Cleveland Indians: Top 5 prospects entering Spring Training
By Eric Pitcher
1. Francisco Mejia, C.
Francisco Mejia is the Indians top prospect and one of the most interesting players in all of baseball. Back in 2016 Mejia put together one of the most impressive streaks in baseball history. For the first time in 62 years, Mejia got a hit in 50 consecutive games. The last player to do that was Roman Mejias who hit in 55 straight games back in 1954.
Aside from the streak, Mejia has still proven he is a threat at the plate. Last season Mejia spent most of his team in Double-A for the Rubberducks. In 92 games, Mejia hit for .297, smacked 14 home runs and drove in 52 RBI.
In the past, Mejia has been mostly a catcher but this past fall he has been putting in the work at third base. This doesn’t mean the Indians are giving up on him as a catcher, this just means they are exploring other options so they can bring Mejia to the majors and he can contribute offensively and defensively.
Mejia spent some time at the big level last season. Improving him defensively at third base just shows that the Indians want him to be a regular in the lineup in 2018.
Yes, the Indians have an everyday third baseman in Jose Ramirez, but adding another glove to the infield will allow for Terry Francona to give guys more rest. Historically, injuries have been something the Indians have not fared well with so adding another glove to the infield can only benefit the Tribe in the long run.
There is a lot of debate as to what kind of production Mejia will have this upcoming season. With the Indians infield healthy to begin the season, Mejia will most likely start with Triple-A Columbus Clippers. Expect him to be up in the majors early in the season, however.