Cleveland Sports Forum

For a 22 yr in double aa, this guy is doing well and not getting a lot of attention.

LG LEVEL G AB R H TB 2B 3B HR RBI BB IBB SO SB CS AVG OBP SLG OPS GO/AO
Minors 2016 EAS AA 83 317 42 84 156 20 2 16 51 42 0 113 1 0 .265 .354 .492 .847 0.66

From Tony

Offense: Rodriguez is still very young and still growing into his game. He’s physically mature for his age and has really put in a ton of work the last two offseasons to transform his body to make it stronger but also leaner and more physically fit. He is an intimidating presence when he stands in the box and faces a pitcher with some very strong arms and a short but very strong lower half. He does not project to hit for average and will always be susceptible to high strikeout totals, but it is the give and take when a player has the ability to hit for power and cause some major damage when he barrels up a baseball. He has good above average raw power to all fields and the ability to really hit balls middle-in a long way. He shows a good, mature approach where he works counts well, is willing to take walks and will work a pitcher for a good pitch to hit. He is a confident hitter who controls his at bats, is selective and gets good length to his swing, and has made some good strides the last two seasons to get better at recognizing offspeed and working to the middle of the field. He shows the innate ability to be a run producer, something that comes from his attitude and approach where when guys are on base he buckles down and puts forth some great at bats and is aggressive yet under control so he finds a good pitch he can drive.

Obviously way too many strikeouts, but NRod does draw walks and it's not HR or bust, since there are plenty of doubles. There's the typical knock against 1b-only defensive players and I don't know how good a defender he is. Aguillar fought the same stereotype and has petered out. I've been a Nellie fan since Mahoning valley.

We rarely get shut out on the Hot Prospect List. Good week by the Akron outfield!

8. Bradley Zimmer, of, Indians

Team: Double-A Akron (Eastern)
Age: 23
Why He’s Here: .346/.414/.692 (9-for-26), 4 R, 2 2B, 2 HR, 6 RBIs, 3 BB, 7 SO, 3-for-3 SB

The Scoop: Zimmer, despite his success, is swinging and missing out at an alarming rate. His current 30 percent strikeout rate would be by far a career worst. However, the 2014 first-rounder is showing improved power and stealing bases at a career-high clip. He’s a smooth defender who figures to be able to stay in center field. (VLC)


14. Clint Frazier, of, Indians

Team: Double-A Akron (Eastern)
Age: 21
Why He’s Here: .300/.344/.567 (9-for-30), 5 R, 2 2B, 2 HR, 5 RBIs, 2 BB, 7 SO, 2-for-3 SB

The Scoop: The hyper-talented 2013 first-rounder continues to elevate himself to a top-25-level player. Frazier had a hit in all seven games last week, and continues to be on pace for new career highs in doubles, runs, and homers despite being more than three years younger than the average player in the Eastern League. (KG

Look who's here!


15. Mike Papi, of, Indians

Team: Double-A Akron (Eastern)
Age: 23
Why He’s Here: .318/.467/.773 (7-for-22), 8 R, 2 3B, 2 HR, 9 RBIs, 7 BB, 6 SO

The Scoop: Though he’s hitting just .224 at two minor league stops this season, the 2014 sandwich pick showcased strong secondary skills this week with four extra-base hits and seven walks. Papi plays mostly right field, with some first base and left field mixed in.

BA's just posted its updated Top 100 Minor League Prospect List.
Can assume Frazier has vaulted over Zimmer. And how high did Mejia go? Here's how they rated our guys:

21. Clint Frazier of Indians Dynamic outfielder continues to improve power production, plate discipline at Double-A.

26. Bradley Zimmer of Indians While his average has plummeted to .240 at Double-A, his secondary skills and glove shine bright.

59. Brady Aiken lhp Indians He’s just returning to action after Tommy John surgery. The results have been poor but his velocity is back.

64. Bobby Bradley 1b Indians First basemen have to hit. With 50 home runs in two and a half pro seasons, Bradley fits the bill

69. Justus Sheffield lhp Indians The Indians’ system is getting better and better. Sheffield’s continued climb as a power lefty is one of the reasons why

70. Francisco Mejia c Indians If you’re asked to repeat a league, dominate it. Mejia did to earn a midseason jump to high Class A.

71. Mike Clevinger rhp Indians Clevinger is one of the better stealth prospects in baseball. It’s easy to forget he’s a hard-throwing starter in Triple-A.

That's a lot of players in the top 71!

Among catchers, only these rated ahead of Mejia:

No. 36 Gary Sanchez NYY
"Was off to torrid start before fracturing thumb on a foul ball, hasn’t quite regained form."

No. 67 Jorge Alfaro PHI
"Healthy after a lost 2015, Alfaro is starting to live up to lofty expectations as his defense is catching up to his bat."

Peter Gammons on the future's game

I love the Futures Game, and I have the greatest of respect for John Manuel, Jim Callis, Keith Law and Jonathan Mayo. I appreciate the hard work they do in putting together prospect ratings lists. But If I hear an executive or a voice say “such and such is the x best prospect in an organization,” I think, “the Indians have the best rotation in baseball and Danny Salazar, Corey Kluber and Josh Tomlin were never on any top 100 prospect list.

Scrapper lost last night but McKenzie pitched very well again. Little wild tho. 5 IP 2 H 1 unearned run. 4 BB 6 K

0.33 ERA on year.

1st round pick Will Benson had two hits with a triple. Logan Ice had 2 hits with a double. Add both their batting averages together now and might be about 300. Baby steps.

Greg Allen 1-2 with 2 walks. He continues to get on base too much so Indians leaving him in class A till he learns his lesson.

Zimmer 2-4 yesterday. Unfortunately Papi went hitless and is again below 200. Just when I thought there was so much hope. He's such a tease. Kaminskey got the win regardless with a solid outing.

Clevinger looked good again. 6 innings, 4 hits, 2 runs. 7 K

Our prospects didn't do too shabby in Futures game. Frazier was 2-3, single, double, and SB. Yandy was 1-2 and Mejia 1-3.

So Mejia's hitting streak is now 33, although I guess that one doesn't count.

Since being touched for 3 runs in his first start, Juan Hillman hasn't yielded another in his next 4 as young-for-the-league 19 year old in the NYPL. Yesterday 5 2/3 5 hits 1 walk 4 K. Lefty's ERA is 1.03 WHIP 0.87 K/BB 4.8/1.

Arizona team scored 8 runs; leading hitter was C Li-Jen Chu on rehab assignment, should have been in Lake County this year. 2 doubles, triple, single, hitting .500
Also of note:
draftee Ulysses Cantu w singles, hitting 161.
2nd rounder Nate Jones walked and struck out 4 times.
Power hitting LF Oscar Gonzalez with his 5th double to match his league leading 5 homers.
SS Elvis Perez, 3 singles and 1/2 in steals. He's only 2 years younger than our major league all star SS.

Very rare win and a bit of unusual offense by Mah Valley, although the hits were all singles.

G Mejia started very cold start now up to .295. 2 singles, walk, 5th and 6th steals.
2nd baseman Cerda 2 hits, .300
Big day for 1b/3b Nate Winfrey with a hit. Average soars to .070.

In Lynchburg:

Krieger 2 hits
Santander single and double
Bradley's first homer in nearly a month, his 16th, still leads the Carolina League [tied with a 24-year-old; Bobby's 4 years younger] and he walked
Mathias 2 hits
Chang single, walk and 24th double.
Lugo kind of typical for him: 6 11 4 4 4 3

Bradley leads the league with 63 rbi. Santander and Chang tied for next at 59. [Baseball America has suggested that the Hillcats play in a hitter-friendly park. But both Bradley and Chang hit most of their homers on the road]

A special day for Adam Plutko on Saturday:

5 innings, 12 hits, 4 walks, 9 runs. ERA more than doubled to 4.11 after 4 solid AAA starts.

Saturday games:

CLE AA Rodriguez, Nellie 1B 4 1 1 3 .262 HR (17), BB (44)
CLE AA Zimmer, Bradley CF 4 2 2 0 .245 BB (50)
CLE AAA Gonzalez, Erik SS 5 1 1 0 .296 2B (22)
CLE HiA Allen, Greg CF 2 1 1 2 .307 2 BB (54), CS (6)
CLE HiA Krieger, Tyler 2B 5 1 1 1 .313 2B (4)
CLE HiA Mathias, Mark SS 4 2 3 4 .252 2 2B (21) [trying to catch back up with his fellow IF Krieger]
CLE AA Kaminsky, Rob 5.1 3 2 2 3 3 4.14 W (4-5)
CLE AAA Armstrong, Shawn 0.2 0 0 0 0 1 2.70
CLE AAA Clevinger, Mike 6 4 2 2 0 7 2.72 W (9-0)
CLE AAA Plutko, Adam 5 12 9 9 4 1 4.15 L (2-2)
CLE SS McKenzie, Triston 5 2 1 0 4 6 0.33 L (2-2) [1 earned run in 5 starts]