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If the Indians can't draft outfielders they can always trade for them or sign them in free agency, like Eddie Rosario, although that's a one-year fix. But they traded for Naylor. They picked up Harold Ramirez off the street. They will probably convert Amed Rosario to center field once Freeman or Arias is ready to take over at SS.The problem wasn't in not protecting Santander, it's the complete inability of the team to draft/sign and develop an outfielder (not you Tyler Naquin) for going on over two decades. The team finally started discovering and developing starters in the last few years after a desert only occupied by apparitions of Josh Tomlin and Daniel Salazar, so maybe the drought in the OF might end.
That's not a bad outfield - Harold in left, Amed in center, and Naylor in right. That could be our every day outfield next year although Bradley Zimmer, Jordan Luplow, or Oscar Mercado may force themselves into the conversation. Daniel Johnson is still in the picture as well and they may be converting Nolan Jones to the outfield.
Luplow is still around and I assume will get back to crushing left-handed pitching when he's healthy. When you're in the same division as the White Sox a guy like Luplow is handy to have around. We also traded for Luplow.
Athletic guys can be moved to the outfield like they did with Chisenhall and could do with Amed Rosario and Nolan Jones. They put Owen Miller in left field for a game or two in Columbus if I'm not mistaken.
The Indians have come a long way in the last couple of years. No more Leonys Martin, Greg Allen, Carlos Gonzalez, Rajai Davis, or Brandon Guyer. A lot depends on how Naylor develops, whether they decide to keep Harold around, and whether Zimmer, Mercado, or Amed can take over and provide great defense and acceptable offense in center. Jones, Luplow, and Johnson may force themselves into the plans. I think the outfield situation is much improved and getting better.
Out of all those names, Zimmer is the only one we drafted as an outfielder. Jones was drafted as an infielder and the others were trades or free agents.