Indians: 6 prospects that completely impressed during the 2021 season
By Chad Porto
These six minor league prospects are bound to help the Indians soon.
The Cleveland Indians just tipped their caps at their last homestand as the Indians. By the end of November, the name change to the Guardians should be official and plans for the 2022 season will be well underway. It’s not just the name change that could be different in 2022, but many players on the main roster may be traded, demoted, or not re-signed.
That means opportunities will arise for those in the minors. The Tribe didn’t have a lot to look forward to with minor league call-ups this year. Some players did well, others struggled but none of them were really seen as a game-changer. Not like Nolan Jones was supposed to be. Jones never got the call-up during the 2021 season, mostly because he was horrid in Triple-A.
There will be opportunities for him to return to form in 2022 but will he do enough to warrant a spot on the Major League roster is anyone’s guess. Especially after watching numerous guys through all the levels of the Indians farm system step up as minor league prospects.
Some may be a year or two away from being on the roster, while others could play their way into the rotation or lineup be the summer. It’s really anyone’s guess. The players on this list are, mostly, a known commodity. They’ve been putting up similar numbers for their entire pro career, for the most part.
They’re all among or will be among, the best the minor league systems have to offer. So let’s see what the future of the Cleveland Guardians looks like.