Cleveland Indians: 3 players who exceeded expectations in first half

Harold Ramirez, OF, Cleveland Indians

On February 24 the Cleveland Indians claimed outfielder Harold Ramirez off waivers from the Miami Marlins. Cleveland, a team in need of help in the outfield, brought in Ramirez late in the offseason in hopes of finding a depth player. What they got was a diamond in the rough.

Playing two seasons with the Marlins, Ramirez totaled just 122 games in Miami, logging 431 at-bats for the club. He posted respectable numbers with a slash line of .274/.311/.411 with 11 home runs, 20 doubles, 51 RBI and two stolen bases. He was also near perfect in the field with just one error.

However, when it came time to make roster decisions it was Ramirez that was the odd man out in Miami. Luckily, the Tribe jumped at the opportunity to add an outfielder with proven major league experience.

Due to coming on a little later, Ramirez didn’t really have many expectations entering the season from fans in Cleveland. However, after being called up on May 3, Ramirez jumped into action and hasn’t looked back.

In 186 at-bats over 57 games, Ramirez is slashing .280/.325/.457 with six home runs, 13 doubles, 22 RBI and two stolen bases. Those numbers are about on track for what he did in Miami, but since Cleveland didn’t really know what to expect, he’s been able to play freely and blow away fans while securing a spot in the starting lineup.

Ramirez’s  .280 average is currently leading the team and his 13 doubles are tied for third. If he can just keep doing what he’s been doing, he should have a starting spot in Cleveland’s outfield for the foreseeable future.