Advanced A is the newest level of the minor leagues as the first ever Indians affiliate was created in 1990, the Kinston (North Carolina) Indians. This level allows the Major League team to house another 25 minor leaguers and giving them an extra transitional step between single A and AA. From 1990 through 2011 the Indians affiliate was Kinston, after which were three seasons with the Carolina Mudcats and one year with the Lynchburg Hillcats, their current A+ affiliate. As we have with the top ten Rookie, Short Season and A level players, below follow the best players ever to play for the Indians in the Advanced A Carolina league based on their time at that level.
10. Brian Tallet – SP – 2001 Kinston Indians
Drafted four times, Tallet didn’t sign until the Indians took him in the second round in 2000 and at 22 years old, it took him no time to reach Advanced A. In his only season in Kinston, he made 27 starts, completing two and posting a 3.04 ERA. While not a high strike out pitcher in the Major Leagues, Tallet K’d 164 in 160 innings, a number he would never even come close to reaching again. He walked just 38 for a 1.08 WHIP and earned a 2002 promotion to AA.
Quickly moving up the system, Tallet made his debut for the Indians in 2002, just two years after being drafted, but never really caught on at the big league level. In 2006, he was traded to Toronto for Bubbie Buzachero and while he pitched fine out of the bullpen, he would never return to his Advanced A form. Tallet’s last Major League season would be in 2011 and after a year in the Padres minor league system and another in Independent ball, Tallet retired after 2013.
9. Danny Peoples – LF – 1997 Kinston Indians
Easily the most disappointing player on this list, Peoples was the Tribe’s first round pick in 1996 and quickly advanced to Carolina for his first full season. That year, the Indians next big outfielder scored 82 runs, knocked in 84 (third in Advanced A Indians history) and hit 34 home runs (the Indians A+ record) to go with 21 doubles and eight steals. While he batted just .249, Peoples slugged .555 and was promoted between seasons to Akron at 23 years old. After a decent year there in 1999 and another in Buffalo the next year, Peoples struggled in 2001, playing just 106 games. He was released after that season and would never play another game in professional baseball.
8. Stephen Head – 1B – 2005-2007 Kinston Indians
Head was taken in the second round by the Indians in 2005 and like many players on this list, he joined Kinston at a very young age, but stayed longer than the normal player to accumulate some impressive stats. He played just 10 games at the lower levels, skipping single A entirely and jumping to Advanced A. That year, he played in 47 games to end the year and still managed to knock in 36 runs with 19 extra base hits and a .286 average.
He spent all of 2006 in Kinston as well and while his average dropped, he still hit for decent power, crushing 14 home runs and 26 doubles in 130 games. Something many young power hitters struggle with, Head only struck out 73 times to 54 and still looked like a solid prospect. He remained there one more year before moving to Akron at the end of the season in 2007. Another 42 extra base hits put his career A+ numbers at 31 home runs, 70 doubles and 170 RBI in 279 games. Head was also successful in Akron in 2008, but didn’t take off in Columbus and was released after the 2009 season. After a year in Independent ball and another in the Rockies minor league system, Head left baseball without ever reaching the Major Leagues.
7. Richie Sexson – 1B – 1995 Kinston Indians
Based on Indians history, if you want to succeed in Advanced A, swing from your ankles and hope for the best. At this level, most pitchers haven’t figured out their breaking pitches or control and sluggers like Sexson, a 24th round pick in 1993, take advantage of that. In 1995, he blasted 22 home runs in 131 games, knocking in 85 and scoring 80 more. Never known for a high average, Sexson batted .306 that year, a number he would never surpass again in a full season.
Sexson jumped into the national prospect rankings after this season (a theme throughout all these minor league lists) and after spending one year in Canton-Akron and most of two seasons in Buffalo, he embarked on a 12 year MLB career that ended after the 2008 season and 306 career home runs.
6. Cody Anderson – SP – 2013 Carolina Mudcats
Never considered a true Major League prospect until he actually made his Major League debut, Anderson was a 14th round pick in 2011 and made his debut in Carolina at the age of 22 two years later. After a lackluster year in Lake County, Anderson dominated in Advanced A, keeping a 2.34 ERA with 112 strike outs (four below the A+ Indians record) in 123.1 innings. He won nine of his 26 starts and before the end of the year was promoted to Akron. Once there, he struggled for the end of 2013 and all 2014 before making a complete turn around in 2015. After ten starts and a 1.73 ERA, Anderson was promoted to Columbus and after three more starts there, he was brought to Cleveland where he was a surprisingly positive addition to an already incredible rotation.
5. Chuck Lofgren – SP – 2006 Kinston Indians
A fourth round pick in 2004, Lofgren played his first full season in Lake County, then advanced to Advance A at the age of 20. Despite being younger than most of the rest of the league, he excelled, winning 17 of 25 starts including a complete game. He threw 139.2 innings 125 strike outs and just 54 walks, posting a 2.32 ERA, the best ever by an Indians Advanced A player with at least 130 innings pitched.
After this success, Lofgren was promoted to Akron the following season and even AAA Buffalo by the end of the year. It is possible that his quick assention was too fast as the pitcher who once ranked as the 35th best prospect in baseball (after his year in Kinston) bounced between AA and AAA in 2008 and 2009. During the Winter of 2009, he was taken in the Rule 5 draft by Milwaukee and after they decided they couldn’t roster him, Omar Aguilar was sent to Cleveland so the Brewers could keep Lofgren. After one poor season in AAA with Milwaukee, however, Lofgren was let go and pitched for a year in the Giants system for another year before ending his Major League associated career. After three more years in Independent ball, Lofgren retired before ever reaching the Major Leagues.
4. Russell Branyan – 3B – 1997 Kinston Indians
The first repeat appearance in the minor league top ten lists, Branyan used his 1996 campaign with the Columbus Red Stixx to put himself on the map, jumping to 87th best prospect according to Baseball America and after his lone season in Kinston, he would move up to 26. While he played two years in Columbus, he didn’t even play a full season in single A before being advanced to Akron. In that short period, Branyan played in 83 games with 27 home runs (second in Indians A+ history), 26 doubles, 59 runs scored and 75 RBI. At the same time, he batted .290/.398/.663, altogether better numbers than he would ever have in the Major Leagues in a full season.
Branyan’s minor league prowess wouldn’t end there. He posted even better rate stats the next year in Akron and better cumulative numbers during his 1999 and 2000 seasons in AAA Buffalo. Given his total success, Branyan has to be considered one of the best minor league players at all levels combined for the Indians, exemplifying the facets of a player that get exposed once he reaches the Major Leagues.
3. Jarrod Mays – P – 1997-2000 Kinston Indians
Mays was drafted as a starting pitcher in the third round in 1996 and played his first full professional season in Kinston at the age of 22. As a starter, he wasn’t too impressive with a 4.13 ERA in 19 starts and 100.1 innings, but he was promoted to Akron in 1998 after a 1.59 ERA in four starts to begin the year in Advanced A. Mays pitched only in relief in AA and after a 5.47 ERA, he was sent back to Kinston for 1999 and 2000. In that period, Mays made 59 relief appearances and saved 26 games in 94.1 innings.
Thanks to the fact that Mays played at least part of four seasons in Kinston, he accumulated some impressive numbers at the level, finishing with 211.2 innings, 168 strike outs and 3.02 ERA. By the end of his fourth season at the level, however, Mays was 25 and a full two years older than his competitors at the same level. He was released after this season and after one more year with the Independent Long Island Ducks, Mays retired without ever even reaching AAA.
2. Bartolo Colon – SP – 1995 Kinston Indians
One of the most storied players in Indians history and in current baseball, Colon began his career in 1994 and it continues in the Major Leagues to this day. Looking back to those early days, Colon jumped to Kinston in just his second professional season at the age of 22 and would play just a single season there. It was this year that put Colon on the map as he was unranked prior to 1995, but was considered the 15th best prospect in baseball after this season.
In 21 starts, Colon threw 128.2 innings, striking out 152. When the rare batter actually made contact, he didn’t score as Colon finished with a 1.96 ERA. Unlike most young power pitchers, Colon didn’t walk many either with just 39 in the year and a WHIP of 1.01. His strike out mark remains the third best single season record in Advanced A Indians history (both those ahead of him pitched considerably more innings) and his ERA was the best ever by a pitcher with at least 116 innings.
Colon flew through AA in 1996, then he made his MLB debut in 1997. Almost 20 years later, Colon has played 18 seasons with 218 career wins and almost 3,000 innings pitched. Without question, Colon is the most successful Major Leaguer featured on one of these minor league lists to date.
1. Rodney Choy Foo – 2B & 3B – 2003-2006 Kinston Indians
As with any level of the minors, most players get in, spend a year and get out. Sometimes they will spend parts of two seasons, but Choy Foo, a 26th round pick in 2000, spent four different seasons in Kinston, one less than the record held by current Indians bullpen catcher, Armando Camacaro. Choy Foo’s first season in Kinston was at the age of 21 and the infielder came on in a storm. In 125 games, he stole 22 bases, hit 11 home runs and 17 doubles. The following season, he split time in both Kinston and Akron, but struggled at both levels and returned to Kinston for both 2005 and 2006.
These were both good seasons for Choy Foo, particularly his final when he was 24, just slightly above the average age for the league. That year, he batted .293/.382/.475 with 60 RBI and another 14 steals. In all, this increased his incredible career numbers at this level to 174 runs, 59 doubles, ten triples, 29 home runs, 179 RBI and 51 steals just getting caught 14 times in 333 games. After one more year in AA in 2007, he was released by the Indians and ended his professional career. There is little question that the Advanced A level was his ceiling and because of his struggles elsewhere, he wound up playing more than half his professional career at that level.
Borderline: Nathan Panther, Mike Bacsik, Patricio Claudio, Alberto Garza & Daron Kirkreit
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