through 10 before concluding on July 13 with rounds 11 through 20, starting at noon.

WHERE?

Being the first draft to be part of the All-Star break, the 2021 MLB Draft is set to be held in Denver. As for fans at home, there will be plenty of ways to follow along with the Cleveland Indians to see the selections.

The first round of the draft will be aired on ESPN and the MLB Network. It will also be available to be streamed through fuboTV. As for the second round on, both days two and three will be streamed exclusively through MLB.com.

Replicating the success of the 2016 MLB Draft is probably asking a lot. Landing three MLB starters and the club’s top prospect in one class is pretty impressive and rather unheard of. However, landing a handful of prospects that can contribute is very doable. The Cleveland Indians have proven more than once recently that they can do just that. Hopefully, the 2021 MLB Draft will be the next chapter in that story.