Cleveland Indians: 2 prospects who need to be added in September roster expansion

Cleveland Indians: 2 prospects who NEED to be on the roster when it expands in September

It’s late August, and there go those Cleveland Indians, sweeping the Los Angeles Angels in spectacular fashion culminating in the Little League Classic, and getting our hopes up again. Now, hopes are relative. For the playoffs? Not likely, as the White Sox hold a nine game lead in the division, and the Tribe currently sit eight games back of the Red Sox for the second Wild Card spot in the American League.

But for the future? Well, that’s what has me personally excited. The continued and stunning growth of Cal Quantrill and the recent stretch of Triston McKenzie has reignited the belief in Cleveland’s pitching with news that Aaron Civale is on the horizon, and Shane Bieber might not be that far away either.

The rosters will expand one week from today during a three game set in Kansas City, allowing the Indians to add two extra bodies to the roster. Cleveland needs to decide if the team wants to attempt the make a push at those nearly double-digit deficits or look to 2022.

It’s safe to say that we as fans have seen enough of the revolving door of pitchers this season, so the focus should shift to some of the Tribe’s rising offensive talent, especially players we’re likely to see compete for jobs in 2022 Spring Training anyhow.

Cleveland, as it stands right now, basically deploys four utility infielders in Yu Chang, Owen Miller, Ernie Clement and (arguably) Amed Rosario. Clement defensively is the strongest of the group, while Rosario makes the best impact at the plate, but the team needs to give other players a chance to show what they can bring to the Tribe going forward and the upcoming roster expansion opens the door for that possibility.

When rosters expand, these two players in the Cleveland Indians organization need to be at the top of the list for candidates to get the call.

Gabriel Arias, Cleveland Indians No. 4 Prospect

The other player that Cleveland needs to call up next Wednesday is Gabriel Arias, the 21-year-old shortstop that came over as part of the return package for Mike Clevinger. Arias skipped Double-A altogether thanks to the pandemic shortened 2020 campaign, but spent the year training at the alternate site with Cleveland’s other top prospects and earned an every day role with Triple-A Columbus.

More from Away Back Gone

• Cleveland Guardians tantalizingly close to locking up AL Central tiebreakers
• Cleveland Guardians: Terry Francona becomes meme in profanity-laced ejection
• Say goodbye to defensive shifts and hello to bigger bases, pitch clock in 2023
• Cleveland Guardians: Shane Bieber second-fastest to 800 strikeouts in major-league history
• The next week will make or break the Cleveland Guardians’ season

Arias has played 90 games this season for the Clippers, slashing .273/.344/.424 with 17 doubles and 10 home runs. He’s played the majority of his time at shortstop, but has logged games at both second and third base. Arias has an elite arm, so moving him around the infield to accommodate Ramirez and Jones wouldn’t be too difficult for Cleveland.

Without either Jones or Arias playing a single Major League game, the idea of Cleveland rolling out a lineup with Jones playing third, Arias at shortstop, Ramirez at second and Bradley at first already sounds more exciting than the Tribe’s current plug-and-play mentality. Miller and Rosario have been eaten alive by short-hops up the middle, so this lineup should be a significant defensive improvement.

Now, I know this has been hard this season, but I’m still an optimist. There’s a strong possibility that both Jones and Arias’ bats translate to the big leagues, and could help put some insulation around Ramirez, who has largely carried the team in 2021. These are the types of situations and lineups the Indians need to explore when September rolls around. It will be far more important to give Nolan Jones and Gabriel Arias a taste of what they’ll likely be facing a lot of in 2022 than it will be to chase the postseason.