Keeping things updated as training progresses, the latest group looks a lot like the original published last month. While the expected starters haven’t generally changed, there have been quite a few more contenders added including a large group of minor leaguers already within the system who have garnered invites and a few more free agent signings. New additions and changes are marked in green while players dropped from a starting spot or removed entirely will be listed in red.
Starting Lineup
C(1) Yan Gomes
Options: Perez and Santana
Gomes will be the Indians starting catcher barring injury. Santana will likely only be used as an extreme third or fourth option.
1B(2) Carlos Santana
Options: Swisher and Moss
Santana, Swisher and Moss will likely split time at first base, DH and right field (for the two other than Santana). Defensively, Santana is the best first baseman, Moss the best right fielder and Swisher the best DH, so this is likely how those three will generally be featured.
2B(3) Jason Kipnis
Options: Aviles, Ramirez, Zach Walters and Francisco Lindor
Barring injury or extreme change in philosophy, Jason Kipnis will be the Indians starting second baseman in 2015 and will start almost every single game there.
SS(4) Jose Ramirez
Options: Aviles, Walters and Lindor
Ramirez isn’t exactly a starting caliber short stop due to his lack of offense, but the fact that the Indians weren’t looking for an upgrade during the off-season makes it clear that they are ready for Lindor at some point this year. Chances are, that point will still be later rather than sooner and Ramirez will likely break camp as the starting short stop.
3B(5) Lonnie Chisenhall
Options: Santana, Aviles, Ramirez and Giovanny Urshela
While Chisenhall was originally slated as the starting third baseman in 2014, but was replaced a few weeks before the season started. While that could happen again with any of the options listed above, based on his offensive performance last summer, chances are Chisenhall will retain his starting role.
LF(6) Michael Brantley
Options: Moss, Murphy, Bourn, Walters and Tyler Holt
Barring injury or a flip to center field, Brantley will be the Indians starting left fielder in 2015.
CF(7) Michael Bourn
Options: Brantley, Moss, Holt and Walters
Same as Brantley.
RF(8) Brandon Moss
Options: Murphy, Swisher, Kipnis, Bourn, Walters and Holt
The Indians only real significant upgrade this off-season, Moss will almost certainly play most of his time in right field, although he can also play first, DH or even left or center if necessary. With his versatility, there is a good chance that whoever the fourth outfielder is (coming up below), they will get more playing time than a normal bench player.
DH(9) Nick Swisher
Options: Moss, Chisenhall, Santana, Murphy, Kipnis, Gomes, Aviles, Jesus Aguilar and Walters
There likely will not be a full time DH for the Indians this year, but Swisher should get the most at bats with Moss, Santana and Gomes splitting the rest of the at bats.
Bench
C2(10) Roberto Perez
Options: Santana, Tony Wolters, Adam Moore, Brett Hayes and Jake Lowery
Perez will be the Indians back-up catcher to begin the 2015, but Lowery has been added as a minor league option to help absorb some innings.
CIF(11) Mike Aviles
Options: Moss, Chisenhall, Swisher, Aguilar, Gonzalez, Urshela, Ciriaco, Lindor, Ryan Rohlinger and Michael Martinez
Two additions to the utility man competition this time around are Rohlinger and Martinez. Rohlinger has been in the Indians system since 2012, but has never played at the Major League level with Cleveland or played particularly well in AAA. He can play all four infield positions, but as he is already 31, there is little chance of him surpassing Aviles or Raburn.
OF(12) David Murphy
Options: Moss, Bourn, Swisher, Aviles, Raburn, Walters, Holt, Moncrief, Destin Hood, Jerry Sands, Martinez, Tyler Naquin, James Ramsey and Jordan Smith
Three Indians minor leaguers, Naquin, Ramsey and Smith, have been added to the outfield competition and, while Naquin and Ramsey may make their MLB debuts this season, they are not better options than Holt or Walters. Even with all this young talent, the Indians will almost certainly stick with Murphy and his $6M guaranteed contract.
MIF/OF2/RP8(13) Ryan Raburn
Options: Kipnis, Aviles, Wolters, Erik Gonzalez, Urshela, Walters, Audy Ciriaco, Lindor, Rohlinger, Martinez or any player listed below as a Mid RP option.
The second infield utility man, the Indians recently signed free agent Michael Martinez. He is a four year veteran with the Phillies with experience at every outfield and three infield positions, but has a career line of .181/.231/.251 and will be 32 for the 2015 season. While it originally seemed the Indians didn’t have a worse option than Raburn for this spot, now they do.
Starting Rotation
Ace(14) Corey Kluber
Options: Carrasco
Kluber will be the ace barring injury.
SP2(15) Carlos Carrasco
Options: Kluber, Bauer, Floyd
Due to a lack of options all around, Carrasco, Bauer and Floyd will make up the two, three and four spots in the rotation although the order has not been announced officially.
SP3(16) Trevor Bauer
Options: Carrasco, Salazar, Floyd
SP4(17) Gavin Floyd
Options: Carrasco, Bauer, Salazar
SP5(18) Danny Salazar
Options: Carrasco, Bauer, Floyd, Cody Anderson, Charles Brewer, Ryan Merritt, McAllister, Josh Tomlin, Shaun Marcum, T.J. House, Will Roberts and Chen
The biggest signing by the Indians in the past month was that of Bruce Chen with a minor league deal. While it has been unannounced where he could possibly fit on the roster, in the past he has been both a starter and reliever, so he is included here in addition to the bullpen. That being said, there are still only four real candidates for the fifth starter spot; Salazar, McAllister, Tomlin and House.
Bullpen
CP(19) Cody Allen
Options: Shaw, Crockett
Allen will be the closer barring injury.
SU(20) Bryan Shaw
Options: Allen, Rzepczynski, Lee, Atchison
Shaw will be the set-up man barring injury.
LHP(21) Marc Rzepczynski
Options: Crockett, Nick Hagadone, Merritt, House, Roth, Maronde or Chen
Rzepczynski will be the primary left handed match-up man barring injury.
RHP(22) Scott Atchison
Options: C.C. Lee, Shaw, Tomlin, Austin Adams, Anderson, Shawn Armstrong, McAllister, Brewer, Manship, Marcum, Molleken, Price, Anthony Swarzak or Roberts
While his $900K, one year deal isn’t so big that the Indians couldn’t eat it if necessary, he has earned enough respect over the past year to be essentially guaranteed a bullpen spot. This spot could be any of the final four listed here.
Mid RP(23) Kyle Crockett
Options: Rzepczynski, Lee, Atchison, Tomlin, Adams, Anderson, Armstrong, Brewer, Merritt, Hagadone, House, McAllister, Michael Roth, Jeff Manship, Marcum, Nick Maronde, Dustin Molleken, Bryan Price, Swarzak, Chen or Roberts
After an incredible rookie campaign, Crockett should be a guarantee despite Rzepczynski already on the roster as the primary lefty.
Mid RP(24) Bruce Chen
Options: Same as above
The Indians have an incredible amount of options for this role and the leader could easily change on a weekly basis. For this edition, an interesting scenario is posed where the Indians could have three or even as many as four (if Chen was the long man and Hagadone given this spot) left handed relievers in their bullpen in 2015. While this could help with the Royals and their group of Mike Moustakas, Alex Gordon and Eric Hosmer, it wouldn’t be beneficial against most teams including Detroit, where almost the entire lineup is right handed.
Long RP (25) Zach McAllister
Options: Tomlin, Lee, Atchison, Crockett, Adams, Anderson, Armstrong, Brewer, Merritt, House, Roberts or Chen
The other pitcher added this time around was minor leaguer Will Roberts, but considering his best season so far was as a 23 year old with a 4.08 ERA in AA last year and that Tomlin and McAllister are out of options, he is just in camp to get some experience and fill out rosters.
Add The Sports Daily to your Google News Feed!
