BA highlights from Tuesday:

CLE AAA Moncrief, Carlos RF 4 1 2 1 .244 SB (4)
CLE AAA Ramirez, Jose SS 5 0 1 1 .303
CLE HiA Gonzalez, Erik SS 2 0 1 0 .311 [back from injury, now there's one prospect in the Mudcat lineup again]
CLE LoA Rodriguez, Nelson 1B 4 1 1 0 .223
CLE AAA Crockett, Kyle 1.2 1 0 0 0 3 0.00
CLE LoA Kime, Dace 5 1 2 2 3 1 6.75
CLE LoA Lugo, Luis 5 0 0 0 3 3 5.22 W (2-4)

Erik Gonzalez (Photo: IBI)

IBI Stock Watch: Gonzalez, Head among many improving stock

By Tony Lastoria

May 28, 2014

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Today is the first “stock watch” of the 2014 season for players in the Indians’ minor league system. This report is a snapshot of a few players up and down the system and how their value may be decreasing or increasing as prospects.

As always, it comes down to “value” when looking at prospects, and not necessarily stats. This piece will hopefully help illustrate who is improving that value and who is not as the season wears on. The values for players could fluctuate over the course of the season depending on performance, observations from myself and scouts, injuries, and ultimately how they are developing.

The same players are not always featured as I look at four to six players from each affiliate and try to mix it up with new names when I can, but the highlights and lowlights in the system dictate who is featured.

Key:

↑ - way up; → - trending up; ↔ - no movement; ← - trending down; ↓ - way down

Columbus
→ Roberto Perez (C): 25 G, .342/.455/.603, 5 HR, 17 RBI, 15 BB, 19 K. One of the most interesting performances in the early going this season has come from Perez. He always showed a solid approach where he was overly patient to the degree where he drew a lot of walks but made weak contact when he put the ball in play, but this season he has shown a significant spike in his power as he has a .261 ISO and is making some great contact. The defense was already Major League caliber so this is a good development, though it is still too early to get carried away about his improvement at the plate. The left hamstring injury he suffered on May 13th has kept him out of the lineup since then and hopefully has not ruined the momentum he created for himself, but he’s definitely improved his stock.

↔ Carlos Moncrief (OF): 47 G, .244/.287/.363, 3 HR, 13 RBI, 4 BB, 20 K. Interestingly, through 48 games as of May 28th last year at Double-A Akron, Moncrief was hitting .246 with 5 HR, 19 RBI and .699 OPS, and also had 21 walks and 45 strikeouts. His power numbers are down a little at Columbus and his walks are too, but his strikeouts are way down from where they were at this point last season – a sign he is really trying to hone in on his approach all while making the adjustment to Triple-A. A lot more is expected of him this season, but there is a long way to go and he has a history of getting hot in June and July, so until then he gets the benefit of the doubt that he will improve as the season wears on.

→ Giovanny Urshela (3B): 48 G, .267/.311/.483, 8 HR, 32 RBI, 10 BB, 36 K. Most of that line is from the 24 games at Akron when he hit .300 with 5 HR, 19 RBI and .914 OPS as since joining Columbus he is hitting just .233 with 3 HR, 13 RBI and .674 OPS in 24 games. The performance at Akron was encouraging and exactly what everyone was hopeful for in a repeat showing there, and like last season at Akron we should be very patient with him as he now adjusts to Triple-A where he will need some time to settle in. Considering all of the Indians problems defensively, the growth of him as a hitter is essential so that they can get his Gold Glove caliber defense inserted at third base every day at Progressive Field.

← Jose Ramirez (2B): 27 G, .303/.355/.459, 4 HR, 18 RBI, 11 BB, 11 K. Ramirez has performed well at Triple-A, shown some versatility and done everything the Indians have asked him to; however, he really struggled in his short call up to Cleveland this month. In 11 games with the Indians he was just 2-for-25 at the plate, did not draw a walk, and showed very weak contact. It would be unfair to judge him based on 25 sporadic at bats, but he had a grand opportunity with Jason Kipnis out to make an impression and failed to do so in the limited chances he received. He’s still in the Major League mix but he’s taken a small step back in terms of value to the organization and only strengthened the position held by some that he is but a utility player at best in the big leagues and not an everyday player.

↔ Austin Adams (RHP): 17 G, 4.09 ERA, 1.32 WHIP, 2.0 BB/9, 7.8 K/9. Adams is having a solid showing in his Triple-A debut with good numbers across the board. While the strikeouts are down and he has been bit a little by the home run bug (1.2 HR/9) he has thrown strikes much more consistently this season – which is evident by the drop in his 4.8 BB/9 last year to the 2.0 BB/9 he has right now. Maintaining that consistency of the strike zone all while commanding his fastball and breaking ball and executing his pitches will be what he needs to do in order to get a Major League opportunity later this season.

Akron
↔ Bryson Myles (OF): 43 G, .284/.353/.419, 2 HR, 14 RBI, 13 BB, 39 K. Myles season to date is almost a carbon copy of his season last year at High-A Carolina. Last year he had an 8.2% walk rate and this season he has a 7.4% walk rate, and his strikeout rate (21.5% to 22.3%), isolated power (.142 to .135), batting average (.285 to .284), on-base percentage (.357 to .353), slugging percentage (.427 t0 .419) and wRC+ (119 to 115) are all in line with one another from year to year. He’s not making any considerable strides, but he’s proving consistency which is half the battle in the minors. He’s a solid prospect for the Indians.

← Joe Wendle (2B): 48 G, .231/.294/.387, 4 HR, 23 RBI, 14 BB, 32 K. Wendle has had an interesting season. His numbers are not nearly at the level they were expected to be this season, but they are not as bad as they look as 19 of his 43 hits have gone for extra bases, he has a solid .156 isolated power and he has a .258 BABIP which is weighing down his average and overall production at the plate some. Still, much more was expected of him at this point. He is a guy that half the industry was not in on after last season as they felt he dominated the High-A circuit because of his advanced age and bat for the level and that his performance would level out considerably at the much tougher Double-A level. So far those pundits have been proven right, although there is a long way to go this season. Bottom line, as a player with little versatility and average at best defense, he has to hit and hit well.

↓ Jordan Smith (OF): 43 G, .210/.260/.248, 0 HR, 11 RBI, 10 BB, 38 K. It has been a miserable season to date for Smith and one where he has really hurt his value in just a third of a season. The questions about his power and bat speed are really surfacing at Double-A and his approach has also fallen apart. He has always been a guy who walked around 10% of the time and struck out only about 10-12% of the time, but this season his walk rate has plummeted to 5.9% and he is striking out 22.5% of the time. He is also showing absolutely no power at the plate with a .038 ISO and has a 41 wRC+. Those are some awful numbers. Thankfully, Smith is a gifted defender with lots of athleticism and is one of the Indians best prospects otherwise he would have been shipped back to High-A Carolina a long time ago. He had a big second half last season and will need a strong showing the final three months of the season to restore his standing in the system.

↓ Ronny Rodriguez (INF): 38 G, .187/.225/.317, 3 HR, 16 RBI, 7 BB, 26 K. The fall of Ronny Rod has been swift and hard. Once regarded as one of the Indians best young prospects, he has really struggled at the Double-A level the last two years – particularly this season. Whether it is the lack of an everyday position, a ridiculously low .202 BABIP weighing him down, or him simply just reaching his peak as a player, he is a long way from being a Major League option – if ever. He still lacks any patience at the plate whatsoever and advanced pitchers are taking advantage of that and getting him to make weak contact by expanding the zone and swinging at borderline strikes early in the count or balls well out of the zone. He had a nice showing in 2012 at High-A Carolina, but that just might be the pinnacle of his success as his value has since dropped considerably.

↑ Joseph Colon (RHP): 10 GS, 2.30 ERA, 1.13 WHIP, 3.5 BB/9, 6.1 K/9. Colon is really not pitching any different than he has in previous seasons. In fact, his walk rate is up a little, his strikeout rate is down a little, and his FIP is up a little, so one could argue he is actually pitching worse than he did last season at High-A Carolina. But Colon is showing durability and is really getting stronger every time out. It has never been a question of stuff with him nor about numbers, it has always been about health and he is showing it so far this season and in the process is gaining a lot of momentum as a prospect. He is a hard sinkerballer with a fastball that sits at 92-94 MPH and has touched 97 MPH and has some solid offspeed stuff, so if he can continue to show durability and refine his command he is a Major League starting option for the Indians next season and perhaps near the end of this season if the Indians are desperate. He is all but certain to be added to the 40-man in the offseason.

← Cody Anderson (RHP): 10 GS, 4.35 ERA, 1.45 WHIP, 2.8 BB/9, 5.6 K/9. No pitcher has disappointed more this season in the early going than Anderson. A lot of that disappointment may be the result of some unrealistic expectations after a very good showing at High-A Carolina and his standing as one of the top prospects in the organization coming into the season, but nonetheless, his performance and development this season has been a disappointment. His velocity is down a tad and he is just not fooling or overpowering Double-A hitters like he did last season at Carolina. He is also showing why strikeouts can often be such a determinant to success as he is down over two and a half strikeouts per nine innings, a humungous drop from one year to the next and a number which makes him more of a backend starter than a middle or frontend guy.

↑ Tyler Sturdevant (RHP): 17 G, 1.19 ERA, 0.84 WHIP, 2.0 BB/9, 8.3 K/9. Sturdevant is 28 years old so his prospect value is not high to begin with, but he is also a guy who has endured quite the laundry list of injuries over his college and pro career and held him back. He was really on a roll in 2011 and was a Major League option going into the 2012 season before a shoulder injury and other injuries held him hostage the last two years, but he now appears to be 100% healthy and back to being a legit bullpen prospect for the Indians. He throws strikes, throws hard, has some interesting offspeed stuff and most importantly gets results. He may be old for a prospect, but like a fine wine, sometimes a player just needs some time and age well.

Carolina
→ Erik Gonzalez (SS): 36 G, .311/.346/.424, 1 HR, 18 RBI, 8 BB, 28 K. I will admit, I was not really big on Gonzalez going into the season, even in light of his impressive campaign last year between Low-A Lake County and High-A Carolina. I just never liked him after what I saw at Single-A Mahoning Valley in 2012 and in years prior to that, but I am becoming a believer. He has had one of the most impressive showings early in the season and has been the main source of offense at Carolina. He is not showing as much power as last season but his at bats are improving and he is really solidifying himself as a legit shortstop option. With his size, athleticism, natural power and some speed, this is a guy to really keep tabs on going forward – though I am still cautioned by his Ronny Rodriguez-like plate discipline that may prove to be an issue once he reaches Double-A.

→ Ryan Merritt (LHP): 10 GS, 1.71 ERA, 0.95 WHIP, 1.6 BB/9, 7.0 K/9. Merritt has been a model of consistency from last season to this season. He is not a guy who is going to dominate a lineup with impressive stuff, he instead is a guy who is going to mix up his pitches, command the baseball, throw strikes and use his smarts to get outs. He had a 3.42 ERA last season at Lake County and has a 1.71 ERA this season at Carolina, but the significant difference in ERA does not mean he has been twice the pitcher this season. In fact, he was just as effective last season as his walk rate and strikeout rate are nearly identical and his FIP this season is within 50 points of last season’s mark. Even still, he is performing at a higher level and showing remarkable consistency and the ability to haul innings. There is a ton of value there.

→ Shawn Morimando (LHP): 10 GS, 3.73 ERA, 1.16 WHIP, 3.6 BB/9, 6.4 K/9. Morimando spent all of last season at High-A Carolina and his performance to this point is almost exactly on pace with last season when he had a 3.73 ERA and 6.8 K/9; however, the one big difference is the improvement in his strike throwing ability and limiting walks (5.1 BB/9 in 2013). Morimando may not have better numbers than Merritt, but he has the stuff and power to it which makes him so much more intriguing and thus higher rated as a prospect. If he can continue to harness his command and make strides with the improvement in his velocity and breaking ball, the Indians may really have something here.

↑ Louis Head (RHP): 15 G, 2.45 ERA, 0.93 WHIP, 3.4 BB/9, 15.2 K/9. There are few legit bullpen prospects in the lower levels of the Indians system – or any system for that matter – but Head is at the top of the class when it comes to bullpen prospects below Double-A for the Indians. He has always been an interesting arm to keep an eye on who did a good job of throwing strikes and putting up consistent outings, but the quality of his stuff has really improved this season as he is up a few MPH with his fastball and touching 97 MPH and as a result racking up a ton of strikeouts. His showing to date is one of the best developments in the lower levels of the system this year and he has solidified himself as one of the Indians top bullpen prospects.

Lake County
→ Paul Hendrix (SS): 40 G, .333/.435/.553, 6 HR, 20 RBI, 24 BB, 50 K. Hendrix came into the season as more of an organizational guy and unranked in the Top 100, but has certainly at least solidified himself as someone who will be in the Top 100 next season. He is still more of a fringe prospect who projects as a utility player in the upper levels or big leagues, but there is no denying what he has shown this month is exceptional and that he has really performed well at Lake County. A .220 ISO and 14.3% walk rate is really nice from a middle infielder. On the other hand, a 29.8% strikeout rate and .477 BABIP are warning signs of trouble to come, and he is 22 years old and an advanced college player in Low-A, so the performance is taken with a grain of salt. It would be nice to see him bumped up to High-A Carolina to play every day so we can get a much better idea of how real his performance is this season.

↔ Eric Haase (C): .242/.336/.563, 10 HR, 18 RBI, 16 BB, 41 K. Haase has always been a prospect with considerable upside because of his athleticism, ability to catch and the promise with his bat. He continues to make strides with his receiving and is getting more consistent with his throwing, and he has more or less maintained his approach at the plate where he is walking about 10% of the time which is good. The strikeouts are still a concern, but what is really encouraging is the power he has shown this season as 18 of his 31 hits have gone for extra bases giving him an awesome .320 ISO. The batting average may be low but he walks a good amount and he is waiting for pitches he can drive and is clobbering them, a sign of a hitter who is improving right before our eyes.

→ Adam Plutko (RHP): 10 GS, 3.93 ERA, 1.16 WHIP, 2.1 BB/9, 11.3 K/9. Plutko has been impressive at Low-A Lake County and proven to be the advanced college pitcher he was said to be coming out of the draft last year. He has been dominant striking out 30.3% of all batters and walking just 5.5% of them, and his .348 BABIP is right in line with league averages and shows he has not been lucky and that any kind of regression should be coming. He is just flat out performing. The Indians say that they did not start him in High-A because they did not want his first pro experience to come there, but with two months in the books at Lake County it is about time to move him up and challenge him at a higher level because that is simply not happening at Lake County.

↑ Robbie Aviles (RHP): 10 G, 1.45 ERA, 0.83 WHIP, 1.3 BB/9, 5.6 K/9. Aviles’ performance so far this season is one that is both interesting and puzzling at the same time. It is interesting because he is finally putting up numbers that were expected of him as a former potential first or second round draft pick, but it is puzzling because even with the strong performance he still only has a 5.6 K/9 and is not blowing hitters away. That said, it is important to remember he is a sinkerballer who pitches to contact, so strikeouts are not as big a deal as they would be for another pitcher. And even so, he is striking out almost two more batters per nine innings this season. What is most encouraging is the significant dip in his walk rate, his improved command, his ability to better generate weak contact early in counts, and his offspeed stuff finally coming around. He is repeating at Low-A, so hopefully he gets a chance to go to Carolina soon to prove himself and continue his development there.

Follow Tony and the Indians Baseball Insider on Twitter @TonyIBI. Also, his new book the 2014 Cleveland Indians Baseball Insider which profiles the Indians' Top 100 Prospects and more is available for sale.

Erik Gonzalez (Photo: IBI)

IBI Stock Watch: Gonzalez, Head among many improving stock

By Tony Lastoria

May 28, 2014

Follow on Twitter

Share via: Share: Facebook Share: Twitter Share: Google Share: Pinterest Share: Print Share: Email

Today is the first “stock watch” of the 2014 season for players in the Indians’ minor league system. This report is a snapshot of a few players up and down the system and how their value may be decreasing or increasing as prospects.

As always, it comes down to “value” when looking at prospects, and not necessarily stats. This piece will hopefully help illustrate who is improving that value and who is not as the season wears on. The values for players could fluctuate over the course of the season depending on performance, observations from myself and scouts, injuries, and ultimately how they are developing.

The same players are not always featured as I look at four to six players from each affiliate and try to mix it up with new names when I can, but the highlights and lowlights in the system dictate who is featured.

Key:

↑ - way up; → - trending up; ↔ - no movement; ← - trending down; ↓ - way down

Columbus
→ Roberto Perez (C): 25 G, .342/.455/.603, 5 HR, 17 RBI, 15 BB, 19 K. One of the most interesting performances in the early going this season has come from Perez. He always showed a solid approach where he was overly patient to the degree where he drew a lot of walks but made weak contact when he put the ball in play, but this season he has shown a significant spike in his power as he has a .261 ISO and is making some great contact. The defense was already Major League caliber so this is a good development, though it is still too early to get carried away about his improvement at the plate. The left hamstring injury he suffered on May 13th has kept him out of the lineup since then and hopefully has not ruined the momentum he created for himself, but he’s definitely improved his stock.

↔ Carlos Moncrief (OF): 47 G, .244/.287/.363, 3 HR, 13 RBI, 4 BB, 20 K. Interestingly, through 48 games as of May 28th last year at Double-A Akron, Moncrief was hitting .246 with 5 HR, 19 RBI and .699 OPS, and also had 21 walks and 45 strikeouts. His power numbers are down a little at Columbus and his walks are too, but his strikeouts are way down from where they were at this point last season – a sign he is really trying to hone in on his approach all while making the adjustment to Triple-A. A lot more is expected of him this season, but there is a long way to go and he has a history of getting hot in June and July, so until then he gets the benefit of the doubt that he will improve as the season wears on.

→ Giovanny Urshela (3B): 48 G, .267/.311/.483, 8 HR, 32 RBI, 10 BB, 36 K. Most of that line is from the 24 games at Akron when he hit .300 with 5 HR, 19 RBI and .914 OPS as since joining Columbus he is hitting just .233 with 3 HR, 13 RBI and .674 OPS in 24 games. The performance at Akron was encouraging and exactly what everyone was hopeful for in a repeat showing there, and like last season at Akron we should be very patient with him as he now adjusts to Triple-A where he will need some time to settle in. Considering all of the Indians problems defensively, the growth of him as a hitter is essential so that they can get his Gold Glove caliber defense inserted at third base every day at Progressive Field.

← Jose Ramirez (2B): 27 G, .303/.355/.459, 4 HR, 18 RBI, 11 BB, 11 K. Ramirez has performed well at Triple-A, shown some versatility and done everything the Indians have asked him to; however, he really struggled in his short call up to Cleveland this month. In 11 games with the Indians he was just 2-for-25 at the plate, did not draw a walk, and showed very weak contact. It would be unfair to judge him based on 25 sporadic at bats, but he had a grand opportunity with Jason Kipnis out to make an impression and failed to do so in the limited chances he received. He’s still in the Major League mix but he’s taken a small step back in terms of value to the organization and only strengthened the position held by some that he is but a utility player at best in the big leagues and not an everyday player.

↔ Austin Adams (RHP): 17 G, 4.09 ERA, 1.32 WHIP, 2.0 BB/9, 7.8 K/9. Adams is having a solid showing in his Triple-A debut with good numbers across the board. While the strikeouts are down and he has been bit a little by the home run bug (1.2 HR/9) he has thrown strikes much more consistently this season – which is evident by the drop in his 4.8 BB/9 last year to the 2.0 BB/9 he has right now. Maintaining that consistency of the strike zone all while commanding his fastball and breaking ball and executing his pitches will be what he needs to do in order to get a Major League opportunity later this season.

Akron
↔ Bryson Myles (OF): 43 G, .284/.353/.419, 2 HR, 14 RBI, 13 BB, 39 K. Myles season to date is almost a carbon copy of his season last year at High-A Carolina. Last year he had an 8.2% walk rate and this season he has a 7.4% walk rate, and his strikeout rate (21.5% to 22.3%), isolated power (.142 to .135), batting average (.285 to .284), on-base percentage (.357 to .353), slugging percentage (.427 t0 .419) and wRC+ (119 to 115) are all in line with one another from year to year. He’s not making any considerable strides, but he’s proving consistency which is half the battle in the minors. He’s a solid prospect for the Indians.

← Joe Wendle (2B): 48 G, .231/.294/.387, 4 HR, 23 RBI, 14 BB, 32 K. Wendle has had an interesting season. His numbers are not nearly at the level they were expected to be this season, but they are not as bad as they look as 19 of his 43 hits have gone for extra bases, he has a solid .156 isolated power and he has a .258 BABIP which is weighing down his average and overall production at the plate some. Still, much more was expected of him at this point. He is a guy that half the industry was not in on after last season as they felt he dominated the High-A circuit because of his advanced age and bat for the level and that his performance would level out considerably at the much tougher Double-A level. So far those pundits have been proven right, although there is a long way to go this season. Bottom line, as a player with little versatility and average at best defense, he has to hit and hit well.

↓ Jordan Smith (OF): 43 G, .210/.260/.248, 0 HR, 11 RBI, 10 BB, 38 K. It has been a miserable season to date for Smith and one where he has really hurt his value in just a third of a season. The questions about his power and bat speed are really surfacing at Double-A and his approach has also fallen apart. He has always been a guy who walked around 10% of the time and struck out only about 10-12% of the time, but this season his walk rate has plummeted to 5.9% and he is striking out 22.5% of the time. He is also showing absolutely no power at the plate with a .038 ISO and has a 41 wRC+. Those are some awful numbers. Thankfully, Smith is a gifted defender with lots of athleticism and is one of the Indians best prospects otherwise he would have been shipped back to High-A Carolina a long time ago. He had a big second half last season and will need a strong showing the final three months of the season to restore his standing in the system.

↓ Ronny Rodriguez (INF): 38 G, .187/.225/.317, 3 HR, 16 RBI, 7 BB, 26 K. The fall of Ronny Rod has been swift and hard. Once regarded as one of the Indians best young prospects, he has really struggled at the Double-A level the last two years – particularly this season. Whether it is the lack of an everyday position, a ridiculously low .202 BABIP weighing him down, or him simply just reaching his peak as a player, he is a long way from being a Major League option – if ever. He still lacks any patience at the plate whatsoever and advanced pitchers are taking advantage of that and getting him to make weak contact by expanding the zone and swinging at borderline strikes early in the count or balls well out of the zone. He had a nice showing in 2012 at High-A Carolina, but that just might be the pinnacle of his success as his value has since dropped considerably.

↑ Joseph Colon (RHP): 10 GS, 2.30 ERA, 1.13 WHIP, 3.5 BB/9, 6.1 K/9. Colon is really not pitching any different than he has in previous seasons. In fact, his walk rate is up a little, his strikeout rate is down a little, and his FIP is up a little, so one could argue he is actually pitching worse than he did last season at High-A Carolina. But Colon is showing durability and is really getting stronger every time out. It has never been a question of stuff with him nor about numbers, it has always been about health and he is showing it so far this season and in the process is gaining a lot of momentum as a prospect. He is a hard sinkerballer with a fastball that sits at 92-94 MPH and has touched 97 MPH and has some solid offspeed stuff, so if he can continue to show durability and refine his command he is a Major League starting option for the Indians next season and perhaps near the end of this season if the Indians are desperate. He is all but certain to be added to the 40-man in the offseason.

← Cody Anderson (RHP): 10 GS, 4.35 ERA, 1.45 WHIP, 2.8 BB/9, 5.6 K/9. No pitcher has disappointed more this season in the early going than Anderson. A lot of that disappointment may be the result of some unrealistic expectations after a very good showing at High-A Carolina and his standing as one of the top prospects in the organization coming into the season, but nonetheless, his performance and development this season has been a disappointment. His velocity is down a tad and he is just not fooling or overpowering Double-A hitters like he did last season at Carolina. He is also showing why strikeouts can often be such a determinant to success as he is down over two and a half strikeouts per nine innings, a humungous drop from one year to the next and a number which makes him more of a backend starter than a middle or frontend guy.

↑ Tyler Sturdevant (RHP): 17 G, 1.19 ERA, 0.84 WHIP, 2.0 BB/9, 8.3 K/9. Sturdevant is 28 years old so his prospect value is not high to begin with, but he is also a guy who has endured quite the laundry list of injuries over his college and pro career and held him back. He was really on a roll in 2011 and was a Major League option going into the 2012 season before a shoulder injury and other injuries held him hostage the last two years, but he now appears to be 100% healthy and back to being a legit bullpen prospect for the Indians. He throws strikes, throws hard, has some interesting offspeed stuff and most importantly gets results. He may be old for a prospect, but like a fine wine, sometimes a player just needs some time and age well.

Carolina
→ Erik Gonzalez (SS): 36 G, .311/.346/.424, 1 HR, 18 RBI, 8 BB, 28 K. I will admit, I was not really big on Gonzalez going into the season, even in light of his impressive campaign last year between Low-A Lake County and High-A Carolina. I just never liked him after what I saw at Single-A Mahoning Valley in 2012 and in years prior to that, but I am becoming a believer. He has had one of the most impressive showings early in the season and has been the main source of offense at Carolina. He is not showing as much power as last season but his at bats are improving and he is really solidifying himself as a legit shortstop option. With his size, athleticism, natural power and some speed, this is a guy to really keep tabs on going forward – though I am still cautioned by his Ronny Rodriguez-like plate discipline that may prove to be an issue once he reaches Double-A.

→ Ryan Merritt (LHP): 10 GS, 1.71 ERA, 0.95 WHIP, 1.6 BB/9, 7.0 K/9. Merritt has been a model of consistency from last season to this season. He is not a guy who is going to dominate a lineup with impressive stuff, he instead is a guy who is going to mix up his pitches, command the baseball, throw strikes and use his smarts to get outs. He had a 3.42 ERA last season at Lake County and has a 1.71 ERA this season at Carolina, but the significant difference in ERA does not mean he has been twice the pitcher this season. In fact, he was just as effective last season as his walk rate and strikeout rate are nearly identical and his FIP this season is within 50 points of last season’s mark. Even still, he is performing at a higher level and showing remarkable consistency and the ability to haul innings. There is a ton of value there.

→ Shawn Morimando (LHP): 10 GS, 3.73 ERA, 1.16 WHIP, 3.6 BB/9, 6.4 K/9. Morimando spent all of last season at High-A Carolina and his performance to this point is almost exactly on pace with last season when he had a 3.73 ERA and 6.8 K/9; however, the one big difference is the improvement in his strike throwing ability and limiting walks (5.1 BB/9 in 2013). Morimando may not have better numbers than Merritt, but he has the stuff and power to it which makes him so much more intriguing and thus higher rated as a prospect. If he can continue to harness his command and make strides with the improvement in his velocity and breaking ball, the Indians may really have something here.

↑ Louis Head (RHP): 15 G, 2.45 ERA, 0.93 WHIP, 3.4 BB/9, 15.2 K/9. There are few legit bullpen prospects in the lower levels of the Indians system – or any system for that matter – but Head is at the top of the class when it comes to bullpen prospects below Double-A for the Indians. He has always been an interesting arm to keep an eye on who did a good job of throwing strikes and putting up consistent outings, but the quality of his stuff has really improved this season as he is up a few MPH with his fastball and touching 97 MPH and as a result racking up a ton of strikeouts. His showing to date is one of the best developments in the lower levels of the system this year and he has solidified himself as one of the Indians top bullpen prospects.

Lake County
→ Paul Hendrix (SS): 40 G, .333/.435/.553, 6 HR, 20 RBI, 24 BB, 50 K. Hendrix came into the season as more of an organizational guy and unranked in the Top 100, but has certainly at least solidified himself as someone who will be in the Top 100 next season. He is still more of a fringe prospect who projects as a utility player in the upper levels or big leagues, but there is no denying what he has shown this month is exceptional and that he has really performed well at Lake County. A .220 ISO and 14.3% walk rate is really nice from a middle infielder. On the other hand, a 29.8% strikeout rate and .477 BABIP are warning signs of trouble to come, and he is 22 years old and an advanced college player in Low-A, so the performance is taken with a grain of salt. It would be nice to see him bumped up to High-A Carolina to play every day so we can get a much better idea of how real his performance is this season.

↔ Eric Haase (C): .242/.336/.563, 10 HR, 18 RBI, 16 BB, 41 K. Haase has always been a prospect with considerable upside because of his athleticism, ability to catch and the promise with his bat. He continues to make strides with his receiving and is getting more consistent with his throwing, and he has more or less maintained his approach at the plate where he is walking about 10% of the time which is good. The strikeouts are still a concern, but what is really encouraging is the power he has shown this season as 18 of his 31 hits have gone for extra bases giving him an awesome .320 ISO. The batting average may be low but he walks a good amount and he is waiting for pitches he can drive and is clobbering them, a sign of a hitter who is improving right before our eyes.

→ Adam Plutko (RHP): 10 GS, 3.93 ERA, 1.16 WHIP, 2.1 BB/9, 11.3 K/9. Plutko has been impressive at Low-A Lake County and proven to be the advanced college pitcher he was said to be coming out of the draft last year. He has been dominant striking out 30.3% of all batters and walking just 5.5% of them, and his .348 BABIP is right in line with league averages and shows he has not been lucky and that any kind of regression should be coming. He is just flat out performing. The Indians say that they did not start him in High-A because they did not want his first pro experience to come there, but with two months in the books at Lake County it is about time to move him up and challenge him at a higher level because that is simply not happening at Lake County.

↑ Robbie Aviles (RHP): 10 G, 1.45 ERA, 0.83 WHIP, 1.3 BB/9, 5.6 K/9. Aviles’ performance so far this season is one that is both interesting and puzzling at the same time. It is interesting because he is finally putting up numbers that were expected of him as a former potential first or second round draft pick, but it is puzzling because even with the strong performance he still only has a 5.6 K/9 and is not blowing hitters away. That said, it is important to remember he is a sinkerballer who pitches to contact, so strikeouts are not as big a deal as they would be for another pitcher. And even so, he is striking out almost two more batters per nine innings this season. What is most encouraging is the significant dip in his walk rate, his improved command, his ability to better generate weak contact early in counts, and his offspeed stuff finally coming around. He is repeating at Low-A, so hopefully he gets a chance to go to Carolina soon to prove himself and continue his development there.

Follow Tony and the Indians Baseball Insider on Twitter @TonyIBI. Also, his new book the 2014 Cleveland Indians Baseball Insider which profiles the Indians' Top 100 Prospects and more is available for sale.

He is a brand new man.

http://www.bostonglobe.com/sports/baseb ... story.html

Major league veterans go in a different folder.

Yesterday's highlighted lines:

CLE AA Lindor, Francisco SS 4 2 1 2 .286 2 BB (27) [good walk total]
CLE AA Naquin, Tyler CF 6 2 4 1 .296 BB (18) [ending an excellent month]
CLE AA Rodriguez, Ronny 3B 6 2 2 0 .200 2B (12)
CLE AA Wendle, Joe 2B 5 1 1 1 .237 2 BB (16)
CLE AA Wolters, Tony C 5 1 1 1 .263 BB (16)
CLE AAA Ramirez, Jose SS 4 2 2 0 .308 2B (6), 3B (1), BB (13)
CLE HiA Gonzalez, Erik SS 4 0 1 2 .310
CLE HiA Rodriguez, Luigi DH 4 1 1 1 .212
CLE AAA Adams, Austin 1.1 1 0 0 2 1 3.86
CLE AAA Lee, C.C. 1 1 0 0 0 3 5.63
CLE HiA Plutko, Adam 6 7 4 4 1 6 6.00 W (1-0) [Debut in Carolina League for a top starting prospect]

Friday highlights:

CLE AA Lindor, Francisco SS 4 1 1 0 .285 BB (28)
CLE AA Naquin, Tyler CF 4 1 3 1 .305 2B (9), BB (19), SB (11) [333 for May]
CLE AA Rodriguez, Ronny 1B 5 3 4 1 .219 2B (13) [best game of the year]
CLE AA Wolters, Tony DH 2 3 1 2 .266 3 BB (19)
CLE AAA Ramirez, Jose 2B 5 0 1 0 .303
CLE LoA Frazier, Clint CF 4 0 1 1 .230 2 BB (24) [good walk total]
CLE LoA Paulino, Dorssys LF 5 1 2 2 .227 2B (9), SB (2)

CLE AA Morimando, Shawn 6 5 0 0 1 6 0.00 W (1-0) [AA debut in high style]
CLE AAA Barnes, Scott 1.1 0 0 0 0 1 3.68
CLE AAA Crockett, Kyle 2 3 2 1 0 0 1.69 [first multi-run game as a pro]
CLE LoA Brown, Mitch 5 3 1 1 5 3 4.50 [ERA is dropping but command still is terrible]

Five draft questions with Brad Grant, Indians director of amateur scouting

Indians' Brad Grant talks MLB Draft
Indians Director of Amateur Scouting Brad Grant discusses this week's draft.
Paul Hoynes, Northeast Ohio Media Group By Paul Hoynes, Northeast Ohio Media Group
Follow on Twitter
on May 31, 2014 at 2:49 PM, updated May 31, 2014 at 3:03 PM
Brad Grant will be conducting his seventh draft for the Indians as director of amateur scouting Thursday through Saturday. This year Grant has four picks in the first day, No. 21, 31, 38 and 61. The 31st pick is compensation for Ubaldo Jimenez, No.38 is a competitive balance pick and No.61 is the Tribe's normal second round pick.
Q. What is the advantage of having four picks in the first day?
A. " It really gives us an advantage in this year's draft because there is a lot of depth to this draft class. It seems there are a lot of similar players who fall into that range between picks No.21 and No. 61. It's exciting."
Q. How does having four picks in the first two rounds change your preparation for the draft?
A. "Last year we had the fifth overall pick and didn't pick again until No.69 on the second day. We went and saw the best players just once, making the assumption that they wouldn't get back around to us when it was time for our second pick. This year we definitely spent a lot of time on what we consider to be the top 150 players in the draft.
As an organization our area scouts will see a player four to five times. Then we'll have our cross checkers see each of those guys three to five times. The number of looks we're getting is significant."
Q. What does a cross checker do?
A. "We've increased the number national cross checkers to three. Then we have five regional cross checkers. The national cross checker oversees the entire country. They'll go out and see players from California to New York so I have a national perspective from them. They can compare any player for me and say this guy goes over this guy.
"We have five regional cross checkers – east coast, midwest, west coast, upper west coast and upper midwest. They are responsible for developing and overseeing the area scouts, while at the same time getting deep looks into that region's players. They pref out (rank) the region for us and the national guy can pref it out on a national perspective for us."
Q. In the last three years, you've taken high school players Francisco Lindor (2011) and Clint Frazier (2013) with two of your No.1 picks. What prompted you to take a high school player over a college player?
A. "Francisco and Clint were so unique in their ability. They possess tools you just don't see. When you walk into a high school field you normally don't say, "This kid is going to stay at shortstop at the major league level.' Those guys are rare. That's why we targeted Francisco.
"With Clint it was the bat speed and the ability to impact the baseball. You don't walk into a field and see balls leave the park like he did it . . .The hard thing for us was to see if the (plate) discipline would truly play and if he'd be able to manage the strike zone the way he's managing it right now."
Q. How big is your draft pool bonus this year?
A. "We have the eighth largest bonus pool ($8 million). We have the ability to be creative."
© 2014 cleveland.com. All rights reserved.

Akron RubberDucks: Joey Wendle’s hitting frustrations end
By Fred Cay
Special to the Beacon Journal
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Add This Published: May 26, 2014 - 11:14 PM | Updated: May 27, 2014 - 08:21 AM
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Joey Wendle’s first month of Double-A competition brought mostly frustration. But this month has been plenty satisfying for the RubberDucks’ second baseman.
Wendle continued his productive hitting Monday with two two-run doubles as the Ducks scored all their runs in the first three innings of a 9-0 victory over Reading before a holiday crowd of 4,205 at Canal Park.
Right-hander Joe Colon (4-2, 2.30) allowed three hits, facing one batter over the minimum. It was the first complete game and shutout for an Akron pitcher in two years, and the Ducks avoided a sweep in the four-game series, halting a four-game losing skid.
The Ducks (31-19), who lead the Eastern League’s Western Division by three games, start a three-game series tonight at second-place Bowie.
Wendle’s double to left center was the big blow of a five-run second as the Ducks took a 6-0 lead, knocking out Fightin Phils starter Mike Nesseth (0-4).
They scored three more times on four hits in the third against reliever Kyle Simons, including Wendle’s second double.
Every starter in the Ducks lineup had at least one hit among a team-total of 13. The other 11 were all singles, including two each by Bryan LaHair and Bryson Myles.
Wendle’s batting average is .231 but it was less than .200 in April.
Since then, he is hitting .265 with 10 doubles and 17 runs batted in. He leads the Ducks with 13 doubles and shares the team lead with four home runs.
“Definitely a rough start in the beginning and a lot of adversity,” said Wendle. “But just continuing to stay into my routine, do the things I’ve been successful with in the past, just trying to repeat those.”
A 6-foot-1, 190-pound left-handed hitter, he enjoyed a strong season at High-A Carolina in 2013, hitting .295 with 32 doubles and 16 home runs in 413 at-bats.
He was named the Lou Boudreau Award winner symbolic of the top position player in the Indians system.
In 2012, he hit .327 in 61 games at short-season Class A Mahoning Valley.
“I’m starting to see the ball a little better now,” said the 24-year-old Wendle. “My timing’s a little better now. Staying into my legs a little better now, which is something I wasn’t doing before. And starting to have better at-bats a little more consistently.”
Time to hit
Ducks manager David Wallace preached patience during the early struggles, saying it was only a matter of time until Wendle began to thrive.
“Too good of a hitter,” said Wallace, who managed Carolina last year. “Getting to watch him all last year and parts of two years ago, Joe can just swing it and it’s just a matter of swinging at good pitches, not getting too pull happy.”
Colon made sure the early lead would not be challenged. He pitched the franchise’s first nine-inning complete game since Giovanni Soto’s no-hitter against Altoona on July 15, 2012. The last nine-inning shutout for an Akron pitcher was by Steven Wright against Bowie on May 6, 2012.
Colon struck out four, walked one and was helped by four double plays — three on line drives. He has given up just 10 runs in his last nine starts.
“Joe Colon — outstanding,” said Wallace. “And that’s what we know he’s got in him. He attacked the guys, he trusted his stuff, went right at them. And I don’t think that’s the last complete-game shutout we’ll see from him.”
It was the first complete game in the five-year career of the 6-0, 167-pound Colon, a native of Puerto Rico. And he didn’t let the big lead affect his approach.
“I was working on first pitch, first strike,” said Colon, who needed just 95 pitches. “I kept the same game plan, attack the hitter, stay in the zone and throw strikes.”

Saturday boxes:

http://www.milb.com/scoreboard/index.js ... d=20140531

Of note:

Columbus won 2, 19-3 and 2-1. In the opener Jose Ramirez 2 hits; Tyler Holt 2 walks, 2 singles, 2 doubles, AVG 417 in his first AAA 7 games, he's 25 LF. Game 2: Urshela single and triple. Hagadone perfect vs 5 hitters, 3 fanned.

Akron: Naquin 4th trple. Wendle 3 hits incuding 5th homer. Wolters 2 hits. LIndor 0=5, drops to 279.
Mediocre effort by Cody Anderson clearly not our top starting pitcher prospect , 6-4-3-3--4-1. Adam Miller takes the loss, 2 runs in 2 innings

Carolina: 0-2 loss. LeVon Washington walks twice, he's played 4 games in a row! Michael People 6-5-2-2-2-9

Lake County: Frazier 3 singles, 2 strikeouts.
Robbie Aviles victimized be errors: 6 1/3-7-5-1-0-4 1.48

BA cites these lines;

CLE AA Naquin, Tyler CF 5 1 1 0 .303 3B (4)
CLE AA Rodriguez, Ronny 3B 3 0 1 0 .222 BB (9)
CLE AA Wendle, Joe 2B 5 1 3 2 .242 HR (5)
CLE AA Wolters, Tony C 3 1 2 0 .273 SB (1)
CLE LoA Frazier, Clint CF 5 1 3 1 .241
CLE LoA Paulino, Dorssys LF 4 0 1 0 .221
CLE LoA Rodriguez, Nelson 1B 4 0 1 0 .214 2B (11)
CLE MAJ Aguilar, Jesus 1B 2 1 1 0 .188 BB (3)
CLE AA Anderson, Cody 6 4 3 3 4 1 4.06
CLE AA Armstrong, Shawn 1 2 1 1 0 1 2.01
CLE MAJ Bauer, Trevor 6 4 2 2 1 8 3.63

In a matchup of Joe favorites past (Paolo Espino) and present (Joe Colon) Akron scores a 6-3 win. Colon with a standard for him line: 6-5-2-2-2-4. Naquin leads the offense with a pair of hits, a walk and his 12th steal. Columbus beckons.
Bryan Price with his first outing since spring training pitches a shutout inning

http://www.milb.com/milb/stats/stats.js ... x&sid=milb

Clint Frazier with a single, only his second homer, and a walk and his 7th steal for Lake County.

Dace Kime steadily improving: 6-5-3-1-1-8 . He'll be taking his 8th loss. But his April ERA was just under 10; May 4.4; and his June debut is best he's pitched.

http://www.milb.com/milb/stats/stats.js ... x&sid=milb

BA Q&A:

Rich (NJ): Have any scouts raised concerns about Clint Frazier's lack of production and high strikeout rate? Thanks
Ben Badler: That’s always been my hesitation with him. The bat speed and raw power are impossible to miss, but yeah, the aggressive approach and low contact frequency are red flags for me.

continued:

DANNY LEVINE (THE TABLET): Hi. Thoughts on the Indians this year? Organization having a down year as a whole... cheer me up with a good, "unknown" prospect to look forward to?

Ben Badler: Francisco Lindor is going to be glorious. I want to see him do it against Double-A and Triple-A pitchers, but Erik Gonzalez is one of the most improved players in the organization and he’s turning his athleticism and tools into skills that are starting to translate at the plate. Your assessment of the year the system is having as a whole is fair.