Ex-Captains pitchers will be on display

Three former Lake County Captains figure prominently in the Indians’ pitching plans for the weekend series against the Detroit Tigers.

On June 22, Shane Bieber made his third career start for the Indians.

On June 24, Adam Plutko will toe the rubber for the Indians against Matthew Boyd in the series finale. First pitch is at 1:10 p.m.

Sometime during the series, it is likely Indians manager Terry Francona will make a pitching change that involves reliever Cody Allen, the Indians’ closer for the last four-plus seasons.

Each of these pitchers fasttracked to the big leagues through the Indians’ minor league system.

Bieber, a 6-foot-3 righthander from California, was selected in the fourth round of the June 2016 draft out of University of California-Santa Barbara.

After make his professional debut in 2016 with the short-season SingleA Mahoning Valley Scrappers, he opened the 2017 season in Lake County. He wasn’t there long, making five starts for the Captains before earning a promotion to the advanced Single-A Lynchburg (Va. ) Hillcats. By the end of the season, he was in the starting rotation of the DoubleA Akron RubberDucks.

His combined record at three levels in 2017 was 10-5 with a 2.86 ERA.

Bieber opened the 2018 season at Akron and was dominant, going 3-0 with a 1.16 ERA in five starts. That earned him a promotion to the Triple-A Columbus Clippers. He didn’t skip a beat there, compiling a 3-1 record and 1.58 ERA with the Clippers.

On May 31, Bieber celebrated his 23rd birthday by making his major-league debut in a road

game against the Minnesota Twins. He acquitted himself well, giving up four runs in 5 2/3 innings in what ended as a 9-8 victory for the Indians. He didn’t figure in the decision because the Indians blew on 8-4 lead and had to mount a late rally to win.

Bieber broke through for his first big-league victory on June 17, also against Minnesota, limiting the Twins to one run on 10 hits in 5 2/3 innings as the Indians prevailed, 4-1.

Allen is the only other former Captain to make his big-league debut with the Indians in the calendar year following his stint in Lake County.

Selected by the Indians

in the 23rd round of the June 2011 draft out of High Point (N.C.) University, Allen made seven appearances for Lake County in 2011.

The 2012 season was a whirlwind for the 6-1 right-hander as he advanced from advanced Single-A Carolina to Akron and Columbus before his big-league debut with the Indians on July 20, 2012 at the age of 23 years, 243 days.

Allen has been with the Indians ever since, compiling 137 saves in sixplus seasons. He needs two saves to pull even with Bob Wickman as the franchise-all-time saves leader.

Plutko was selected by the Indians in the 11th round June 2013 draft out of University of California Los Angeles.

The 6-3 right-hander from California opened the 2014 season with the Captains. He was promoted to Carolina after 10 starts in Lake County, He finished the 2015 season in Akron, then made 28 combined starts in Akron and Columbus the following season before making his big-league debut in relief for the Indians on Sept. 24, 2016, at the age of 24 years, 357

days.

Plutko spent all of the 2017 season in Columbus.

This season, he’s made nine starts at Columbus and five with the Indians.

He’s 3-1 with a 5.40 ERA with the Indians. Plutko’s first big-league win came on May 3 in a 13-4 victory over Toronto at Progressive Field.

For the Clippers, he authored a no-hitter on June 2 in a 6-0 win over Syracuse.

The Captains have sent 79 players to the big leagues since the franchise relocated to Eastlake in 2003.

Pitcher Roberto Hernandez, who played for the Captains in 2003 as Fausto Carmona, was the first when he got to the Indians in April 2005.

Bieber and shortstop Ronny Rodriguez of Detroit were the most recent with their May 31 debuts.

Signed by the Indians as a non-drafted free agent in October 2010, Rodriguez spent seven seasons in the Indians’ minor-league system before electing free agency and signing with the Tigers in December 2017.

As a utility infielder for the Tigers, Rodriguez in 10 games is batting .087 with one RBI.

Shane Bieber