Matt McBride - OF - Rockies

Rockies sent INF Matt McBride outright to Triple-A Colorado Springs.
He's now off the 40-man roster. McBride batted just .205/.222/.308 during his brief time with the Rockies in 2012.

Nov 20 - 8:04 PM

Fedroff, Haley, Chen Lee and House added to the roster. Lee is out for a few months after TJ surgery. Could be an OK reliever; was No. 4 on BA ranking last year, still No. 10 despite the surgery. The other 3 are all products of an aggressive draft and were signed for well above slot. Haley was a NO. 2 pick who has emerged as a reliever, hard thrower, erratic control. House has had good years and bad years, last year a solid one at Akron, LH no better than yet another back of the rotation starter.

Baseball Prospectus also released their Indians top 10. BA's is included for comparison only:

Baseball Prospectus:
SS Francisco Lindor
2B/3B Dorssys Paulino
2B Ronny Rodriguez
RHP Mitch Brown
CF Luigi Rodriguez
RHP Danny Salazar
RHP Cody Allen
OF Tyler Naquin
IF Tony Wolters
2B Jose Ramirez

Baseball America:
1. Francisco Lindor, ss
2. Dorssys Paulino, ss
3. Tyler Naquin, of
4. Cody Allen, rhp
5. Mitch Brown, rhp
6. Danny Salazar, rhp
7. Luigi Rodriguez, of
8. Ronny Rodriguez, ss/2b
9. Jesus Aguilar, 1b
10. Chen Lee, rhp

Cleveland Indians 2013 Top 20 Prospect Rankings

November 12, 2012

By: J.P. Schwartz @Jaypers413

2013 Cleveland Indians Top 20 Prospect Rankings

Each year at this time I like to rank each team’s top overall prospects. My criteria are based upon 1) past performance and 2) future potential (50% each). I have expanded my list of prospects this year, from 15 to 20 per team.

Send your questions or feedback to J.P. on twitter @Jaypers413

To qualify, a prospect must have fewer than 130 at-bats or 50 innings in MLB

#1 Francisco Lindor SS
Born 11/14/1993
Highest Level Reached Low-A Lake County Captains
2012 Combined Stats
MILB: .257, 24(2B), 3(3B), 6HR, 42RBI, 27SB

#2 Tyler Naquin OF
Born 4/24/1991
Highest Level Reached Low-A Mahoning Valley Scrappers
2012 Combined Stats
MILB: .270, 11(2B), 2(3B), 13RBI

#3 Dorssys Paulino SS
Born 11/21/1994
Highest Level Reached Low-A Mahoning Valley Scrappers
2012 Combined Stats
MILB: .333, 19(2B), 6(3B), 7HR, 38RBI, 11SB

#4 Jesus Aguilar 1B
Born 6/30/1990
Highest Level Reached Double-A Akron Aeros
2012 Combined Stats
MILB: .280, 31(2B), 2(3B), 15HR, 71RBI

#5 Ronny Rodriguez SS
Born 4/17/1992
Highest Level Reached Double-A Akron Aeros
2012 Combined Stats
MILB: .264, 20(2B), 4(3B), 19HR, 66RBI

#6 Mitch Brown RHP
Born 4/13/1994
Highest Level Reached Rookie League AZL Indians
2012 Combined Stats
MILB: 2-0, 3.58ERA, 27.2IP, 10BB, 26K, .204BAA

#7 Tony Wolters SS
Born 6/9/1992
Highest Level Reached High-A Carolina Mudcats
2012 Combined Stats
MILB: .260, 30(2B), 8(3B), 8HR, 58RBI

#8 Cody Allen – RHP
Born 11/20/1988
Highest Level Reached MLB Cleveland Indians
2012 Combined Stats
MLB: 0-1, 3.72ERA, 29IP, 15BB, 27K, .266BAA
MILB: 3-2, 1.87ERA, 43.1IP, 9BB, 53K, .166BAA

#9 Elvis Araujo LHP
Born 7/15/1991
Highest Level Reached Low-A Lake County Captains
2012 Combined Stats
MILB: 7-10, 5.00ERA, 135IP, 61BB, 111K, .270BAA

#10 Dillon Howard RHP
Born 7/1/1992
Highest Level Reached Rookie League AZL Indians
2012 Combined Stats
MILB: 1-7, 7.90ERA, 41IP, 18BB, 35K, .348BAA

#11 Anthony Santander OF
Born 10/19/1994
Highest Level Reached Rookie League AZL Indians
2012 Combined Stats
MILB: .305, 15(2B), 1(3B), 4HR, 32RBI

#12 Jorge Martinez 2B
Born 3/29/1993
Highest Level Reached Short-A Mahoning Valley Scrappers
2012 Combined Stats
MILB: .324, 17(2B), 3(3B), 8HR, 45RBI

#13 Luis Lugo LHP
Born 3/5/1994
Highest Level Reached Rookie League AZL Indians
2012 Combined Stats
MILB: 2-4, 4.50ERA, 42IP, 21BB, 51K, .242BAA

#14 T J McFarland LHP
Born 6/8/1989
Highest Level Reached Triple-A Columbus Clippers
2012 Combined Stats
MILB: 16-8, 4.03ERA, 163IP, 45BB, 96K, .277BAA

#15 Danny Salazar RHP
Born 1/11/1990
Highest Level Reached Double-A Akron Aeros
2012 Combined Stats
MILB: 5-2, 2.36ERA, 87.2IP, 27BB, 76K, .224BAA

#16 D’vone McClure OF
Born 1/22/1994
Highest Level Reached Rookie League AZL Indians
2012 Combined Stats
MILB: .211, 4(2B), 1HR, 12RBI

#17 Dylan Baker RHP
Born 4/6/1992
Highest Level Reached 0-1, 4.13ERA, 24IP, 15BB, 30K, .255BAA
2012 Combined Stats
MILB: 0-1, 4.13ERA, 24IP, 15BB, 30K, .255BAA

#18 Lars Anderson 1B
Born 9/25/1987
Highest Level Reached MLB Boston Red Sox
2012 Combined Stats
MLB: .125 (1 for 8 )
MILB: .250, 27(2B), 2(3B), 9HR, 59RBI

#19 Yan Gomes OF
Born 7/19/1987
Highest Level Reached MLB Toronto Blue Jays
2012 Combined Stats
MLB: .204, 4(2B), 4HR, 13RBI
MILB: .328, 29(2B), 1(3B), 13HR, 59RBI

#20 Luis Dejesus RHP
Born 12/16/1991
Highest Level Reached Low-A Lake County Captains
2012 Combined Stats
MILB: 4-3, 2.73ERA, 92.1IP, 23BB, 64K, .211BAA

Note that the recently rostered Haley, House and Fedroff make no one's list.

That's one of the saddest lists I've ever seen. Lindor and 19 stiffs.

only 17 or 18 stiffs. Dorsyss Paulino is a very impressive 17 year old hitter; years from majors but will rate among top 100 prospects. Anthony Santander is a rather impressive 17 year old OF. The rest may include a couple back of the rotation starters, maybe a few good relievers, some longer shot middle infielders.

Rays signed OF Nick Weglarz to a minor league contract.

The deal also includes an invitation to spring training, though Welgarz is highly doubtful to land a spot on Tampa Bay's Opening Day roster. He batted .239/.349/.413 with 14 home runs and 58 RBI in 109 games this past season at the Double-A level.

Source: Shi Davidi on Twitter Nov 29 - 10:57 AM

CLEVELAND -- Once the Indians hired manager Terry Francona in October, the ensuing coaching shuffle created a slew of vacancies.

The ripple effect was felt throughout the organization, as all four of Cleveland's full-season Minor League affiliates will have a new manager for the 2013 campaign.

The Indians retained certain instructors, including Sandy Alomar Jr., who stayed on as bench coach. The front office plugged other holes with outside hires, such as Ty Van Burkleo and Mickey Callaway, who assumed the positions of hitting and pitching coach, respectively.

Mike Sarbaugh joined the big league club as first-base coach, leaving an opening at Triple-A Columbus, where the 45-year-old had served as manager the last three seasons. To fill Sarbaugh's shoes, the Indians promoted Chris Tremie to skipper of the Clippers.

Tremie, 43, has swiftly worked his way up the organizational ladder. He managed at Class A Lake County in 2007, Class A Kinston in 2008 and '09, the club's Arizona League squad in 2010 and spent the last two years directing Double-A Akron. In Tremie's first season with the Aeros, his club finished 73-69 and placed fourth in its division. Akron compiled an 82-59 mark in 2012 to win its division, and eventually became Eastern League champions. The Clippers finished each of their three seasons under Sarbaugh with a winning record.

Edwin Rodriguez, who captained the Marlins in 2010-11, assumes Tremie's former position in Akron. David Wallace, who led Class A Lake County last year, takes over Rodriguez's old post as skipper at Class A Carolina. Scooter Tucker, the hitting coach at Carolina last season, will manage Lake County.

Elsewhere, a pair of former Indians infielders are shifting roles for the 2013 campaign. Adam Everett, who made a 34-game cameo for the Tribe in 2011 and served as a special assistant to baseball operations last year, takes over for Travis Fryman as the organization's infield coordinator. Fryman will switch to a special assistant role.

Another former Indian, Steve Karsay, who pitched for Cleveland from 1998-2001, shifts from the Arizona League team to the Mudcats, for whom he will serve as pitching coach.

A pair of big league coaches on former Indians manager Manny Acta's staff last season will serve as organizational coordinators under the new regime. Tom Widenbauer, who coached first base in 2011, will be the Tribe's field coordinator. Ruben Niebla, who took over as Cleveland's pitching coach following Scott Radinsky's midseason dismissal, will supervise pitching throughout the organization.

Here are the rest of the Minor League coaching staffs:

Triple-A Columbus Clippers
Manager: Chris Tremie
Hitting coach: Phil Clark
Pitching coach: Tony Arnold

Double-A Akron Aeros
Manager: Edwin Rodriguez
Hitting coach: Jim Rickon
Pitching coach: Greg Hibbard

Class A Carolina Mudcats
Manager: David Wallace
Hitting coach: Rouglas Odor
Pitching coach: Jeff Harris

Class A Lake County Captains
Manager: Scooter Tucker
Hitting coach: Tony Mansolino
Pitching coach: Steve Karsay

Short Season A Mahoning Valley Scrappers
Manager: Ted Kubiak
Hitting coach: Shaun Larkin

Rookie League Arizona Indians
Manager: Anthony Medrano
Hitting coach: Junior Betances
Pitching coach: Scott Erickson

None of our guys made the Arizona Fall League Top 20 prospect list, but we get a place on the "8 more guys" list

The following eight players didn't rank among the AFL's Top 20 Prospects, but scouts saw something to like in each of them.

Alex Monsalve, c, Indians

Monsalve, 20, was regarded as a "defense first" catcher in his first three years in the Indians organization until the bat started coming around in his second time through Low-A in 2012. He continued that progress in the AFL, although he'll have to continue to prove to scouts that he's a big league caliber hitter as he progresses through the system. Monsalve batted .340/.360/.447 in Arizona, hitting safely in his last seven games with a 13 for 25 run. Behind the plate, the native Venezuelan has solid arm strength and handles himself well behind the plate. One scout covering the fall league also saw major league catcher Victor Martinez when he was 20, and said that Monsalve is ahead of Martinez defensively at the same stage in their careers. Monsalve showed the ability to accelerate the bat and has good use of his hands going through the ball. He's also firmed up his body and looks more athletic than in the past.

Rule 5 preview by BA. Their list of possible draftees starts with:


The 2012 Rule 5 draft takes place Dec. 6. Here are 10 players who could hear their name called in the draft and five who were interesting additions to their team's 40-man roster.

Jesus Aguilar, 1b, Indians: A 2012 Futures Gamer and the Indians' No. 9 prospect, the 257-pounder finished the year in Double-A and has big raw power. He's limited to first defensively and dropped from 23 home runs in 2011 to 15 in 2012.

Second BA listing today (the draft is tomorrow a.m.) includes:


T.J. McFarland, lhp, Indians: McFarland has slowly climbed through the Indians system as a lefty starter, but he could fit in the Rule 5 draft as a swingman/lefty reliever. His 87-90 mph sinking fastball may gain a tick of velocity pitching in shorter stints, and his crossfire delivery helps generate deception. He has an average slider and a tick below-average changeup that gives him at least a shot against righthanded hitters. He generally keeps the ball down in the zone, limiting the damage when someone squares him up.

[For a team with a really lousy minor league system to have 2 Rule 5 prospects is counterintuitive. Unless, of course, our front office rates our players differently from all other opinions. McFarland is not the kind of guy who often goes in Rule5, pitchers drafted usually are hard throwing but either have injury histories, or command problems, or both.]

I am currently listening to the BA podcast about Rule 5 and they are puzzled how the Indians could have a number of pickable prospects while the farmsystem is thin.

They note that TJ fits a category of frequently drafted: a lefty with good control, who could be a reliever. They seem to think he is a very likely choice. [Might be the same career path as Kevin Logdsen, a solid unspectacular lefty, who was exposed, drafted, returned to the Indians, and soon after out of pro ball.]

They note Aguillar as well as others who could be taken: Alex Monsalve, Elvis Araujo and my favorite prospect Giovanny Urshela (who is always described as a major league caliber defender).


They also include Vlad Nuno as a likely pick from Yankee's system, and he used to be a Tribesman who we let go a couple years ago.

So who are the stiffs that they are protecting?

They think Aguillar is not too likely to get picked; teams don't taken 1Bs unless they are ready to contribute immediately. They note another 1b is more likely to fit that bill.