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Draft Report Cards: Cleveland Indians
By Jim Callis
October 21, 2010
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QUICK TAKE
The rebuilding Indians nearly doubled their bonus spending from 2009 ($4.9 million). They handed seven-figure bonuses to Pomeranz, Washington, Wolters and Lavisky and gave over-slot deals to six other players.
Bonus Spending: $9.4 million
POSITION PLAYERS
BEST PURE HITTER: OF LeVon Washington's (2) speed attracts the most attention, but his bat may wind up being his best tool. He has drawn comparisons to Carl Crawford, and he's a more advanced hitter than Crawford was at the same stage of his career. » BEST POWER HITTER: 1B/OF Chase Burnette, who hit nine regular-season homers and two more in the low Class A Midwest League playoffs, has the most present power. C Alex Lavisky (8), who signed for $1 million, may have as much raw power. » FASTEST RUNNER: Washington has plus-plus speed, but he's not the 80 runner he was on the 20-80 scouting scale when the Rays made him a first-round pick in 2009. His game speed also plays down another notch, too. OF Henry Dunn (50) is also a well above-average runner. » BEST DEFENSIVE PLAYER: SS/3B Nick Bartolone (6) has good range, hands and arm strength. SS Tony Wolters (3), Lavisky and OF Tyler Holt (10) are up-the-middle defenders with fine instincts.
PITCHERS
BEST FASTBALL: LHP Drew Pomeranz (1) has a 90-95 mph fastball, and it's not even his best pitch. RHP Tony Dischler (23), the ace of Louisiana State-Eunice's Divison II national juco champions, also can pop a 95. So could RHP Robbie Aviles (7), before he injured his elbow on the eve of the draft and required Tommy John surgery. » BEST SECONDARY PITCH: Pomeranz's curveball has hard 12-to-6 break and is a strikeout pitch.
ODDS AND ENDS
BEST PRO DEBUT: Burnette was Lake County's best postseason hitter, leading the Captains to the MWL title. » BEST ATHLETE: Washington. The Indians targeted athletes and got several other intriguing ones, including OFs Hunter Jones (11), Mark Brown (19), Marcus Bradley (49) and Dunn. » MOST INTRIGUING BACKGROUND: RHP Cole Cook's (5) father Peter MacKenzie has acted in dozens of movies and television shows, including "It's Complicated" with Meryl Streep. Jones (Tracy), 2B Logan Thompson (33, Robbie) and 2B Aaron Fields (42, Bruce) are all sons of former big leaguers. » CLOSEST TO THE MAJORS: Pomeranz will follow the same path as Cleveland 2009 first-rounder Alex White, beginning his pro career in high Class A with the opportunity to move quickly to Double-A. » BEST LATE-ROUND PICK: Dischler had the talent to go in the first five rounds, and he was a relatively easy over-slot sign, agreeing to a $255,000 bonus. RHP Michael Goodnight (13) is inconsistent, but at his best he has a plus fastball and slider. » THE ONE WHO GOT AWAY: The Indians signed their first 14 choices but would have liked to get RHP Burch Smith (20), whom they also drafted in the 49th round in 2009. Smith, who has a 90-93 mph fastball and a potential plus slider, transferred from Howard (Texas) JC to Oklahoma.
By Jim Callis
October 21, 2010
E-mail Print
QUICK TAKE
The rebuilding Indians nearly doubled their bonus spending from 2009 ($4.9 million). They handed seven-figure bonuses to Pomeranz, Washington, Wolters and Lavisky and gave over-slot deals to six other players.
Bonus Spending: $9.4 million
POSITION PLAYERS
BEST PURE HITTER: OF LeVon Washington's (2) speed attracts the most attention, but his bat may wind up being his best tool. He has drawn comparisons to Carl Crawford, and he's a more advanced hitter than Crawford was at the same stage of his career. » BEST POWER HITTER: 1B/OF Chase Burnette, who hit nine regular-season homers and two more in the low Class A Midwest League playoffs, has the most present power. C Alex Lavisky (8), who signed for $1 million, may have as much raw power. » FASTEST RUNNER: Washington has plus-plus speed, but he's not the 80 runner he was on the 20-80 scouting scale when the Rays made him a first-round pick in 2009. His game speed also plays down another notch, too. OF Henry Dunn (50) is also a well above-average runner. » BEST DEFENSIVE PLAYER: SS/3B Nick Bartolone (6) has good range, hands and arm strength. SS Tony Wolters (3), Lavisky and OF Tyler Holt (10) are up-the-middle defenders with fine instincts.
PITCHERS
BEST FASTBALL: LHP Drew Pomeranz (1) has a 90-95 mph fastball, and it's not even his best pitch. RHP Tony Dischler (23), the ace of Louisiana State-Eunice's Divison II national juco champions, also can pop a 95. So could RHP Robbie Aviles (7), before he injured his elbow on the eve of the draft and required Tommy John surgery. » BEST SECONDARY PITCH: Pomeranz's curveball has hard 12-to-6 break and is a strikeout pitch.
ODDS AND ENDS
BEST PRO DEBUT: Burnette was Lake County's best postseason hitter, leading the Captains to the MWL title. » BEST ATHLETE: Washington. The Indians targeted athletes and got several other intriguing ones, including OFs Hunter Jones (11), Mark Brown (19), Marcus Bradley (49) and Dunn. » MOST INTRIGUING BACKGROUND: RHP Cole Cook's (5) father Peter MacKenzie has acted in dozens of movies and television shows, including "It's Complicated" with Meryl Streep. Jones (Tracy), 2B Logan Thompson (33, Robbie) and 2B Aaron Fields (42, Bruce) are all sons of former big leaguers. » CLOSEST TO THE MAJORS: Pomeranz will follow the same path as Cleveland 2009 first-rounder Alex White, beginning his pro career in high Class A with the opportunity to move quickly to Double-A. » BEST LATE-ROUND PICK: Dischler had the talent to go in the first five rounds, and he was a relatively easy over-slot sign, agreeing to a $255,000 bonus. RHP Michael Goodnight (13) is inconsistent, but at his best he has a plus fastball and slider. » THE ONE WHO GOT AWAY: The Indians signed their first 14 choices but would have liked to get RHP Burch Smith (20), whom they also drafted in the 49th round in 2009. Smith, who has a 90-93 mph fastball and a potential plus slider, transferred from Howard (Texas) JC to Oklahoma.
