Team Fantasy Preview - Cleveland Indians
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Throughout the preseason, we will be previewing all 30 teams and what their rosters bring to the fantasy baseball table. This edition covers the Cleveland Indians.
Projected Lineup
| ORDER | POSITION | NAME | BATS |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | 1B | Carlos Santana | S |
| 2. | 2B | Jason Kipnis | L |
| 3. | SS | Francisco Lindor | S |
| 4. | DH | Edwin Encarnacion | R |
| 5. | LF | Michael Brantley | L |
| 6. | 3B | Jose Ramirez | S |
| 7. | RF | Lonnie Chisenhall | L |
| 8. | C | Yan Gomes | R |
| 9. | CF | Tyler Naquin | L |
| BENCH | OF | Austin Jackson | R |
| BENCH | OF | Brandon Guyer | R |
Projected Rotation
| ORDER | NAME | THROWS |
|---|---|---|
| 1. | Corey Kluber | R |
| 2. | Carlos Carrasco | R |
| 3. | Danny Salazar | R |
| 4. | Trevor Bauer | R |
| 5. | Josh Tomlin | R |
Bullpen Hierarchy
| ROLE | NAME | THROWS |
|---|---|---|
| Closer | Cody Allen | R |
| Set-Up | Andrew Miller | L |
| RP | Bryan Shaw | R |
Top Prospect to Watch in 2017
Yandy Diaz, 25, is a career .307/.403/.410 hitter in the minors who batted .325 in Triple-A last season. He doesn't have a ton of power, but his disciplined, gap-to-gap approach should help him hit for a high average in the majors. He has played 2B, 3B, LF and RF in the minors, so he will likely be the first call up if almost any player in the starting lineup goes down with an injury.
Who Will Drive You Crazy?
From 2014-15, Brantley hit .319 with 90 doubles. When healthy, he is one of the best contact hitters in the game. He started last season on the DL after having shoulder surgery in the offseason. He then played just 11 games before re-aggravating the same shoulder, ending his season. It's possible his shoulder could flare up again. He will also time to get his timing back.
The One to Own
Over the past three seasons, Carrasco has a 3.22 ERA, a 3.00 FIP, a 1.071 WHIP and 9.8 K/9. He will probably be undervalued come draft time because he has just one season of 30-plus starts and had his season cut short due to injury last season. UnlikeSalazar's injury, Carrasco's wasn't related to his arm. He suffered a fractured finger after taking a comebacker in the hand.
Top Sleeper
With all the young talent on Cleveland's roster, Ramirez, 24, often gets overlooked. He hit only 11 homers last year, but boasted a solid slugging percentage thanks to his 46 doubles. He also batted .312, which allowed him to drive in 76 runs and score 84 while chipping in with 22 steals. He isn't flashy, but can help your fantasy team in a lot of ways.
(Photos courtesy Action Images)