Cleveland Indians Organization Discussion

As a UVA fan, there’s still a part of me that’s mildly surprised at how well Packer has performed as a starter in the minors. I certainly didn’t expect that, but with his velocity back to touching the low 90’s and his excellent command, he certainly looks like a guy that could make it as a soft-tossing end of the rotation type lefty. With all the moves, plus the solid year at AA and being 24 for much of the 2012 campaign, I’ve got to think that he’s a top 20, if not top 15 prospect for the Indians now.

The Indians have had some of the worst drafting over the past 10 years or so of almost any team I can think of, and it shows right now. That said, I still think that that they have a ton of B or C pitching, and a lot of hitting talent in the low minors. Some of the not so common names that I liked:

- Bryson Myles
- Luigi Rodriguez
- Ronny Rodriguez
- Adam Abraham
- Roberto Perez (I like his, though I know he might never make it. Walks all the time, A++ defense)
- Jesus Aguilar (ton of power!)

I still think they have a nice core in Chun Chen, Lindor, Wolters, Felix Sterling, Hagadone. And if Levon Washington can get his stuff together I think he could be special.

If I was drafting for the Indians in 2012 I would be going after impacts bats.

Most interesting prospect in the system right now, in my opinion. He could be rated as high as #2 or the back end of the top 10 depending on how you feel about him. As a 6’6" (and I’m taking the over on his 215 lbs weight listing) lefty with mid-90s heat I can at least dream that he could become a #1-2 starter.

While they aren’t in the upper tier of systems I don’t think its in as bad of shape as some say. Lindor is young and far away but definitely deserved his draft position and nabbing Dillon Howard in the second round helps take away some of the sting of sending White and Pomeranz to Colorado. There aren’t too many high upside guys in the upper levels but Chun-Hsiu Chen looks like he can at least hit if not do a poor mans impression of Carlos Santana. In the lower levels there is definitely hope that guys like Jesus Aguilar, Dorssys Paulino, and Cody Anderson could take big steps forward. Tony Wolters has also proved himself as a legitimate prospect after what he did in the NYPL.

I’m skeptical about Washington translating his tools and most of the list will probably be filled out with guys who will be backend starters or bullpen arms so I mention that caveat before I get railroaded for praising these guys too much.

And Eric Berger deserves a C grade merely for his mustache.

me and a good friend of mine chatted with him after a game in Auburn last summer, said he thought he broke his foot or severely bruised it but was going to play through it to help the team try to make the playoffs.

Take a look at this kid…he’s from my neck of the woods, so I’ve followed him pretty closely. He was a 9th rounder from last year out of a D-II school and had a nice debut year for Mahoning Valley.

got somewhat back on track last year, any hope for him to have a decent major league role/