Five players the Indians must get from the Blue Jays in a trade involving Francisco Lindor.
Former Cleveland Indians front-office executive Ross Atkins–who’s now the GM of the Toronto Blue Jays–played it coy when talking about a potential deal for Francisco Lindor.
While Lindor has one year left remaining on his contract, if Toronto did make a deal, you’ve have to bet on the front office extending the four-time All-Star. Old friends Mark Shapiro and Atkins are former Tribe executives. We know how they operate. They’re not going to mortgage the farm to keep a player for one year.
In adding Lindor, the Blue Jays would move Bo Bichette to third base, making for one of the most dangerous infields in the game with Cavan Biggio and Vladimir Guerrero Jr. at first. The Jays, who got a small taste of the postseason in 2020, would also signal to to the rest of the league that they’re serious contenders.
In addition to the Blue Jays, the Reds have been thrown around as potential landing spot for Lindor.
As for the Jays, Atkins was asked on MLB Network about a potential deal, and as Jon Morosi reported, Atkins smiled and answered carefully.
Atkins said he’d let the media make deals for his club, so that’s exactly what we’ll do.
He’s five players the Indians should target in a potential trade for Lindor.
1. Lourdes Gurriel Jr.
Lourdes Gurriel Jr. is the name being consistently thrown around by members of the media as someone the Tribe would have to land in a trade for Francisco Lindor.
Gurriel makes sense because he fills a position of great need and he’s under contract through the 2023 campaign, in which he’ll earn a total of $15 million.
As far as rumors go surrounding the Tribe’s interstate’s in Gurriel, Cleveland.com’s Terry Pluto wrote:
"“I’ve been told the Indians would love to build a trade with Toronto with one of the players in return being Lourdes Gurriel.”"
Gurriel owns a .509 career slugging percentage and would be an instant starter in the outfield–probably in left field. Plus, he would slide into the middle of the lineup, which is greatly needed after the Indians made Carlos Santana a free agent.
Gurriel, 27, has played three seasons and he’s started to show some power, hitting 11 bombs in 57 games during the 2020 pandemic shortened campaign. In 2019, Gurriel hit 20 homers.
Additionally, he’s a lifetime .287 hitter. I know average doesn’t mean as it used to, but the Indians have guys are either going to launch homers or strikeout out. Having someone capable of putting the bat on the ball is fine. Think Michael Brantley, but with more power potential.
2. Jordan Groshans, SS/3B
Cleveland’s trade that sent Mike Clevinger to San Diego yielded shortstop Gabriel Arias, and the middle-infielder is promising, the Indians should try to add shortstop Jordan Groshans in any potential deal.
Groshans was the 12th overall pick in the 2018 draft and was outstanding at the plate during the 2019 Class A season with the Midwest League’s Lansing Lugnuts. Baseball America listed him as the game’s 29th rated prospect prior to the 2020 season. His estimated big-league time of arrival is 2022, but after COVID-19’s impact on the last season, you may add another year on that.
He’s split time between shortstop and third base in the minors, playing slightly more at short. It’s believed short might not be his long-term fit.
It may not be what fans want to hear in terms of winning right now, but if Jose Ramirez (under contract through 2023) sticks at the hot corner for the next few seasons and Tribe top prospect Nolan Jones makes good on seizing an outfield role in 2021, the Indians will be in the need for a third baseman when JRAM is either traded before his contract expiries or walks in free agency.
Groshans hit .298 and .331, respectively in his first two years of pro ball, and while it was the minors, it’s certainly better than hitting .202.
3. Rikelvin de Castro, SS
In Rikelvin de Castro, the Indians would be a getting a guy the casual fan might as well as forget about, because he won’t be in the major leagues for four, five, or even six years.
Yes, he’s also a shortstop, but there’s a method to the Indians’ madness. You’ve got to keep stockpiling players at premier the premier position and hope one hits.
You just read about Groshans, who might not stick at third. The Indians currently have Tyler Freeman, and there’s many wonder if he’ll stick at short, as well. The 2017 draft pick may be better suited for second base as early as 2022.
de Castro, though, looks like a slam dunk to stay at short. He was tied with Reese McGuire as the best defensive prospect in the Blue’ Jays system, according to MLB Pipeline.
There are serious questions about his bat, but his glove leaves no question as to where he can play.
Plus, he’s still young and his bat needs a chance to develop in the professional game.
4. Kevin Smith, SS, 3B
If acquired, Smith could potentially play a lot of shortstop for the Tribe in 2021.
Now, he’s not the most exciting prospect, alas, he wouldn’t be the center piece of any trade the Tribe made with Jays (at least, he better not be).
MLB Pipeline considers Smith to be an above average defender with good range and plus arm strength.
And while he possesses raw power at the plate, there are serious questions about his bat. He hit .209 and struck out a whopping 151 times during his time in the Class AA Eastern League. That broke down to 32.3 percent of his plate appearances.
From there, he played in the Arizona Fall League, where he posted a beyond-dismal .308 OPS, striking out 38 times in 67 plate appearances.
He’s a right-handed stick who hit 25 homers between low and high A ball, so there’s power there. When he does connect, he’s capable of going to the opposite field.
Again, Smith isn’t the first or second prospect you’re asking for, but he’d be fine as a throw in to complete the package.
5. Sem Robberse, SP
This native of the Netherlands is another the casual fan should forget about, because at 19 years old, he’s at least four to five years away from the big leagues.
However, with the Indians owning the hottest pitching development program in the game, Robberse is someone I’d love to see on Cleveland’s farm.
He’s only appeared in five games in the states, all with the Blue Jays’ rookie squad in the Gulf Coast League. While there, he posted a 0.87 ERA over 10 1/3 innings.
He walked no one while there, which is indicative of how he pitched overseas. I think of guys who came through the farm system such as Shane Bieber and Aaron Civale and a huge trait they shared was that neither walked a lot of guys.
Now, that’s where the comparisons stop, for now. Bieber and Civale were college guys with more experience when they began their minor league careers.
As for Robberse, the right-hander throws a fastball, curve and changeup, His fastball sits in the low the 90s, according to MLB Pipeline, however, that was increase from the high-80s during the 2019 campaign.
The Blue Jays are handling him as a starter ,and their 24th ranked prospect certainly projects to keep that role.