The Morning Journal (Lorain, OH)
Tribe’s working roster set at 55 — for now
Top prospects headed to Classic Park as part of team’s taxi squad
The Indians announced a 55-man player pool with top prospects in a “taxi squad” training in Eastlake.
Baseball is officially back in Cleveland.
The Indians announced their 55-man player pool June 28, with top prospects Nolan Jones, Tyler Freeman and Bo Naylor highlighting the club’s “taxi squad” that will be training in Eastlake.
Teams had until 4 p.m. June 28 to submit their player pool, which is comprised of an initial 40-man roster along with a 20-player “taxi squad” that is allowed to train at an alternate site, with the Indians being Classic Park, the home of the single-A Lake County Captains.
The alternate squad will also include prospects George Valera, Daniel Espino and Ethan Hankins along with non-roster invitees Ernie Clement, Eli Morgan and Kyle Nelson. The Indians have some flexibility to add to their roster as well, as they have five open spots on their alternate squad. Only players on a team’s 60man roster are eligible to play this season.
The Indians 40-man roster, which features plenty of familiar faces, is comprised of 20 pitchers, 10 outfielders, seven infielders and three catchers.
Thirty players will break camp on the Indians roster on Opening Day, with the other 30 heading to Eastlake to train with the taxi squad. That number with dip to 28 after two weeks before dropping to 26 two weeks later.
Opening Day is set for either for July 23 or 24 depending on the team.
No matter what happens, Terry Francona and his staff will have some decision to make over the next month.
Prior to the pandemic, starters Zach Plesac, Adam Plutko and Aaron Civale were fighting for the final two sports in the Indians’ rotation. Now they all could be ticketed for the 30-man roster, whether that be in the rotation or bullpen.
The same can be said for the outfield, which had Greg Allen, Jake Bauers, Delino DeShields and Bradley Zimmer — among others — vying for platoon sports in the outfield.
Pitcher Mike Clevinger and outfielder Tyler Naquin were both named to the 40-man roster after missing parts of the Indians’ initial spring training due to injury. Clevinger now enters camp as the Indians bonafide No. 1 starter (what that role will look like in this year’s abbreviated season remains to be seen) while Naquin is vying for a spot in the Indians aforementioned crowded outfield.
Starter Carlos Carrasco — who missed most of last season after being diagnosed with leukemia — is on the roster despite being considered high-risk.
The Indians will have three catchers in Cleveland, with Roberto Perez and Sandy León being joined by minor-league invitee Beau Taylor, while Mike Freeman joins the infielders as a minor-league invitee. Cam Hill, Anthony Gose and Dominic Leon join the pitching staff as non-roster invitees.
Reliever Emmanuel Clase is not eligible to join the team after he was suspended 80 games for violating the league’s Joint Drug Prevention and Treatment program.