Tribe's top prospects named to Futures Game

BALTIMORE -- As baseball’s biggest names begin rolling in to Cleveland for the 2019 All-Star Game presented by Mastercard, Minor Leaguers with the potential to be the stars of the future will be taking to the diamond at Progressive Field, including two of the Indians’ top prospects.

Third baseman Nolan Jones (No. 2) and outfielder Daniel Johnson (No. 22) were selected to represent the host team in this year’s SiriusXM All-Star Futures Game on Sunday, July 7.

The Indians acquired Johnson from the Nationals in the Yan Gomes trade on Nov. 30, and it didn’t take the 23-year-old long to make a strong first impression. He was invited to big league Spring Training camp in February and hit .258 with a 1.005 OPS, two homers and nine RBIs in 27 at-bats with the team in Arizona.

“When you see him play well and you say, ‘Whoa, that’s what that could be,’” Francona had said in March. “Now, they grow into consistency. … Guys that can get to a fastball, you can teach them. It takes times sometimes, but to be able to hit an offspeed pitch or a breaking ball or even to be able to lay off, but a guy that can hit a fastball, it allows you to dream a little bit.”

Johnson, the Indians’ No. 22 prospect per MLB Pipeline, began the year in Double-A Akron, where he slashed .253/.337/.534 with 10 home runs and 33 RBIs in 39 games. He was promoted to Triple-A Columbus on May 25, and he’s hit .273 with an .864 OPS, 11 doubles, three triples, four homers and 18 RBIs in 32 games.

“We all got a chance to get to know him in the spring,” Francona said. “He’s a wonderful kid. He’s got some really good tools and he’s having a heck of a year. I mean, the guys at Triple-A love him. He’s only been there, I think, about a month. So, he’s an interesting guy.”

While Johnson could be up with the big league club by the end of the season, Jones is projected to reach the Majors in 2020. He’s spent the entire season to date at Single-A Lynchburg, hitting .291 with an .863 OPS, six homers and 37 RBIs. The 21-year-old infielder is the Tribe’s No. 2 prospect and ranks 43rd on MLB Pipeline’s Top 100 Prospects list. He was drafted by Cleveland in the second round of the 2016 Draft.

“Nolan, the only time I’ve seen him is in Spring Training when he’s come over [to fill in at big league camp],” Francona said. “It wasn’t this year, it was last year, but I know the organization kind of thinks the world of this kid. They think he’s gonna be a really good player.”

Ramirez returns to lineup
After missing two games on the paternity list, Jose Ramirez was activated prior to Sunday’s series finale in Baltimore, sending infielder Yu Chang back to Triple-A.

“It was so nice to see. Like I asked him about the baby and his eyes got [really] big,” Francona said. “That was really cool. Because Josey, he struts around here and does his own thing, but he just seems so -- like I said, his eyes were big. It was pretty cool.

“Our interpreter had to stay back with him to help and he had kind of said Josey would pick the baby up, put the baby down and just like stare at it, then pick the baby up. It was pretty cool.”

This date in Indians history
1995: Eddie Murray became the third player to join the 3,000 hit club while wearing a Cleveland uniform. Murray totaled 339 of those hits with the Tribe.