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2019 Minor League Thread

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The best case scenario is a return to health and living up to the ceiling as a high-end starter.

Seems like a ways off, but his pitch mix is pretty good. Its all about health and arm talent returning, we'll find out this year.

The year off could turn out to be a pretty great stroke given his age and history.
 
It feels like the Indians took a let’s just let Aiken recover himself rather than try and pitch him.

Blue Jays let Halladay go back to the minors to get himself back together after a very bad season.

I wish at times especially with guys who are injuried like Aiken that teams do the same strategy more often especially with a young guy like Aiken. He was a front of the rotation potential before the injury, so fingers crossed this year of just recovering mentally and physically allowed him to get back to the pre-injury self. Even if he comes up at age 26 rather than 23-24, that’s fine as long as this allows him to recover.
 
It feels like the Indians took a let’s just let Aiken recover himself rather than try and pitch him.

Blue Jays let Halladay go back to the minors to get himself back together after a very bad season.

I wish at times especially with guys who are injuried like Aiken that teams do the same strategy more often especially with a young guy like Aiken. He was a front of the rotation potential before the injury, so fingers crossed this year of just recovering mentally and physically allowed him to get back to the pre-injury self. Even if he comes up at age 26 rather than 23-24, that’s fine as long as this allows him to recover.

The concern with him was the significant loss of velocity. If that comes back, they might be onto something.
And like you said, if he comes up at 26, so be it. That’s still years, perhaps a decade, in the big leagues.
 
The concern with him was the significant loss of velocity. If that comes back, they might be onto something.
And like you said, if he comes up at 26, so be it. That’s still years, perhaps a decade, in the big leagues.

Hopefully we get to see him some in the spring! It be nice to actually see him and not just go word of mouth in a sense about how he is doing.

Also I think a lot of the guys want to see some of those young guys people are really high on that are going under the radar as well.
 
https://www.mlb.com/indians/news/indians-2019-top-30-prospects-list-c304138780

http://m.mlb.com/prospects/2019/?list=cle

What do you guys think of this?

It looks like it has changed a lot with guys like Freeman, Rocchio, Bracho jumping up. Lake County may actually be the team to beat this season since a lot of the young players we have may end the season there. Up to 6 of our top 10 prospects (via the MLB.com list) could see some action there this season (Freeman #3, Naylor #4, Valera #5, Rocchio #7, Oviedo #8, Hankins #9). It is quite possible to see 14 of our top 30 prospects from the MLB.com list playing at A ball, Lake County sometime this season, if not next season as well.

@Lee if you are still in Arizona and there is a way to watch this young group play games that way take the chance. There is a very good possibility, if these young guys remotely reach there potential the 2021-22 seasons they could truly make a big impact on our MLB clubs.

(Good probability we trade Kluber, Lindor, Ramirez, Hand etc in 2021 unless we feel we can still compete that season with all the young guys like Jones that are coming up through the system)
 
https://www.mlb.com/indians/news/indians-2019-top-30-prospects-list-c304138780

http://m.mlb.com/prospects/2019/?list=cle

What do you guys think of this?

It looks like it has changed a lot with guys like Freeman, Rocchio, Bracho jumping up. Lake County may actually be the team to beat this season since a lot of the young players we have may end the season there. Up to 6 of our top 10 prospects (via the MLB.com list) could see some action there this season (Freeman #3, Naylor #4, Valera #5, Rocchio #7, Oviedo #8, Hankins #9). It is quite possible to see 14 of our top 30 prospects from the MLB.com list playing at A ball, Lake County sometime this season, if not next season as well.

@Lee if you are still in Arizona and there is a way to watch this young group play games that way take the chance. There is a very good possibility, if these young guys remotely reach there potential the 2021-22 seasons they could truly make a big impact on our MLB clubs.

(Good probability we trade Kluber, Lindor, Ramirez, Hand etc in 2021 unless we feel we can still compete that season with all the young guys like Jones that are coming up through the system)

I am still in AZ, it is my home now, but my passion for baseball isn't the same as yours. If this was a Browns, mini, mini camp I would be there in a second. I usually watch a couple of Indians spring training games a year with my son. He isn't into sports but loves going to the games. Its fun, autographs, funny stories that I have told on here, but in general this is way to far down the chain to hold my attention for four hour.

I appreciate the heads up though.
 
Looks like the MLB Pipeline people saw how ridiculous some of their rankings looked compared to other outlets, and made some changes.
 
I am still in AZ, it is my home now, but my passion for baseball isn't the same as yours. If this was a Browns, mini, mini camp I would be there in a second. I usually watch a couple of Indians spring training games a year with my son. He isn't into sports but loves going to the games. Its fun, autographs, funny stories that I have told on here, but in general this is way to far down the chain to hold my attention for four hour.

I appreciate the heads up though.

I’d say this would be a good summer to get some autographs if you can from the guys on the AZL Indians teams. I get what ya mean though since I wouldn’t go to the Browns mini camp (unless I was invited/didn’t have to pay anything to go). I will though go to almost any baseball game I can get tickets too regardless of the organization. Part of me wishes I put in more effort when I was little since once I messed up my back I was done playing.

Seriously though guys if you are in the Cleveland area, get to Lake County games this season. I feel like the talent level there, especially if those top prospects are there, may be the most talented A ball team Cleveland has ever had!
 
I’d say this would be a good summer to get some autographs if you can from the guys on the AZL Indians teams. I get what ya mean though since I wouldn’t go to the Browns mini camp (unless I was invited/didn’t have to pay anything to go). I will though go to almost any baseball game I can get tickets too regardless of the organization. Part of me wishes I put in more effort when I was little since once I messed up my back I was done playing.

Seriously though guys if you are in the Cleveland area, get to Lake County games this season. I feel like the talent level there, especially if those top prospects are there, may be the most talented A ball team Cleveland has ever had!

And I would go to a Browns mini camp that featured free agent rookies and borderline players trying to make the preseason squad.
 
From these reports it seems they are lining up the minors to produce major league ready guys for 2022. Isn’t that The first year without Lindor?
Hypothetically they would have an infusion of young talent with whatever bounty they get when he’s eventually traded.
Seems like the next window opening.
 
From these reports it seems they are lining up the minors to produce major league ready guys for 2022. Isn’t that The first year without Lindor?
Hypothetically they would have an infusion of young talent with whatever bounty they get when he’s eventually traded.
Seems like the next window opening.

I wouldn’t say it’s that as much as they’ve traded some highly rated upper level guys in order to bolster the MLB roster in recent years.

Besides a few obvious untouchables, we could easily see some 2021/22 guys dealt in the coming years in order to attain more immediate help.
 
I wouldn’t say it’s that as much as they’ve traded some highly rated upper level guys in order to bolster the MLB roster in recent years.

Besides a few obvious untouchables, we could easily see some 2021/22 guys dealt in the coming years in order to attain more immediate help.

I curious as to how agressive they may be with this current window. I presume it will depend on how the team performs and how quickly the young guys develop in the minors.

Which of those guys in early A ball would likely be untouchable, or have the highest ceiling?
 
I wouldn’t say it’s that as much as they’ve traded some highly rated upper level guys in order to bolster the MLB roster in recent years.

Besides a few obvious untouchables, we could easily see some 2021/22 guys dealt in the coming years in order to attain more immediate help.

I actually feel we are going to limit the trades from our prospects in the next couple seasons honestly. We will go get a Bruce or a Hand if it makes sense in 19/20, but I think we may end up trading guys in 21 and retooling/extending other. Guys like Clev, Bieber etc we will look to extend in or before 21, while cutting cap and retooling by trading Kluber, Lindor (if we cannot extended him), Ramirez (if Lindor isnt extended).

I curious as to how aggressive they may be with this current window. I presume it will depend on how the team performs and how quickly the young guys develop in the minors.

Which of those guys in early A ball would likely be untouchable, or have the highest ceiling?

http://m.mlb.com/prospects/2019?list=cle

My guess would be most of the 20 and younger crew in our top 10 of the MLB.com list likely won't be touched. It is really going to be harder to project a lot of the guys I was mentioning earlier since a lot of them are pure athletes still learning the skills of the game. Only 2 on that list are 24 or older, C Haase and CF Mercado who will be starters at AAA and possibly time on the MLB Roster cause of injuries/Sept call ups. Most of the guys who are 22-23 will see time at AA and AAA this season as well. Most players with MLB potential hit the pros between 23-25 so almost everyone on that list could be trying to make this roster in 21-22 time frame. I would honestly ask Bimbo and EDMonix as well who they like the best, but this may actually be in due time, the best farm group that the Indians have ever had.

The list there actually doesn't include guys like RHP Eli Morgan, LHP Kaminsky, OFs Calica, Marabell, Krieger, who all with another solid season, could make their way onto this discussion in 19/20 roster. Kaminsky is in camp right now and with Kaminsky being a lefty, he could force his way to AAA and maybe even the Indians MLB roster if a guy like Olson stumbles.
 
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@Derek @EdMonix11 @AZ_ @BimboColesHair

What do you guys know about Ernie Clement? He isn't rated the highest in the world via anywhere, but he has proven himself this spring he could be in the Indians uniform soon. I am curious what your scouting report on him is.
 
@Derek @EdMonix11 @AZ_ @BimboColesHair

What do you guys know about Ernie Clement? He isn't rated the highest in the world via anywhere, but he has proven himself this spring he could be in the Indians uniform soon. I am curious what your scouting report on him is.

No one asked me, but the guy screams a future super-utility player possibly as soon as 2020. Tito has already raved about him and his contact skills are excellent as is his versatility in the infield.
 

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