Cleveland Indians: Breaking Down the First Spring Training Lineup

The Cleveland Indians open spring training today and some familiar faces are at the top of the lineup, along with some prospects looking to stand out.

The Cleveland Indians are back!

After four months of reminiscing on the 2016 season, the 2017 season gets underway today at 3 p.m. as the Indians take on the Cincinnati Reds to begin spring training.

Here is the lineup for the opener:

The top three in the order are familiar faces, who will once again have to be major pieces in the offense if the Indians are going to compete for a World Series title.

The most exciting part of this first lineup comes from the cleanup spot, as Indians fans will get to see Edwin Encarnacion in an Indians jersey for the first time. He will be dealing with great expectations all season, but he surely can handle it by now.

Yan Gomes also makes his way into this first lineup, which is a great sign after his 2016 season was marred by injury. He is one of the players with the most to prove in 2017, given the fact Roberto Perez proved he could hold down the starting catcher position if needed.

The next three spots include some exciting young talent, as Bradley Zimmer and Greg Allen will both get some action in the outfield today. Both are fighting for a chance to be on the 25-man roster, although there may not be room as of right now. Regardless, it will be nice to see some of the organization’s top prospects in action today.

Daniel Robertson also gets a chance to prove himself, starting in left field. The 31-year-old has bounced around the league, and is being given a chance by the Indians to show what he can do in spring training. It likely won’t result in a roster spot, but it could lead to him getting a chance with another team.

Then in the final spot comes everyone’s favorite player, Michael Martinez. But don’t panic, his presence in this lineup may not mean he is assured a roster spot, which is good news for fans who want to see the Indians go with a younger option in that utility role. It worked out when the team took a chance on Jose Ramirez.

As for the pitchers in today’s game, Ryan Merritt gets the start and will be followed by several others.

Merritt may not be in line to receive a rotation spot, but he will surely be an option for the team if a spot start is needed, or a player goes down with injury.

And as seen in the above tweet, fans will get to see Andrew Miller for the first time since his dominant postseason performance.

Next: Position Players with Most to Prove in Spring

This season is going to be fun, and it all starts today in Goodyear, Arizona.