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The Cleveland Indians are making waves early in spring training and have a legitimate shot at winning the American League Central in 2015.

If they’re going to do it, though, they’ll need all hands on deck. That hasn’t been the case so far in spring training, and three players in particular are turning heads for all the wrong reasons.

It’s important to remember that spring training stats aren’t the be-all-end-all forecaster of regular-season success, but it doesn’t hurt to get off on the right foot.

So here’s a look at three players who have been the most disappointing in Cleveland’s camp thus far.

Lonnie Chisenhall, 3B

Could Lonnie Chisenhall be a flash in the pan? Well, if his spring numbers are any indication, then yes, he could be.

Last year, Chisenhall had a breakout season, posting a .280/.343/.427 batting line with 43 extra-base hits (13 home runs), 59 RBI and 62 runs scored. Chisenhall also showed a great feel for the strike zone and patience at the plate, shaving his strikeout rate to 18.6 percent while bumping his walk rate to 7.3 percent.

Chisenhall‘s defense didn’t prove up to snuff last year (minus-15 UZR/150, per FanGraphs), but he had the best season of his young career.

Many hoped that success would carry over into the 2015 season, but his early spring numbers forecast a different series of events.

Take a look at the spring numbers that preceded Chisenhall‘s 2014 breakout and compare them to the numbers he’s posted through his first 13 at-bats this spring:

Chisenhall‘s numbers this spring represent a stark departure from his strong showing last spring, and although it’s only 13 at-bats, it would have been nice to see him come out of the gates a little stronger.

Michael Brantley, OF

Michael Brantley had a breakout season of grand proportions in 2014 and nearly netted himself an MVP award, coming away with a third-place finish.

Brantley is starting to look like a franchise player, and the 27-year-old is hoping to build off his standout campaign.

Unfortunately, through 12 at-bats, that plan hasn’t come to fruition, and the Florida prep product is struggling mightily:

Two hits and no walks in 12 at-bats isn’t the best way to start your spring. 

Brantley is probably due for a little regression after his BAbip jumped nearly 30 points from his average prior to the 2014 season, according to Baseball-Reference.com. To be fair, the veteran outfielder also increased his line-drive percentage and improved his solid strikeout and walk rates, so the regression won’t be nearly as profound as what we’ve seen this spring.

Jose Ramirez, SS

Jose Ramirez is looking to have his name penciled in to the Indians starting lineup on a regular basis in 2015. At 21 years old, Ramirez held his own in his first extended showing at the big league level and has laid claim to the job at shortstop.

However, if he continues to struggle at the rate he has this spring, things could change.

Here’s a look at Ramirez’s spring stats through his first 15 plate appearances:

Ramirez is struggling big time, and his inability, or unwillingness, to take a walk has kept him from showcasing his full range of talents. In addition to that nonexistent walk rate, Ramirez is striking out at a 26.7 percent clip.

Entering his age-22 season, Ramirez is young and somewhat raw. His offensive game was always going to be a question mark, but if he’s going to become anything more than a utility player once Francisco Lindor makes his big league debut, he’ll need to show that he’s capable of drawing a walk, something he hasn’t shown an affinity for to this point in his career.

All stats are current through play on March 13, 2015, and come courtesy of MLB.com unless otherwise noted.

Tyler Duma is a Featured Columnist for the Cleveland Indians on Bleacher Report. Follow him on Twitter @TylerDuma. 

Read more MLB news on BleacherReport.com

The New York Yankees are just a week into spring games, but several players have already started to create some buzz in camp.

The “buzz” we’ll look at here is good buzz, of course. No A-Rod bashing, no harping on health issues, just standout performances that are starting to gain some extra notoriety.

Though there are a number of very deserving candidates, I narrowed this list down to six players who have all put up exemplary performances down in the Grapefruit League. 

The group features a nice mix of pitching and offense, but one thing most of these players have in common is their lack of MLB experience. The early portions of spring training are dominated by prospects, and this article is no exception, as five of the six players included are void of any MLB experience.

So, to keep you up on all things spring training, here’s a look at six players turning heads early on in the New York camp.

All stats are current through play on March 8, 2015, courtesy of MLB.com unless otherwise noted.

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The Yankees will take the field March 3 for the first spring game of their 2015 season. 

The team is hoping to rebound from a disappointing 2014 season which saw it finish second in the AL East by a whopping 12 games. To do that, the Yankees will have to deal with a new crop of players, injury concerns and the departure of longtime shortstop and surefire Hall of Famer Derek Jeter, as well as the big dark cloud hanging over Alex Rodriguez.

There is room for optimism with this team though, and so long as they can stay healthy, the Yankees are candidates to surpass their modest PECOTA win projections (projected for an 80-82 record) for the 2015 season.

But, before the first spring game takes place and the media circus sets in, let’s take a look at who will make up the Yankees’ 25-man roster and what we might expect out of that group over the course of 162 games.

So, without further ado, I give you your 2015 New York Yankees.

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The Cleveland Indians are ready to embark on another season, and with this new season come high hopes. The team is relatively solid from top to bottom, and with a large chunk of last year’s team returning, it’s becoming difficult to fly under the radar.

However, the two player’s we’ll look at in this piece are in camp and relatively overlooked. Sometimes, flying under the radar can be a blessing though, as lukewarm expectations bring an opportunity to shine and excel without the pressure associated with being a high-profile player.

These two players—one newcomer and one returnee—have the opportunity to exceed expectations in 2015, so let’s introduce them, and find out why they’re ready to impress.

Gavin Floyd

Gavin Floyd’s status as an offseason signing and sure thing for the No. 4 spot in the Tribe’s rotation makes for a bit of a reach in labeling him an “under-the-radar” player. However, what’s expected of Floyd is relative mediocrity, and there’s reason to believe he could surpass the modest projections for his 2015 season.

Floyd’s Steamer projections, linked just above, have him working to a stat line that looks like this: 19 GS, 6-7 W-L, 4.20 ERA, 1.31 WHIP, 7.0 K/9, 2.7 BB/9 and 2.59 K/BB.

Floyd’s projections are not awful, but also not great. Especially when you consider the overall success the starting rotation experienced last season.

Floyd showed flashes last season of being a more effective pitcher than in years past, averaging a 2.65 ERA over 54.1 innings pitched with the Braves last season.

At 32 years old, Floyd showed improved control (2.2 BB/9 down from career average of 3.0 BB/9) and increased strikeout rates (7.5 K/9 up from 7.1 career average).

Floyd, who was working through his rehab progressions in 2014—he suffered a tear in his UCL, which required Tommy John surgery—also showed some improved velocity.

Floyd’s average fastball velocities from 2011-14:

Floyd has never had much in the way of velocity, but his 92.87 mph fastball in 2014 is his highest single-season average since his age-24 season back in 2007.

With a slightly faster average fastball, and improved health, Floyd looks primed to surpass his Steamer projections for the 2015 season.

Jose Ramirez

For as well as he performed last season, a lot of what Jose Ramirez has done, and will be doing, is overshadowed by the presence of Francisco Lindor, who is loudly banging on the door behind him.

Ramirez played in 68 games with the Tribe last season and managed a .262/.300/.346 slash line with 14 extra-base hits, 17 RBI, 27 runs scored and 10 stolen bases. The 22-year-old managed respectable strikeout and walk rates of 13.2 percent and 4.9 percent, respectively.

Aside from his near-80-grade speed, Ramirez isn’t going to blow you away with any of his tools. His bat is average, his power below-average, while his glove plays to a solid average/above-average level.

The question in Ramirez’s game is whether or not he will hit enough to stick at the big league level. Hitting was never an issue for Ramirez in the minors, having logged a career batting average of .305.

However, the young infielder is aggressive at the plate and rarely looks to take a walk (7.2 percent minor league walk rate). This will be important to watch this spring and in the season’s early going.

While it hasn’t proven to be a problem yet (career 84.1 percent contact rate), one has to wonder how long Ramirez can survive when he has very little to speak of in the way of power (.353 career slugging percentage) and limited on-base skills.

This isn’t an indictment on Ramirez, though, as his aggressive approach at the plate has proven incredibly successful to this point.

That said, if he’s fixed, or is currently working on his ability to draw a walk, Ramirez can be a longtime fixture in the Indians organization, and his performance this spring deserves close attention.

All stats courtesy of Baseball-Reference.com and Fangraphs.com unless otherwise noted.

Follow me on Twitter Follow @TylerDuma

Read more MLB news on BleacherReport.com

Spring training is upon us, so do you know what that means? It’s almost fantasy baseball season!

If you want to win your league (which, I mean, why wouldn’t you?), a little bit of prep work can go a long way in helping you accomplish that goal. Unfortunately, that can be incredibly time-consuming. Luckily, that’s what I’m here for.

In this piece, I’m going to help you figure out what players to target late in your drafts.

Last year, guys like Charlie Blackmon, Josh Harrison, Dee Gordon and Alfredo Simon went either late or un-drafted in most of your fantasy leagues, and the teams that snatched them up were able to reap huge benefits, including possible league championships.

Wouldn’t it have been nice if you took a late-round flyer on someone like Blackmon or Harrison?

Well, this year you can, and here we’re going to look at one player at each position going in the latter portions of your drafts who could help you win a league title.

Now, before we begin, I’ll explain to you what qualifies as a “late” round selection. Anybody who is featured in this piece has an average draft position (ADP) above 150.

Why 150? Well, an ADP north of 150 suggests the player, on average, gets drafted in the 15th round or later. By then, most of your positions are filled out, but by identifying these late-round targets, you can afford to grab more coveted players in the earlier rounds.

To qualify players, we’ll use NESN’s publication of the NFBC Average Draft Positions for the 2015 season, found here. In each slide, I’ll give you their ADP, as well as their projected spot in their respective lines, courtesy of Roster Resource (formerly MLBdepthcharts.com).

With all that out of the way, it’s time to start getting you prepared!

All stats courtesy of Baseball-Reference.com unless otherwise noted.

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In 2014, the Cleveland Indians saw a number of breakout performances en route to a decent but disappointing finish to the season.

Players like Michael Brantley, Corey Kluber, Cody Allen and Lonnie Chisenhall all took steps forward and helped lead the Indians to their 85-77 record. Here in 2015, the team is looking like a division-title contender, and it’ll need those same players to keep up their performance while also relying on a new crop of breakout players in order to fulfill its goals for the year.

Fortunately, there are several players in the Tribe’s spring training camp who could take big steps forward this year.

In this piece, we’ll look at three such players and analyze why you should care about them. Hint: They are candidates to “break out” in 2015.

Along the way, we’ll visit in on a would-be rookie, a familiar face and a guy I just can’t quit on. Let’s get started.

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The Cincinnati Reds have a multimillion-dollar predicament on their hands.

In Johnny Cueto, the Reds have one of the best right-handed starters in all of baseball. What they don’t have, however, is a multiyear contract for the 29-year-old star.

Unfortunately for the organization and its fans, that multiyear deal may never come to fruition.

The Reds aren’t exactly flush with cash, their farm system could use a little boost, and they don’t look like a team that’s poised to compete for a division title in 2015 (let alone a playoff spot).

So instead of wasting time trying to figure out how they’re going to re-sign Cueto (or not re-sign him), why not deal him and look to rebuild for a run following the 2015 season?

It only makes sense, right? No? Here are three reasons to help change your mind.

Little Chance to Extend Beyond 2015

When I try to envision the negotiations between Cueto and the Reds’ front office, I imagine it going something like this:

The Reds “could” extend Cueto beyond the upcoming season, but do they really have the financial reserves to extend him? In short, no.

Before getting into the logistics of a long-term deal, take a look at the high-profile signings of recent pitchers in order to get a feel for what extending Cueto will really cost:

Cueto is slightly older than the average of the high-profile pitchers in the chart above, and while that would seem to work in the Reds’ favor, our most recent comparisons come in the form of a 30-year-old Jon Lester and a 31-year-old Max Scherzer.

Prior to the 2015 season, Scherzer, the 2013 AL Cy Young Award winner, received a seven-year deal worth $210 million, while Lester, a three-time All-Star, received a six-year, $155 million contract.

Of all the players listed above, Scherzer and Zack Greinke probably give us the best range of possible contracts for Cueto.

Scherzer‘s $210 million deal would be the absolute ceiling for a guy like Cueto, and Greinke, who got a six-year, $147 million deal prior to the 2013 season, represents Cueto‘s baseline (barring injury).

For argument’s sake, let’s settle somewhere in the middle of those two average annual salaries ($27.25 million) over six years. That makes for a six-year deal worth a whopping $163.5 million.

How does that fit into the Reds’ plans for the future? Not very well.

Excluding arbitration-eligible players and a potential contract extension for Mike Leake, the Reds have $82.03 million in payroll obligations for the 2016 season, per Baseball Prospectus. 

Add Cueto‘s hypothetical contract from above to the group, and we’re looking at a total of $109.28 million in salary commitments with just eight players under contract.

Given the Reds’ midlevel payroll, this leaves them essentially no room to account for arbitration-eligible players, rookies, and any necessary signings.

Beyond 2016, do you like Aroldis Chapman? How about Jay Bruce? Signing Cueto in conjunction with their current post-2016 obligations makes the prospects of signing one of those players much more difficult, while the idea of signing both becomes a pipe dream.

Need any more convincing? Earlier this month, the Reds general manager Walt Jocketty told the MLB Network (via Mark Sheldon of MLB.com) that he didn’t believe the team could sign Cueto to a long-term deal.

“I’m not sure we’ll be able to, because the numbers are obviously starting to skyrocket and it’s very tough in our market to continue to retain guys at a high price like that,” Jocketty said. “We’ll continue to work on that and see where it comes out.”

To be fair, he did state that they’ll “never say never.” But does that first quote really instill the kind of confidence you need to believe that they’re capable of locking Cueto into a long-term deal?

Long-Term Financial Flexibility

This goes hand in hand with the fact that the Reds don’t really have the funds to make a Cueto extension possible, but it’s more than just that.

The Reds have some other high-value players coming up on free agency, including two other potential big earners in Chapman and Bruce. Beyond these two, they need to worry about players who are due for arbitration and the prospects who will come up and fill holes as the team would progress through a hypothetical six-year deal.

The Reds could do a lot with the projected $27.5 million annual salary outlined above. For a mid-market team like Cincinnati, that amount of money could give the Reds enough to lock up prospects to long-term deals, or, it could be used to bring in free agents who will help supplement the roster.

The Reds need a long-term option at shortstop (the verdict is out on Eugenio Suarez) and could be in the market for a new right fielder and closer if one or more of Chapman and Bruce decide to walk in free agency.

Beyond that, left field will again be empty following the 2015 campaign, as Marlon Byrd’s contract is set to expire following the season’s culmination.

That extra money the Reds would save from trading Cueto can be used to fill those holes. 

Consider the recent string of free-agent position players who have signed in free agency, along with their average annual salary:

That money the Reds had to earmark for a possible Cueto extension could’ve been used in the signing of any one of these players.

Though it’s unlikely that it would’ve jumped to sign any of them, the team could’ve taken one last stab at success in 2015 and addressed holes in its roster by signing the likes of Nori Aoki and Asdrubal Cabrera for a combined $12.2 million, and that’s only half of the money Cueto will likely earn following 2015.

I guess what we’re trying to say here is that in a market like Cincinnati, it’s tough to justify possessing the luxury of a $25 million-per-year pitcher when you already have $95 million locked up in Joey Votto and Brandon Phillips between now and the culmination of the 2017 season, per Cot’s Contracts.

High-Value Return

The most enticing reason to trade Cueto comes when you assess what the Reds could get in return for his services. Trading Cueto guarantees two top prospects and the potential for a little more to round out the return package.

Consider the high-profile teams that could be in the market for a starting pitcher of Cueto‘s caliber:

• Boston Red Sox
• San Diego Padres
• Seattle Mariners
• Los Angeles Dodgers

Those are four teams projected by Baseball Prosepctus to finish at or near the top of their respective divisions. Meanwhile, depending on their view of the 2015 season, organizations like Baltimore and the Yankees warrant a mention based on their current rosters and projected finishing positions.

Fortunately for the Reds, some of those teams are well represented in the lists of top farm systems.

Here’s a roundup of how some of the top sports sites rank the farm systems of the six teams mentioned above:

The Sox and Dodgers are the two teams the Reds would most like to deal with, and rightfully so given the depth of their farm systems.

Of all the teams mentioned above, the Red Sox seem like the most likely potential suitor. In fact, Nick Cafardo of The Boston Globe confirmed Sunday that the Sox were one of four teams who made a serious push for Hamels.

In that article, Cafardo noted that the package was “heavy on the major league side, trying to avoid giving up any of their top prospects.”

If this is the case, then the Reds and Red Sox aren’t a match either. However, the Sox rotation is clearly the weak point in their roster. The team has what looks to be a collection of No. 2 and No. 3 starters, with the only potential No. 1 lying in the newly acquired Rick Porcello.

If the Red Sox lose a starter during the spring, or decide that their depth isn’t enough, then they could be a perfect landing spot for Cueto.

The Reds would be happy to deal with the Sox if Boston proves willing to deal one or more of its high-level prospects.

A package comprised of LHP Henry Owens, 3B Garin Cecchini and SS Deven Marrero or Sean Coyle would be a great look for the Reds. That’s the type of haul that could help send the Reds’ farm system from the middle of the pack to near the top of the majors.

Wrap-Up

The Reds don’t have a lot of wiggle room in this Cueto situation. The team doesn’t look like it will be competitive late enough in the season to warrant keeping the 2014 Cy Young runner-up around, and it also doesn’t appear as though the money is there for them to re-sign him.

My answer to the issue is to trade Cueto.

As great as the Dominican Republic native has been for the organization, and as much as he’s contributed to its success, the Reds aren’t the Yankees or the Red Sox, and they can’t afford to lock up such a large portion of their available funds into so few players.

Cueto himself set an Opening Day deadline for negotiations, and it seems implausible that the Reds could get a deal done before said deadline.

If that’s the case, and Cueto has another Cy Young-caliber season, he’s as good as gone.

To trade Cueto, or not to trade Cueto. That is the question!

Thoughts on the issue? Leave them in the comment section below.

Follow me on Twitter: @TylerDuma.

Read more MLB news on BleacherReport.com

It’s time for spring training! Pack up your bags, book your flights and head off to Goodyear, Arizona.

The Indians are gearing up for another run at the playoffs in 2015. And this year, the Tribe is gearing up for a run at the American League Central crown, as well. 

This year, the Indians look poised to make a serious run, and, depending on how things shake up, they could be in the conversation as one of the league’s best teams. There are some small kinks in that plan though, as the Indians’ postseason hopes hinge on several players being healthy, a few players taking steps forward (most notably in the starting rotation) and for one or more prospects to come up and make an impact later in the season.

Got all that? No?

Well, that’s all right. Over the course of this article, I’m going to break down everything, starting with a recap of the offseason, all the way up to a breakdown of the position battles to keep an eye on in spring training.

Let’s get to it.

All stats courtesy of Baseball-Reference.com and FanGraphs unless otherwise noted.

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The Cincinnati Reds have a bevy of medium/high-risk and high-upside prospects in their farm system. Some of these young players will have a chance to showcase their talents against advanced competition at spring training in Goodyear, Arizona.

In this piece, we’ll take a look at five of these players and why fans should keep a close eye on them throughout their stay in camp. Some names will be familiar to fans, but each of these players, regardless of his name recognition (or lack thereof), deserves a great deal of attention this spring.

The group will take us through the starting rotation and the outfield, and all five players could develop into major pieces of the Reds’ blueprint for the future.

To begin, we’ll take a look at a relative newcomer to the American professional ranks, Raisel Iglesias.

Begin Slideshow

The Cleveland Indians don’t have many position battles to speak of, but the few that will take place this spring are very tightly contested.

A few positions jump off the page as potential battle grounds, those being shortstop, the back-end of the starting rotation and the final of three projected left-handed relief spots. To fill those spots, a bevy of contenders will come forward, including numerous veteran options and a handful of young, intriguing prospects from the farm system.

Over the remainder of this piece, we’ll handicap the team’s most hotly contested spring training position battles, beginning with the final left-handed relief spot in a relatively solid bullpen.

Left-Handed Relief Role No. 3

One might see Kyle Crockett as a shoe-in for the final left-handed relief spot in the Tribe’s bullpen.

Crockett appeared in 43 games for the Indians last season, allowing just a 1.80 ERA and a 1.13 WHIP over 30 innings pitched. The 23-year-old paired those outstanding numbers with some impressive ratios, including 8.4 K/9, 2.4 BB/9 and 3.50 K/BB.

Despite all that, an offseason signing has complicated the University of Virginia product’s chances at securing a job at the big league level in 2015. 

The team signed veteran lefty Scott Downs back in December, and the 38-year-old figures to at least get a shot at one of three bullpen spots presumed to be reserved for lefties.

Downs has been an outstanding reliever for most of his 13-year career, allowing a 3.56 ERA and a 1.34 ERA over 619 total appearances (including 50 starts).

Last year, Downs struggled through the season’s first half, allowing a whopping 6.08 ERA and a 1.65 WHIP over 38 appearances with the Chicago White Sox. He got a second chance in the latter half of the year, working out of the Kansas City Royals bullpen and allowed a 3.14 ERA and a 1.19 WHIP over 17 appearances (14.1 innings pitched).

Downs pitched well for a contending team, and that speaks volumes to his ability and what he can bring to a team. That being said, Crockett is the front-runner for the final bullpen spot. 

Crockett has age and upside in his corner, and at this point in his career, Crockett, who is 15 years Downs’ junior, presents the Indians with a better long-term option out of the pen.

Fifth Starter

Aside from Corey Kluber‘s Cy Young winning campaign in 2014, the Indians rotation was an utter disaster. Danny Salazar, Trevor Bauer and Zach McAllister all underperformed and the team had to turn to a few unproven commodities in the likes of T.J. House and Carlos Carrasco (both of whom performed admirably).

This year, the rotation looks mostly set heading into spring training, with Kluber, Carrasco, Salazar and newcomer Gavin Floyd as front-runners for the first four spots.

That leaves one spot for the likes of House, Bauer, Josh Tomlin and Cody Anderson.

Of the four, Bauer has the inside track at a spot. The 24-year-old has easily the best upside of the group but possibly the biggest bust potential as well.

Bauer struggled last year, allowing 3.5 walks per nine innings while averaging slightly over 99 pitches per appearance despite averaging under six innings per start. Bauer’s control has been an issue that’s followed him all throughout his minor league career, but it’s something he’ll have to address in order to take one last step forward.

Should he finally get himself straightened out, Bauer’s fastball, curveball and changeup combo has all the makings of an arsenal built for a front-end starter. Until then, the former UCLA standout remains a major bust candidate as well.

Tomlin is likely to serve in a minor league depth role, filling in both in the bullpen and rotation. House and Anderson are the serious contenders, though.

House filled in as a big league starter in 2014, making 18 starts (19 total appearances) and allowing a 3.35 ERA and 1.32 WHIP in 102 innings pitched. House is young (and has options), so his path this year looks to begin in the minor leagues.

Anderson is a stout 6’4″, 220 pound righty with a solid track record in the minors (excluding a poor showing in Double-A last year). Through 2011, 2012 and 2013, Anderson posted ERAs of 1.80, 3.20 and 2.65, respectively, as he moved through the Low-A, High-A and Double-A levels.

Anderson will get a look here in spring training, but his struggles in Double-A last year forecast a return to the Double-A or Triple-A level.

At the end of the day, Bauer looks to be the best choice to start the season, with Tomlin, Anderson and House rounding out the backup options.

Shortstop

The battle at shortstop will be easily the most fun to watch this spring. Top prospect Francisco Lindor, veteran Mike Aviles and 2014 standout Jose Ramirez will all be vying for the starting gig down in Arizona, and, for the most part, they all stand on pretty even ground.

Aviles has experience on his side, but that’s about it. The 33-year-old hasn’t eclipsed the .260/.300 mark in any of the last four seasons, and his -0.8 and 1.5 UZR marks at shortstop in 2013 and 2014, respectively, show that the seven-year veteran is probably better suited for a backup role where he’s free to play short, second, third and a little outfield.

The real battle for the starting job is between Ramirez and Lindor.

Ramirez held his own last year, logging a .262/.300/.346 slash line over 266 plate appearances. In addition, the 21-year-old managed 10 doubles, two home runs, 17 RBI, 27 runs scored and 10 stolen bases.

Ramirez is young and has little left to prove at the minor league level, having logged batting averages and on-base percentages in excess of .270 and .325 at each stop in his minor league career.

Defensively, Ramirez is rivaled by few in the Indians’ system. The Dominican Republic native managed UZR/150 values of 16.3 and 18.9 at shortstop and second base last season, respectively, and if he does lose out to Lindor, it wouldn’t be a surprise to see Ramirez and Lindor work on opposite sides of second base for large chunks of their MLB careers.

The sexy option for many fans would be to drop Lindor right into a starting role. Lindor is a stud prospect in every sense of the word, and it’s embodied perfectly by the Columbus Clippers’ tweet below.

However, Lindor may not be ready for all of that at this point.

Defensively, no shortstop in any minor league system can rival Lindor‘s expertise. The 21-year-old’s glove and instincts in the field grade out as plus-plus tools, but his hit tool is significantly weaker.

Though Lindor has shown an ability to hit for an average and to get on base—he possesses a .278 minor league batting average and .355 on-base percentage—he has shown little in the way of power, averaging just a .381 slugging percentage over his four professional seasons.

Last year, Lindor slugged a career-best 11 home runs between the Double-A and Triple-A levels. While that’s a nice step, Lindor mustered just a total of 31 extra-base hits last year and a .389 slugging percentage (nearly identical to his career average).

Lindor‘s hit tool needs further development in the minors. His extra-base hit totals are driven up by his above-average speed, and he showed a slight lack of awareness on the base paths last season, connecting on just 63.6 percent of his attempts to swipe a bag.

Given the development that still needs to take place in Lindor‘s game, it’s safe to bet on his return to the Triple-A level. At least for the beginning of the 2015 season.

That, by default, sends Ramirez to the top of the heap.

Statistics are courtesy of Baseball-Reference. Follow me on Twitter 

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