Names To Know On the Lake County Captains in 2016

Consistently one of the youngest squads in the Midwest League over the last several seasons, the Cleveland Indians look like they have booked a slightly older and more experience squad to check into the friendly confines of Classic Park to start 2016.

Catcher, Francisco Mejia is the key holdover. It looked like he was ticketed for High-A Lynchburg originally. As noted in the what to watch for on Lynchburg, his batting line wasn’t bad for his age and considering his defensive tools are ahead of his bat, but he use a little more polish and confidence with the bat.

LHP Thomas Pannone, a ninth round pick in 2013, surprised a bit last year with Lake County striking out 120 and walking just 37 in 116 1/3 innings. He also is a bit of a surprise to repeat in Eastlake.

Short stop Tyler Kreiger will be a name to keep an eye on. A solid switch hitter that looks to have some good on base skills, Kreiger was the Indians fourth round selection in 2015 out of Clemson. He and Willi Castro (21 and 22 respectively among Indians prospects as rated by MLB.com Pipeline) could spit time between shortstop and second base this season. Castro already has two half seasons under his belt between Arizona and Mahoning Valley. He’ll be 20 later in April.

At 6’4″ and 200 pounds, RHP Casey Shane has the look of a prototypical durable big league starter. Shane reportedly tumbled in the draft because of some conditioning issues, however. That allowed the Indians to scoop him up in the sixth round and he has dedicated himself to getting into shape after he signed. His size won’t allow you to miss him and neither will his mid-90s fastball. He’ll be 20 for most of the 2016 season (August) so there’s plenty of time to grow into his projection, which looks like a durable innings eater in the middle of a rotation or possibly a nice back end arm.

Another hulking pitcher who was a high pick, left hander Sam Hentges is 6’6″, 245 pounds and was picked in the fourth round of the 2013 draft. The Indians have selected sizable pitching prospects from the state of Minnesota before and haven’t panned out like they’ve hoped. He struck out more than two batters per inning in his senior year of high school where he only appeared in seven games because he played in Minnesota in the spring. The Indians have brought him along slowly thus far. He’s racked up just 21 appearances between 2014 and 2015. It’s possible the Indians might hold him to a tight five inning limit in Lake County or set him up in a piggy back. Like Shane, Hentges size and potential for lighting up the radar gun from a downward plane will be interesting to watch.

Stealing 103 bases in high school gives the Indians’ Silento a new meaning to whip. Silento Sayles is fast as a whip, clocking a 6.58 60 yard dash according to Perfect Game in 2012. The Indians selected the Mississippi prep shortstop in the 14th round in 2013 and converted him into an outfielder. He’ll turn 21 in August and has yet to show much with the bat but has proven he’ll work the count and take a walk. The Indians will hope he’s not a version of Billy Hamilton with plus-plus speed and no feel for hitting.

RHP Kieran Lovegrove is 6’4″ and is originally from South Africa. That gives him some intrigue even though he’s lived in the US most of his life. A third round pick in 2012, Lovegrove has struggled with command issues in his four pro seasons thus far. His fastball can hit the mid-90s and he’s got a good breaking ball when he can locate. He won’t have to worry too much about developing a third pitch that’s more than average, but will need to improve his command with a move to the bullpen after having off-season surgery.

The Captains are also pretty fun and progressive with on-field promotions and will have Ghostbusters night this year, which is cool if you’re about 25 or older.

Lake County Captains Expected Roster

(courtesy of Todd Paquette)

Pitchers

Shao-Ching Chiang
Cortland Cox
Dominic DeMasi
Matt Esparza
Luke Eubank (DL)
Sam Hentges
Keiran Lovegrove
Yoiber Marquina
Kenny Matthews
Christian Meister
Thomas Pannone
Jared Robinson
Casey Shane
Billy Strode
Matt Whitehouse

Hitters

C – Martin Cervenka
C – Francisco Mejia
SS – Willi Castro
2B – Sam Haggerty
SS – Tyler Krieger
SS – Yonathan Mendoza
1B – Anthony Miller
3B – Nathan Winfrey
OF – Bobby Ison
OF – Nathan Lukes
OF – Connor Marabell
OF – Silento Sayles