While looking at the Indians minor league depth position by position, there have been plenty of places with obvious weaknesses. At second and catcher particularly, there are elite options on top with few future Major Leagues below. If there is one place the Indians are extremely deep, however, it is in the starting rotation. Since there are so many starters, we’ve split the group into two top tens, this month focusing on the right handers. While this list isn’t as impressive as the forthcoming lefty list, it not only has the player with the highest ceiling in the entire Indians minor league system, but plenty of others who could eventually be back end of the rotation pitchers or future Major League relievers.
10. Micah Miniard – 2014 Draft, Round 8 – A Lake County
by Justin Lada
The 6’7″ Miniard was the Indians 8th round pick back in 2014 after a pretty impressive prep career and began to throw into the mid-90s. Since, however, things haven’t exactly taken off for Miniard like the Indians had hoped. He’s had command issues and that mid-90’s fastball has been more like 89-92. Being 6’7″, he gets a ton of extension on his delivery, which can help the fastball play up more, but he’s had struggles commanding any pitch consistently. He’s only 21 but is in his second year at Low-A, so while he has age on his side for now, he’s got to figure out this level soon enough.
He’s #10 on this last because 6’7″, 21 year old pitchers who can throw up to 95 at times are pretty nice lotto tickets. If the struggles continue as a starter, I wouldn’t be shocked to see the Indians move Miniard to the bullpen where that height and fastball could give him an Andrew Miller like quality if he can throw two pitches for strikes a little more often. Given the Indians quality pitching depth at the moment, this seems pretty likely unless he all of the sudden starts firing strikes.
9. Brock Hartson – 2015 Draft, Round 21 – A+ Lynchburg
by Caitlin Boron
Hartson was a starter through college, however the Indians used him as both a starter and a reliever through his first two seasons. It wasn’t until he was promoted to Lynchburg in 2016 that he picked up a primary starting roll, for six games. This season, Hartson is back to teetering between the two rolls, as he started off his 2017 coming out of the pen.
He’s not a big strikeout guy (6.38 K/9 this season), but he can throw for strikes and can rely on being a groundball pitcher to get out of a situation if he has to. His WHIP is at it’s lowest since being drafted (1.02), as is his 20.0 LD%, proving that he is getting better as he moves up.
Hartson is a smart kid, with a heart for his job and the game that dates back to when he was a kid. Combining his passion and respect for baseball with his determination to give his team the best chance at a win, he is an asset. I believe he has the potential to be the workhorse every team needs, while adding value to himself giving the Indians an option on where to use him going forward.
8. Luis Araujo – 2013 International Free Agent – SS Mahoning Valley
by Joseph Coblitz
In the intro I said that some of these pitchers could be future relievers and Araujo is one who’s future is completely undecided. At 20, Araujo has skipped the AZL to jump straight from the the DSL (where he played from 2013-2016) to Short Season A in Mahoning Valley. Despite being used mostly as a starter in the DSL over the years, he’s been placed in the bullpen to start 2017 (he was also used out of the pen in Extended Spring).
Araujo’s biggest plus is a 1.01 ERA in the Dominican Summer League last year, but the talent differential in that league has a tendency to create some outrageous numbers. This one was supported by 33 strike outs to 5 walks, but I didn’t see that kind of work in his limited time in Arizona this Spring (and it hasn’t shown in an even smaller sample size in Mahoning Valley). Araujo has a long way to go to prove himself, but at least there is some potential there.
7. Grant Hockin – 2014 Draft, Round 2 – SS Mahoning Valley
by Joseph Coblitz
Hockin had a great start to his career derailed in 2015 with Tommy John surgery that cost him not only all of the 2015 season, but also all of 2016. He’s back now and after dominating in Extended Spring Training, he has pitched well in his first start in Mahoning Valley, his first official game since 2014 in the AZL. Because he was a high school pick, Hockin is still only 21 despite missing two years and is actually a half year younger than the average short season A player.
He certainly appeared to overmatch hitters in Extended Spring and over the last three appearances I saw him, he allowed just two hits in eight innings with no earned runs scoring. In Mahoning Valley, he allowed one earned run in four innings, but allowed just two hits and two walks. In general, he seems to have great command, but doesn’t have big K stuff. We’ll have to see a lot more to know anything for sure, but he’s definitely not a lost cause.
6. Shao-Ching Chiang – 2011 International Free Agent – A+ Lynchburg
by Justin Lada
The 23 year old native of Taiwan might be the least flashy name on this list, but the right hander should not be taken lightly. He’s already had Tommy John surgery, but his fastball is back to sitting 91-94 MPH. He doesn’t have a pitch that blows away hitters, but his strikeout rate is up to 16.4%, which is up from 10% his first year back from surgery and his walk rate is a low, low 3.4% this season. What really puts Chiang on this list for me is a 58% ground ball rate to go with his plus command. A guy who has a fastball that can get above 92, doesn’t walk guys and keeps the ball on the ground has serious value, even if he doesn’t really possess a swing and miss pitch.
At the worst, this makes him good enough to be a 6th or 7th starter option some day if keeps on this track. Maybe he can even be a Dan Otero, who is a relief ground ball specialist. Or maybe he just winds up as a 4A starter. But his profile is certainly interesting at the moment.
5. Matt Esparza – 2015 Draft, Round 14 – AA Akron
by Gavin Potter
A 14th round pick in 2015, Esparza has had something of a breakout year in 2017, beginning the year with nine starts with a 3.26 ERA at High-A Lynchburg, earning him a promotion. Upon reaching AA, the 22-year-old has put up a 2.00 ERA, with 25 strikeouts and 4 walks in 27 innings of work. His stuff isn’t necessarily special, sitting in the low-90’s with average off-speed pitches, but his command and pitchability give him a chance to be a #4 or #5 MLB starter.
4. Shane Bieber – 2016 Draft, Round 4 – A+ Lynchburg
by Caitlin Boron
Shane Bieber started his pro career in Mahoning Valley, being held to a strict number of innings after coming out of the College World Series just a short time before. That restriction didn’t hold him back at all, as he held together a 0.38 ERA/.50 WHIP through 24 IP with just two walks. Starting his second season under Cleveland’s wing, Bieber left spring training to start for the Lake County Captains. After just five starts in LC, the right-hander was promoted to high-A Lynchburg where he currently plays.
He’s a pitcher who doesn’t throw high heat like many other prospects (FB tops out about 92 MPH), however his pinpoint accuracy and calm demeanor keep his strikeouts up ( 8.3 K/9) and his walks unbelievably low (7 walks in 110 IP).
Bieber seems to have a good head on his shoulders, and knows where his strengths are and how to use them to the utmost advantage. He could be compared to a Josh Tomlin type, relying on his ability to get outs and hit his spots. Also, like Tomlin, this could give Bieber a very small margin for error, needing to be perfect in order to keep hitters off his low velo pitches.
3. Aaron Civale – 2016 Draft, Round 3 – A+ Lynchburg
by Caitlin Boron
Civale is in a similar boat as fellow 2016 draft pick Shane Bieber. Both righties rely on their promising ability to throw for strikes while walking a very small amount of batters on lower velocity pitches. His above average cutter/slider is his go to weapon in his four-pitch arsenal, sitting in the upper 80’s. Using his full array of pitches, Civale’s success rate isn’t calculated by his wins and losses, (though he’s 5-7), but by his strikeouts and walks.
In his first full season, starting in Lake County with the Captains before being promoted to Lynchburg in June, the righty has struck out 76 while walking only eight. Since being moved to the Hillcats, his BB% sits at a low 3.2% with an 8.17 K/9 and a .203 BABIP. Civale has experience pitching out of the bullpen, going all the way back to college, which I believe gives a young pitcher more value when looking at where to put them going forward. Does he have the stuff to continue as a starter? Without a doubt, however, he has the ability to come out and get the job done as a reliever with success in doing so.
2. Julian Merryweather – 2014 Draft, Round 5 – AAA Columbus
by Gavin Potter
While Merryweather is an older prospect at 25 years old, he is one of the more intriguing arms in Cleveland’s system. He has a fastball that sits 92-95, along with a solid curveball and change up. He hasn’t been able to generate tons of strikeouts, averaging 8.1 K/9 for his career, but also limits his walks, at just 2 BB/9. He isn’t a finished product, but he has the potential to be a mid-rotation starter for Cleveland in the not-so-distant future.
1. Triston McKenzie – 2015 Draft, Round 1 – A+ Lynchburg
by Justin Lada
If you’ve read any writer on this site before, you know that we’re all very high on McKenzie for a number of reasons. Number one, he’s a great person. He’s one of the most mature 19 year old professional baseball players I’ve ever met. Maybe the most mature 19 year old I’ve ever met. He’s extremely personable, poised and confident. Add that to his 6’5″ frame, a fastball that sits 90-94 and can hit up to 95, a breaking ball that he can throw with different shapes (like Corey Kluber and Andrew Miller do) and that he commands those two plus pitches better than any 19 year old should and you’ve got a future ace.
His change-up is still about average, but he’s able to throw it with the same arm speed as his fastball and it can easily get better with reps. Scouts were worried that being 6’5″ and just 160 lbs, he’d never fill out enough to handle big innings, but so far he’s been pretty durable and is adding to his frame each year. His delivery is clean and repeatable, so it’s a surprise that he’s walked a few more guys this year, but he’s 19 and has mostly dominated a league that’s average age is 24 years old. From a mental, physical and talent stand point, McKenzie has everything you’d want in an ace almost in the mold of Chris Archer when you think about stuff and personality. All he needs is to add a little more to his frame and bring that change-up up to an above average pitch and the Indians have their ace of the future. No pressure, kid. And if there’s any prospect this organization has that can handle that sort of pressure, it’s absolutely McKenzie.
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