Fantasy baseball: 2020 Cleveland Indians fantasy preview
By Mike Marteny
2020 Cleveland Indians projected starting lineup:
Francisco Lindor, SS (.284, 32 HR, 74 RBI, 22 SB in 598 AB)
Oscar Mercado, CF (.269, 15 HR, 54 RBI, 15 SB in 438 AB)
Carlos Santana, 1B (.281, 34 HR, 93 RBI, 4 SB in 573 AB)
Jose Ramirez, 3B (.255, 23 HR, 83 RBI, 24 SB in 482 AB)
Franmil Reyes, DH (.249, 37 HR, 81 RBI, 0 SB in 494 AB with SDP/CLE)
Cesar Hernandez, 2B (.279, 14 HR, 71 RBI, 9 SB in 612 AB with PHI)
Domingo Santana, LF (.253, 21 HR, 69 RBI, 8 SB in 451 AB with SEA)
Roberto Perez, C (.239, 24 HR, 63 RBI, 0 SB in 389 AB)
Greg Allen, RF (.229, 4 HR, 27 RBI, 8 SB in 231 AB)
Lindor may not look like a first-round pick, but he did score over 100 runs for the second straight year. That’s hard to come by in a 5×5 format. Add that to the relative scarcity of the position, and I still see Lindor going late in the first. I don’t know that I would take him over Story or Turner, but it’s close.
Franmil Reyes hit 10 homers in 173 at bats with Cleveland last year. The power is here to stay if you can stomach the low average. That said, Reyes is still a career .260 hitter in 755 at bats. The perceived low average could make him a decent value as others leave him behind.
Carlos Santana still has very good power at a position that isn’t nearly as loaded as it has been. Add that to the .280 average, and Santana could put up numbers worthy of the 3rd or 4th round pick without you spending that much on him.
Can Jose Ramirez bounce back? He’s still a career .280 hitter, but he is still below the upper echelon of third basemen. The position is loaded. If you miss out on an upper tier 3B, I have no issues plucking Ramirez in the late third or early fourth. I think the average rebounds more towards his career mark.
Oscar Mercado is a sneaky 20/20 candidate who hits for a good average. I like him in the middle rounds. We know the power on Domingo Santana is legit, but the average will hurt you some. The rest of the outfield is going to be a platoon between Allen and Jordan Luplow. Neither one are worth tracking in standard leagues.
Hernandez’s durability and higher RBI chances make him a nice MI pick in the later rounds. The power on Roberto Perez is intoxicating, but keep in mind that he is a career .216 hitter and only had 21 career home runs in 818 at bats prior to last year.
Prospects to watch:
If Nolan Jones continues to hit like he has, the Indians will be tempted to move Ramirez back to 2B, a position he played in the minors. The signing of Hernandez decreases that likelihood, but the Indians may not be able to hold off Jones much longer. He looks ready even though he hasn’t played above AA.
Bobby Bradley smacked 33 homers at AAA Columbus last year before struggling in 45 September at bats. He’s a man without a place so long as Carlos Santana is around, but another huge AAA start could force Cleveland’s hand. He’s worth a look if he gets consistent playing time.
If Luplow and/or Allen struggle, Daniel Johnson looks ready. He’s a threat for 15 homers and steals while maintaining a good average. If Yu Chang gets playing time, he’s worth a look if you need power.