2011 Indians Organizational Ranking and Report - Catchers

[osueddy]

I'll be posting over the next week a report ranking the Indians prospects at each position and an overall report on the position. I'll be using the same rules as Tony concerning eligibility for prospects (50 IP, 130 AB, and played stateside). The age next to the players name is for next season using the July 1 cut-off date.

Catchers Not Eligible: Carlos Santana, Lou Marson, and Paul Phillips

Prospect Ranking (Catchers):
1.) Chen-Hsiu Chen (22)
2.) Alex Lavisky (20)
3.) Roberto Perez (22)
4.) Alex Monsalve (19)
5.) Juan Apodaca (24)

With another season like last year, Chen may be a top 5 prospect for the Tribe. Let's just hope it is not a one year wonder. I've got him ahead of Lavisky just because he has already proven something, while Lavisky will be 20 this season in his first year out of high school. I'd like to see Perez hit a little better to go along with his defense, and if he can do that, I'm pretty happy with where the Indians are 1-3. Monsalve is young (19), and he should get a chance at Lake County sometime this season. You could put anyone in the 5th spot, as there are not a whole of 'prospects' after Monsalve.

Didn't Make the Cut:
Diego Seastrunk (23)
Luke Carlin (30)
Doug Pickens (26)
Dwight Childs (22)
Moises Montero (21)

Future Prospects From the DSL Team:
Xavier De Los Santos (22) - Made a brief appearance with the AZL team last fall.

Orgizational Report:
Cleveland - Santana / Marson
Columbus - Carlin / Phillips
Akron - Apodaca / Pickens
Kinston - Chen / Perez
Lake County - Lavisky / Seastrunk
Extended Spring Training - Monsalve / Montero / De Los Santos
Cut? - Childs

The Indians seem set at catcher for the next 5 years (hopefully more) with Santana. The only thing that may change that is if they are concerned with injury and they make him a 1B baseman if LaPorta flops. Marson is a solid defensive backup who threw out a high percentage of base stealers at the ML level. I know everyone wishes he would hit more, but he is a good backup. Carlin/Phillips will prove as a good 3rd catcher this season until Chen develops. I have Chen at Kinston again because he only got 172 ab's at Kinston. If Chen makes it to Akron to start the season, then Childs and Pickens may be battling for the backup spot at Kinston.
The best case scenario for the Tribe is that Santana and Marson excel and Chen/Perez/Lavisky push Marson as early as mid-2012. If the Tribe is making a playoff run during the 2012-2015 seasons, the continued development of Chen/Perez/Lavisky/Monsalve could provide some trade chips during one of those late season runs.

[indianinkslinger]

Catching is an incredible upgrade in the system since the Blake/Santana trade. As I recall, we had an aging excellent hitter in Victor and unfulfilled promise in Shoppach. Minors were barren. The Lee trade netted a fine backup and the draft and free agents have filled the lower minors with potential. Personally, I don't think the Indians split time on the rosters between prospects and I think your top four will be allocated one per team.

[osueddy]

Catching is an incredible upgrade in the system since the Blake/Santana trade. As I recall, we had an aging excellent hitter in Victor and unfulfilled promise in Shoppach. Minors were barren. The Lee trade netted a fine backup and the draft and free agents have filled the lower minors with potential. Personally, I don't think the Indians split time on the rosters between prospects and I think your top four will be allocated one per team.

I don't see any of those top four starting at Columbus. Chen hasn't done enought to skip Akron, and no way that Roberto Perez will skip Kinston.

[indianinkslinger]

Catching is an incredible upgrade in the system since the Blake/Santana trade. As I recall, we had an aging excellent hitter in Victor and unfulfilled promise in Shoppach. Minors were barren. The Lee trade netted a fine backup and the draft and free agents have filled the lower minors with potential. Personally, I don't think the Indians split time on the rosters between prospects and I think your top four will be allocated one per team.

I don't see any of those top four starting at Columbus. Chen hasn't done enought to skip Akron, and no way that Roberto Perez will skip Kinston.

I don't expect any to start or finish in Columbus but I do expect one of the four (Monsalve) to spend some time in MV.

[osueddy]

Catching is an incredible upgrade in the system since the Blake/Santana trade. As I recall, we had an aging excellent hitter in Victor and unfulfilled promise in Shoppach. Minors were barren. The Lee trade netted a fine backup and the draft and free agents have filled the lower minors with potential. Personally, I don't think the Indians split time on the rosters between prospects and I think your top four will be allocated one per team.

I don't see any of those top four starting at Columbus. Chen hasn't done enought to skip Akron, and no way that Roberto Perez will skip Kinston.

I don't expect any to start or finish in Columbus but I do expect one of the four (Monsalve) to spend some time in MV.

I see what you mean now. I thought you meant one per each of the full season teams. You may be right, and Tony is thinking too according to his depth chart, that Chen starts at Akron. I'd like to see him there, so I can see him play, but I wonder if his limited number of ab's at Kinston will be enough for Ross Atkins and the guys.

[indianinkslinger]

Catching is an incredible upgrade in the system since the Blake/Santana trade. As I recall, we had an aging excellent hitter in Victor and unfulfilled promise in Shoppach. Minors were barren. The Lee trade netted a fine backup and the draft and free agents have filled the lower minors with potential. Personally, I don't think the Indians split time on the rosters between prospects and I think your top four will be allocated one per team.

I don't see any of those top four starting at Columbus. Chen hasn't done enought to skip Akron, and no way that Roberto Perez will skip Kinston.

I don't expect any to start or finish in Columbus but I do expect one of the four (Monsalve) to spend some time in MV.

I see what you mean now. I thought you meant one per each of the full season teams. You may be right, and Tony is thinking too according to his depth chart, that Chen starts at Akron. I'd like to see him there, so I can see him play, but I wonder if his limited number of ab's at Kinston will be enough for Ross Atkins and the guys.

My reasoning is simpler. Perez has been groomed all off season for Kinston. Why split ABs and plate time?

[TonyIBI]

My reasoning is simpler. Perez has been groomed all off season for Kinston. Why split ABs and plate time?

From what I know, it is very likely that Chen opens in Akron, Perez in Kinston, and Lavisky/Monsalve open at Lake County. Both Lavisky and Monsalve are breaking into full season ball for the first time and they are expected to "platoon" at the catching spot in order to manage their workload. Pretty certain of the placements of all of those guys except Monsalve is not as certain (though still very probable from conversations I have had).