I had him last year. He made some solid improvements in his K/IP and K/BB ratios, but allowed a lot of homers and his ERA was high. But I continue to think he could be one of our best pitching prospects. A big lefty, young, no injury history. Good choice.

Recent minor league transactions. I have no idea who any of these guys are:

Cleveland Indians
Signed: LHP Rayner Brito, LHP Michael Roth, 2B Wilbis Santiago

I'm going to choose Ryan Merritt as my breakout pitcher this year.
I'm going with Anthony Gallos as my breakout position player.

You are making Lugo available for the rest of us? Thanks, I'll consider taking him again. Haven't really given this any thought to date.

Merritt and Gallas both "broke out" last season. Merritt will be challenged to get by with his some stuff at an upper level, but has a shot. Gallas is older than half the Indians' starting lineup, I think. [Turned 27 in December] and has not played beyond AA. He seems destined for a career in Japan or Mexico.

I had Bradley Zimmer but he already broke out

Mike Papi and Gallos were my second choices. I chose Gallos. Don't ask me why.

I won't ask!

None of our guys setting the winter leagues on fire, are they Joe? that's where you usually pick up your candidates. You can take JC Romero, but he's about 38 years old

Quite honestly Civ-

The representation in the winter leagues suck. Worst I've seen it and I've been doing this thing for over 12 years now.

In the winter folder, I often post articles about how the other teams have their top 20's playing winter ball. Many of them have a lot of top 10's playing. In more cases than not, over the years, I've found out that how well a lot of players performs in winter ball, that's the way he performs in the minor leagues or the major leagues. Not very many people take notice or follow the prospect from other teams and watch how fast they move in their respective organizations. I do and I guess that's why I like these leagues so much. Stars in the making.

On our sides, Jose Ramirez and Erik Gonzalez are good examples. Giovanny Soto is another. Giovanny Urshela gets a good opportunity to see how well his winter ball season translates in Columbus. On the flip side, Matt LaPorta had a disastrous winter ball outing in Venezuela and he never recovered to become the player we all expected in Cleveland.

Of course, it's nice when players want to play in the winter and its even better when the organizations support them and allow them to improve on their skills under very competitive situations. Fall ball is ok, but these kids don't get the pressures of playing under winter ball conditions.

I just wish a couple of more "vets" would have played this winter like Chisenhall, Bourne, and Kipnis. If Adrian Gonzalez, Robinson Cano, and others can do it, I don't see why some of our guys can't get in a few reps to prepare for spring especially two guys we will have to pin our hopes on in 2015 (Chisenhall & Kipnis).

And you are correct about one thing, most of the players I choose as my breakouts are determined by their winter ball experiences.

Soto has had a very good winter, so you could stay true to form and plump for him.

I would not expect vets to play in the Winter and put their big salaries at risk of injury. Chisenhall's refusal to play in the winter when he was still working his way to a full-time job in Cleveland is still one of my personal strikes against him.

Another shutout outing for Soto and again more Ks than innings.

CLE DL Soto, Giovanni 5.2 3 0 0 3 7 0.00

He's been around awhile, but he's still only 23. Only had a few innings in AAA and was a full time reliever last season. Perhaps he'll be tried as a starter, again, in Columbus this season.

Indians lefty Giovanni Soto jumps from Puerto Rico to the Dominican Republic and continues his offseason winter ball dominance.

There is a very good possibility that Soto pitches for the DR in the Caribbean Series. Jose Ramirez was the last Cleveland player to do so. Soto will be team up with another old friend, Rafael Perez who is enjoying a similar type winter as Soto. I'm almost certain that the Gigantes are headed to the series which should make them heavy favorites to win it all. The Dominican, in my opinion, is the premier winter league. Soto's success this winter bodes well for Columbus and perhaps a September cup of tea.

Indians right-handed pitching prospect Duke von Schamann has been suspended by Major League Baseball for 50 games without pay for his second violation of the minor-league drug prevention and treatment program. He will serve the suspension for the first 50 games of the 2015 season. Von Schamann, 23, made 27 total appearances (23 starts) last season, mostly with Double-A Akron (24 games). In total, he went 10-8 with a 4.16 ERA and in 151.1 innings he allowed 154 hits, 17 homers, 36 walks and had 72 strikeouts. In his three year minor league career he is 27-19 with a 4.11 ERA (69 games, 59 starts). He was acquired from the Dodgers in April in exchange for lefty Coly Hynes. Von Schamann was slated to open the 2015 season with a return trip to Akron in a starting or swing role. With a crowded rotation already present at Triple-A Columbus and Akron, the suspension is a big blow to his chances of improving his standing in the organization this coming season as his prospect status was iffy to begin with. He should be eligible to return to the field by the end of May or beginning of June.

Follow Tony on Twitter @TonyIBI and the Indians Baseball Insider @IBIonScout. Also, his new book the 2014 Cleveland Indians Baseball Insider which profiles the Indians' Top 100 Prospects and more is available for sale.

the suspension is a big blow to his chances of improving his standing in the organization

That is quite a profound interpretation.

I doubt the Indians really cared much about Duke anyway. He and Murata and Gabriel Arias were on the Akron-Columbus shuttle last summer.

Urshela, Merritt earn Indians' Minors awards

By Jordan Bastian / MLB.com | @MLBastian | January 26, 2015 + 12 COMMENTS

CLEVELAND --

The focus each year at this time is understandably on the makeup of the Indians' Major League roster. Cleveland's efforts to construct a team capable of sustained success must also include building blocks throughout the organization's farm system.

Two such prospects are third baseman Giovanny Urshela and left-hander Ryan Merritt, who were honored on Monday as the club's top Minor Leaguers for 2014. For their work last season, Urshela received the Lou Boudreau Award (top position player) and Merritt took home the Bob Feller Award (top pitcher) -- annual accolades that were established by the organization in 1990.
Past winners of the awards who are currently on the Indians' Major League roster include second baseman Jason Kipnis (2010-11), first baseman Carlos Santana ('09) and closer Cody Allen ('12).

Urshela and Merritt were also added to Cleveland's 40-man in November, meaning that both players will get their first taste of Major League camp this spring. While he is currently working his way back from a left knee issue, Urshela has put himself firmly on the Tribe's radar and could be knocking on the door to the big leagues in the near future.

"Gio is one of those guys who really developed offensively," general manager Chris Antonetti said at the end of last season. "[He] put together a really good year at Double-A and then he earned a promotion to Triple-A. He was one of the most consistent players there. We're thrilled by the progress he made."

Overall, the 23-year-old Urshela hit .280 with 18 home runs, 36 doubles, six triples, 78 runs and 84 RBIs in 128 games between Double-A Akron (24 games) and Triple-A Columbus (104 games) last season. The third baseman struck out 67 times, drew 36 walks and increased his OPS to .825 (.334/.491) in 2014 after posting a .676 OPS (.292/.384) in '13.

Director of player development Carter Hawkins said Urshela's improvement last season stemmed from an overhauled strength-and-conditioning program and better pitch selection in the batter's box.

"He's always had great bat-to-ball ability," Hawkins said earlier this offseason. "He rarely struck out. He also rarely walked, though. He was extremely aggressive and he continues to be very aggressive, but he was aggressive in and out of the zone. This year, he started being really aggressive in the zone. So he started to drive pitches that he was able to drive.

"Couple that with some gains that he had on the strength-and-conditioning side -- he got more physical. He got a lot stronger. He made a huge effort last offseason -- and you saw big strides offensively."

Urshela's progress continued into winter ball with a .398 average and a .979 OPS in 27 games with Aguilas de Zulia in the Venezuelan Winter League. Unfortunately, the young third baseman's stint ended prematurely after he sprained the posterior cruciate ligament in his left knee. Urshela (signed as a non-drafted free agent in 2008) did not need surgery, but his status for Spring Training games is currently unknown.

Merritt, 22, went 13-3 with a 2.58 ERA in 25 starts for Class A Advanced Carolina last season, compiling 127 strikeouts and 25 walks in a Carolina League-high 160 1/3 innings. The lefty also ranked in the top five in the league in wins (first), WHIP (first), ERA (third) and strikeouts (fourth). Merritt's ERA led all Cleveland farmhands this past season.

"He's a strike thrower," Hawkins said. "He's got some deception. He's a strong personality. He's a competitor. So I think the consistency in his strike throwing is what really sticks out with him."
Selected in the 16th round of the 2011 First-Year Player Draft, Merritt is among the 13 prospects who are in Cleveland this week for the team's 20th annual winter development program. Other players in attendance include: pitchers Dylan Baker, Mike Clvinger, Louis Head, Jeff Johnson, Nick Maronde, Shawn Morimando and Grant Sides; infielder Yandy Diaz; catcher Alex Monsalve; and outfielders Anthony Gallas, James Ramsey and Jordan Smith.

I'll be changing my breakouts since Merritt just won this award. He already broke out!

Keith Law just released his Top 100 prospect list. We only had 3 make the cut. Only one in the top 80.

6

Francisco Lindor, SS

AGE: 21DOB: 11/14/93B/T: B/RHT: 5-11WT: 175

AVG: .276OBP: .338OPS: .727HR: 11SB: 28

True shortstops abound in the minor leagues right now, and while they won't all hit in the majors or stay at the position, Lindor looks like the strongest bet to do both of those things, not just now but for the bulk of his major league career. Lindor can hit, run, work the count, field and throw, pretty much everything but hit for power, and he makes all of those things look very, very easy.

Lindor is a legitimate switch-hitter whose swings from both sides of the plate are quite similar, a little longer from the right side but still functional, and 2014 was his best year yet against left-handed pitching. His swing is short, geared toward contact -- he was well above the median in strikeout rate in the minors this year, even compared to players of all ages -- but hard enough that he'll line plenty of balls to the gaps for extra bases. His plate discipline has always been outstanding, and he has managed to post strong contact rates despite being young for his levels; he struggled a little after a late-season promotion to Triple-A in 2014, but was one of the 10 youngest players in the league last year. He's an above-average to plus runner, although that hasn't led to big stolen-base totals in the minors; I think he could steal 30-40 if given the opportunity.

Cleveland doesn't have a true shortstop on their major league roster right now, with prospect Jose Ramirez their best option, though he's better cast as a second baseman or super-utility player. He's just keeping a spot warm for Lindor, who projects to be their leadoff man for years to come, posting .400 OBPs with stellar defense and great makeup.

84

Brad Zimmer, CF

AGE: 22DOB: 11/27/92B/T: L/RHT: 6-4WT: 185

AVG: .302OBP: .400OPS: .892HR: 6SB: 12

Zimmer threw some scouts for a loop last spring while at the University of San Francisco, because he didn't seem like he'd have the power to play a corner but was tall and broad enough that they didn't think he'd stay in center. His game is so well-rounded overall, however, that he might stay in center and hit for more power than anyone expected. He's an above-average runner with long strides that help him cover more ground in center than you might expect at first glance.

My concern at the plate is less about power -- he's going to fill out well and has good extension in his swing's finish -- and more about contact, as he has long levers and loads deep enough that it adds some unnecessary length to the early part of his swing. He projects as an above-average regular in center, with 20-plus homers, high walk and strikeout totals, and a few runs saved a year on defense. He's perhaps two full years away from being ready for everyday duty.



92

Clint Frazier, OF

AGE: 20DOB: 9/6/94B/T: R/RHT: 6-1WT: 190

AVG: .266OBP: .349OPS: .761HR: 13SB: 12

Frazier showed both his strengths and his deficiencies in his first full season in pro ball, and probably left 2014 with as many questions about his ultimate role in the majors as he had when he entered it. He still has the insane bat speed and quick-twitch reactions that give him 30-homer potential. He also led the Midwest League in strikeouts, chasing a lot of first pitches out of the zone, expanding too early in the count, struggling to react to breaking stuff, diving into the plate and cutting off his ability to drive some stuff on the inner half. He played center field for Lake County, and while Cleveland was happy with his progress there, he's going to end up in one of the corners by the time he reaches the big leagues.

Frazier was young for low-A last year, so the stat line itself shouldn't alarm Cleveland fans too much, but he needs to show he can make better adjustments at the plate and put himself into better situations to get a fastball he can murder. The power is there; it's an evolutionary process to get to where he can use it in games.