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Seedlings to Stars Ranks Indians Prospects, Takes Negative View of Organization

Lewie Pollis — Wed, 25 Jan 2012 18:29:20 +0000

In their version of the annual top prospect rankings, our friends at Seedlings to Stars have been breaking down each MLB organization’s best minor leaguers into mock 25-man rosters. This week, S2S writer Wally Fish broke down the Cleveland Indians organization. The result was the stuff that rain clouds are made of.

We know that Cleveland’s farm system isn’t what it used to be. The trades of Drew Pomeranz, Alex White, and Joe Gardner; the promotions of Lonnie Chisenhall, Jason Kipnis, and Vinnie Pestano; and the struggles of Jason Knapp, Nick Weglarz, and LeVon Washington have all hit the organization pretty hard.

Even so, Fish’s analysis seems overly skeptical. ”The cupboard is really, really bare,” he writes, before suggesting that the Tribe’s farm system might be the very worst in baseball—worse even than the White Sox’. Check out his grades for different parts of the organization: (more…)

Kevin Goldstein Releases 2012 Indians Top Prospect List

Lewie Pollis — Fri, 20 Jan 2012 15:50:24 +0000

Baseball Prospectus’ Kevin Goldstein became the latest prospect guru to chime in on the Indians’ farm system this week when he released his 2012 Top 20 list for the Cleveland organization.

Topping the list—surprise, surprise—is shortstop Francisco Lindor, the Tribe’s first-round pick in the 2011 MLB amateur draft. Lindor, who Goldstein says is “loaded with tools.” is the sole Indians prospect to receive a five-star rating. In particular, Goldstein praises the 18-year-old’s “outstanding bat speed,” “impressive range,” and “off-the-charts makeup” and says Lindor has the potential to be an All-Star. (more…)

Reviewing the 2012 Indians Top Prospect Rankings

Geordy Boveroux — Tue, 17 Jan 2012 15:54:51 +0000

Both Baseball America and John Sickels released their top prospects lists in the last two weeks, and each offered a different look at the Indians’ farm system. When two so well-respected sources both offer their opinions, it raises some interesting questions: What did they agree on? How did they differ? And how did they do?

Obviously the farm system has seen better days. The talented prospects who excited us this time last year are now either on the big league roster or in Colorado. There are definitely bright days ahead as many of the Tribe’s remaining minor leaguers have high upsides and are still just teenagers, but it’s important to remember that the organization has had some bad luck with prospects in recent years.

Both Baseball America and Sickels are in consensus as to who the top two prospects in the organization are: Francisco Lindor and Dillon Howard, the Tribe’s first two picks in the 2011 MLB Draft. (more…)