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Cleveland Indians Top 20 Prospects in Review

This list was originally posted January 14th, 2008.  THIS IS NOT A NEW LIST!! THIS IS A REVIEW OF THE OLD LIST AND OLD GRADES!!!!

1) Adam Miller, RHP, Grade B
     1.88 ERA with 20/12 K/BB in 29 innings for Triple-A Buffalo, before going on the DL, his home away from home, with a finger injury. He's a Grade A- when healthy but can't seem to stay that way.
2) Chuck Lofgren, LHP, Grade B
      5.33 ERA with 70/46 K/BB in 79 innings for Double-A Akron, 81 hits allowed. Has pitched much better after moving to relief recently, but overall this is not a good season.
3) Beau Mills, 3B-1B, Grade B
     .294/.377/.502 for Class A Kinston. An impressive season. Should he move up to B+ for 2009?
4) Josh Rodriguez, SS, Grade B
     .254/.347/.379 for Double-A Akron, 69 walks, 113 strikeouts, 11 steals in 472 at-bats. I think he could do a bit better than that in the future.
5) Wes Hodges, 3B, Grade B-
     .280/.351/.427 for Akron. Power production may not be enough.
6) Brad Snyder, OF, Grade B-
     .251/.305/.428 for Buffalo, 106 strikeouts in 102 games. I stuck with him too long, his hitting skills haven't developed like I'd hoped and have gone backwards in some ways.
7) Jensen Lewis, RHP, Grade B-
     3.99 RA with 33/22 K/BB in 47 innings for the Indians. A competent reliever who should put up similar numbers going forward.
8) Jared Goedert, 3B, Grade B-
     .264/.342/.382 at Kinston. Good plate discipline, but unable to live up to gaudy 2007 numbers in the Sally League.
9) Trevor Crowe, OF, Grade C+
      Finally got bat going in Double-A, .323/.404/.485 with 13 steals in 49 games. .247/.344/.457 numbers in Triple-A aren't as good but aren't terrible. Fourth outfielder?
10) Jon Drennen, OF, Grade C+
     .230/.303/.312 for Kinston. Not developing at all.
11) Aaron Laffey, LHP, Grade C+
      2.35 ERA with 38/14 K/BB in 46 innings for Buffalo, 4.23 with 43/31 K/BB in 94 innings for the Indians. Low strikeout rate in the majors is worrisome but he gets grounders. Fourth starter.
12) David Huff, LHP, Grade C+
       1.92 ERA with 62/14 K/BB in 66 innings for Akron, 2.94 ERA with 65/10 K/BB in 64 innings for Buffalo. Very efficient strike-thrower with K/IP of a power pitcher. Good health is the best news.
13) Nick Weglarz, OF, Grade C+
      .273/.440/.440 for Kinston. Good strike zone judgment, power should improve. I like him.
14) Scott Lewis, LHP, Grade C+
      2.33 ERA with 61/9 K/BB in 73 innings, 62 hits for Akron. Just promoted to Buffalo, killed in first start. I like him if he can stay healthy, which has been a problem.
15) Matthew McBride, C, Grade C+
      HIt .175 in 16 games for Kinston, now on rehab in the Gulf Coast League rehabbing labrum.
16) Jordan Brown, 1B, Grade C+
      .282/.338/.407 for Buffalo. Power too marginal for first base.
17) Paolo Espino, RHP, Grade C+
       Killed as a starter at Kinston, 8.49 ERA with weak peripherals. Much better in relief at Lake County, 2.88 ERA with 25/7 K/BB in 25 innings.
18) Generalissimo Ben Francisco, Caudillo de Cleveland, OF, Grade C+
       .283/.342/.467 for the Indians. Wish I had rated him higher on this list, as I've liked him as a sleeper prospect for a long time.
19) Adam Davis, 2B, Grade C
       .198/.295/.318 combined for Kinston and Lake County. Obviously this isn't going to get it done.
20) T.J. McFarland, LHP, Grade C
        4.63 ERA with 33/12 K/BB in 47 innings, 58 hits for the GCL Indians. Not a lot to get excited about either way here, but he's very young.

Lofgren could be very nice as a reliever; something was sure wrong with him earlier this year. Miller is great but has singlehandedly driven health insurance premiums in the US up 4% by himself. Mills and the newly-acquired Matt LaPorta will rank at the top of the list next year. Ben Francisco is a fine, fine player, helping take the sting out of the apparent development failures of Drennen and Snyder.

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I’d really like to know your take on a couple of other prospects not included in this list:

Hector Rondon
Kelvin De La Cruz
Carlos Santana
Abner Abreu
Carlos Rivero

I know hindsight is 20/20, but I didn’t really agree with this list at the start of the season, because there were clearly some better prospects who could’ve been on it, and I guess right now it shows.

by JP_Frost on Aug 17, 2025 2:19 PM EDT reply actions   0 recs

Trevor Crowe

Tradewise, Is he attainable? Or are the Indians committed to seeing precisely what they’ve got in him first?

by StickRat on Aug 17, 2025 5:14 PM EDT reply actions   0 recs

John, in my opinion, you have corrected the major errors.

in your postseason report. As you may recall, I was quite critical at the time, especially of the Snyder and Davis selections. Espino was pretty bad as well. Both indiansfan and I tried to tell you that you needed to include Hector Rondon, Carlos Rivero and Kelvin De La Cruz. All three are probably top ten prospects this year and did not warrant mention on your list or in the book. If they are missing this year, I will be sorely disappointed in you but picking the Cleveland prospects just got a lot tougher with the trades and this year’s draft.

I think we can safely put Beau Mills at B+. He’s probably just a few stikeouts away from an A-. Please remember that he is playing in the Carolina League which is not a hitter’s haven.

You got some really good things too that I think warrant notice. Super call on Jordan Brown who was overrated by many of us. Same for you bold call on Rodriguez. He does need to cut down on the strikeouts but most of us agree with you now. Nick Weglarz was rated too low but your writeup was great. I think we all wished we had been smart enough to rate Benny higher.

I really look forward to your ratings and the book this year since I think the Cleveland system has had a serious resurgence.

by sdtribefan on Aug 17, 2025 5:57 PM EDT reply actions   0 recs

right/wrong

I try hard to keep myself accountable. When I miss something or screw up, I admit it and try to learn from it. And when I get something right, I try to just let it speak for itself.

by John Sickels on Aug 17, 2025 7:21 PM EDT up reply actions   0 recs

I don't know about other minorophiles

but I can tell you that is why I like your site and book so much better than your competitors. It may also have something to do with the fact that you are better at this than they are.

by sdtribefan on Aug 18, 2025 1:00 PM EDT up reply actions   0 recs

Weglarz

roped a 96 mph fastball for a double when I saw him play for Team Canada. Solid looking bat

by nms on Aug 17, 2025 6:31 PM EDT reply actions   0 recs

Lofgren

I read someplace that he was dealing with family issues earlier in the year, possibly his mom having cancer, which really weighed on his mind and therefore his performance. If this is true it’s understandable he’d have a down year and hopefully things work out for the best with his family and he gets back on track next season. I still see him as a starter and not a reliever.

by cursedcleveland on Aug 18, 2025 6:44 AM EDT reply actions   0 recs

Unless I’m mistaken, there is not a single international signing on this entire list — all 20 guys were drafted.

That fact alone simply doesn’t reflect the Indians farm system at any point in the last ten years.

by Jay on Aug 25, 2025 2:10 PM EDT reply actions   0 recs

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