The Indians are expected to promote shortstop prospect Francisco Lindor, tweets Yahoo’s Jeff Passan. He will join the team tomorrow.
The 21-year-old is widely viewed as a top 10 prospect. He’s ranked fourth by Baseball Prospectus, sixth by ESPN’s Kieth Law, and ninth by Baseball America. FanGraphs’ Kiley McDaniel is the sole guru to rank him outside the top 10 (14th). Lindor was the eighth overall pick of the 2011 Rule 4 draft.
The switch-hitter slashed .279/.346/.398 in 259 Triple-A plate appearances. Unlike other notable prospect promotions like Kris Bryant, Joey Gallo, Carlos Correa, or Byron Buxton, Lindor’s bat isn’t expected to be special in the near future (he could certainly develop). He’s viewed as a high contact, gap-to-gap hitter, but it’s his speed and defense that ooze potential.
The decision to promote the youngster is not surprising. The team recently demoted Jose Ramirez after he hit just .180/.247/.240. Cleveland would probably like to move Mike Aviles (.284/.344/.405) back into a reserve role. He’s viewed as a modest defensive liability at shortstop and can also be used to spell Giovanny Urshela and Jason Kipnis. Lindor should add stability to a sometimes shaky Indians defense.
Like the promotion of Buxton by the Twins earlier today, Lindor is unlikely to qualify as a Super Two. He’ll remain club controlled through 2021 at the very least. Lindor is reportedly battling some minor injuries. Expect the club to handle their top prospect carefully.
This seems rushed…wow…who’s next to get the call, Corey Seager…….
Only Buxton was somewhat rushed, all others were ready or have been ready. Seager will be up later this year
I don’t see why Buxton is viewed as rushed. Hes doing extremely well at AA and hes an upgrade to multiple outfielders on the Twins roster.
Until this year, Buxton only had 3 PA’s above A+ and has proven to be injury prone so far. While the results are encouraging, there’s still plenty of reason to worry about him being called up so quickly.
Injury prone? Hes sprained a joint in his wrist, and collided with another outfielder to get a concussion. Thats 1 injury, and 1 freak accident. Not exactly injury prone.
If hes the best option to play the MLB outfield right now, you bring him up in a division race. Hes the best option, he wasn’t rushed.
FWIW Swihart was the best option for Boston and he was widely considered rushed. Just because you have the opportunity to be the best does not mean you are ready for the show. However, I think Buxton has shown he deserves a taste
That’s what we kept saying about Tulo for the longest time too. Fragile is fragile.
He had 1 injury…
Until this year, Buxton only had 3 PA’s above A+ and has proven to be injury prone so far. While the results are encouraging, there’s still plenty of reason to worry about him being called up so quickly.
You can’t keep them down there forever lol.
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How about A . Morris from the Metz. Jumping all the way to High A ball coming o the big show tomorrow. This pitcher is highly regarded by thie Mets organization much so that he had already been added to the 40 man roster. Who knows? Perhaps because he is so highly regarded he might be called up just to be showcased. Toronto is in town tomorrow and they are in dire need of some relief. Not to say that Morris might be the guy dealt but perhaps someone else who he might end up replacing.
Also unlike Correa and Buxton…I think Lindor might struggle to translate……
Based on what
His bat isnt supposed to be as good.
Or his glove….
his glove is supposed to be very good actually…
He is in the bigs because of his glove…
Picking a guy’s MiLB strength to be a liability usually means that you’ve seen a lot of the guy and have reason to doubt scouts, or you don’t know much about the player to begin with and have zero reason to comment on his abilities.
Honestly, I think he’s probably going to provide the most immediate value. His glove will be an immediate plus.
I agree that Lindor’s glove will still make him valuable if he struggles with the bat, but Buxton’s speed and defense should also make him valuable through any struggles he has adjusting at the plate too.
From your years of experience scouting, what have you seen in the numerous times you’ve scouted Lindor to think that all the other scouts are wrong on his arm and defense? This is literally the first time I have ever heard of anyone doubting Lindor’s defense or arm.
Out of the top prospect evaluators, Kiley McDaniel is the lowest on him and he graded his arm as plus and his defense as plus to plus/plus.
You can’t keep them down there forever.
So much talent getting called up in the past couple weeks!
According to Keith Law, the top 10 prospects are now:
1. Corey Seager
2. JP Crawford
3. Giolito
4. Urias
5. Glasnow
6. Sano
7. Hunter Harvey
8. Shipley
9. Owens
10. Joe Gray
*11. Moncada
12 of his top 22 pre-season prospects were called up in 1/3rd a season.
*No Moncada as he isn’t in Law’s pre-season ranking, so I don’t know where he’d fit.
Swanson should start 4 or 5 on this list when ever he signs…….
Where do you get that? I know he is the best in the draft but I am honestly not sure he was a top 10 talent.
With basically everybody in the pre-season top 10 graduating to the mlb….Swanson should fit right in based on his ceiling…..
The draft this year was mediocre in terms of having big impact talent. Swanson would most certainly not be a top 10 prospect in baseball. He probably fits in around the 50 mark, and I think that is being a bit generous.
He is a polished college shortstop that has a decent glove and can hit, I would give him a comfortable top 50 marker anyways
His scouting report grades him as an above average hitter with average-ish power, good speed and above average defense. That won’t grade in the top 10 immediately. I am not saying he can’t get there, but that sits closer to the 20-30 range in the current crop of prospects
Law is very unorthodox in his rating systems. He provided a midseason update already and if we went strictly by law’s updated top 10, he has is as so:
1. Seager
2. Crawford
3. Giolito
4. Urias
5.Glasnow
6. Sano
7. Moncada
8. Mazara
9. Meadows
10. Devers
FWIW Schwarber is 11 and Judge is 12 in these ratings
Law is very unorthodox in his rating systems. He provided a midseason update already and if we went strictly by law’s updated top 10, he has is as so:
1. Seager
2. Crawford
3. Giolito
4. Urias
5.Glasnow
6. Sano
7. Moncada
8. Mazara
9. Meadows
10. Devers
FWIW Schwarber is 11 and Judge is 12 in these ratings
that’s Jon Gray :)
Wow. Just Wow. Bryant up, Buxton up, Correa up, lindor up, Russell up, Gallo, Syndergaard, Bradley, Swihart, Norris has been up and down, Rodon up, Soler up, Pederson up. Those are all the top 20 prospects/borderline top 20 to make the bigs or lose rookie elig this season. New Top 10 is going to be flooded with SP. I’m no expert, but going off scouting reports and current season success. Top 10 should be something like this
1. Seager
2. Giolito
3. Moncada
4. Crawford
5. Urias
6. Sano
7. Schwarber
8. Glasnow
9. Gray
10. Bundy
The top prospects lists are going to look vastly different come next year. Even this top 10 list will probably see some major shake up. Bundy and Glasnow have battled injuries, while Moncado and Gray have really struggled so far this season. I wouldn’t be surprised to see 3 of the 4 drop down lists without some major improvements in the second half.
ah, the Next Generation is arriving, love it.
No Glasnow?