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Cleveland Indians: What the roster will look like in 2023

By Nick Dudukovich

GOODYEAR, AZ - FEBRUARY 21: Francisco Mejia of the Cleveland Indians poses for a portrait at the Cleveland Indians Player Development Complex on February 21, 2018 in Goodyear, Arizona. (Photo by Rob Tringali/Getty Images)
GOODYEAR, AZ - FEBRUARY 21: Francisco Mejia of the Cleveland Indians poses for a portrait at the Cleveland Indians Player Development Complex on February 21, 2018 in Goodyear, Arizona. (Photo by Rob Tringali/Getty Images) /
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CLEVELAND, OH – APRIL 27: Corey Kluber #28 of the Cleveland Indians enters the bullpen after warming up on the field before the start of the game against the Kansas City Royals on April 27, 2015 at Progressive Field in Cleveland, Ohio. The Royals defeated the Indians 6-2. (Photo by David Maxwell/Getty Images)
CLEVELAND, OH – APRIL 27: Corey Kluber #28 of the Cleveland Indians enters the bullpen after warming up on the field before the start of the game against the Kansas City Royals on April 27, 2015 at Progressive Field in Cleveland, Ohio. The Royals defeated the Indians 6-2. (Photo by David Maxwell/Getty Images) /

The bullpen

RP: Kieran Lovegrove has emerged as someone to watch in the Tribe’s bullpen. After being drafted in 2012 out of high school, he struggle. The Indians helped him work on the mental side of his game, and the move is paying dividends.

RP: Ben Krauth is left-hander drafted in the 10th round of the 2016 MLB Draft, Krauth has shown an ability to get strikeouts, fanning 40 in 25 2/3 innings with Class A (Advanced) Lynchburg this season.

RP: You probably don’t know Shao-Ching Chiang, but you should learn his name fast.

Like Bieber,  he doesn’t walk many (averages 1.6 walks per nine innings). He’s a sinker baller who’s shown great control and is currently at Class AA Akron.

He a starter now, and perhaps that’s how he finds his way to Cleveland. Perhaps he can be a longman capable of making spot starts.

Closer: Lenny Torres is a flame-thrower out of New York City that the Tribe picked in the first round (compensation round) of the 2018 MLB Draft.

To go along with the heat, he’s apparently got a great slider.

I’ve heard comparisons to Zach McAlister, but I think Torres’ ceiling may be hour. McAllister’s struggle has been finding a pitch to complement a fastball that sits in the mid 90s.

It seems every Spring Training, McAlister’s found the secondary pitch to take him to the next level, but it hasn’t worked out that way.

Next: 5 Indians prospects you don't know (but should)

Torres may get looked at as a starter, but the Tribe just doesn’t have anyone who projects as an elite bullpen arm. If they did, they’d be in Cleveland already helping out the worst bullpen in MLB.

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