Where Indians' Top 30 prospects are starting season
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With the 2018 season underway, here's a look at where the Indians' Top 30 prospects are starting the season:
1. Francisco Mejía (MLB No. 11), C -- Columbus Clippers (AAA)
- Triston McKenzie (MLB No. 24), RHP -- Lynchburg Hillcats (A Adv) -- DL
- Bobby Bradley, 1B -- Akron RubberDucks (AA)
- Nolan Jones, 3B -- Lake County Captains (A)
- Willi Castro, SS -- Akron RubberDucks (AA)
- Yu-Cheng Chang, SS -- Columbus Clippers (AAA)
- Will Benson, OF -- Lake County Captains (A)
- Shane Bieber, RHP -- Akron RubberDucks (AA)
- Greg Allen, OF -- Columbus Clippers (AAA)
- Aaron Civale, RHP -- Akron RubberDucks (AA)
- George Valera, OF -- Extended spring training
- Conner Capel , OF -- Lynchburg Hillcats (A Adv)
- Quentin Holmes, OF -- Extended spring training
- Tyler Freeman, SS/2B -- Mahoning Valley Scrappers (A Short Season)
- Aaron Bracho, SS -- Extended spring training
- Julian Merryweather, RHP -- Out for season
- Sam Hentges, LHP -- Lynchburg Hillcats (A Adv)
- Oscar Gonzalez, OF -- Lake County Captains (A)
- Jonathan Rodriguez, OF -- Extended spring training
- Eric Haase, C -- Columbus Clippers (AAA)
- Logan Ice, C -- Lynchburg Hillcats (A Adv)
- Ryan Merritt, LHP -- Cleveland Indians (MLB) -- DL
- Ka'ai Tom, OF -- Akron RubberDucks (AA)
- Ernie Clement, SS/2B -- Lake County Captains (A)
- Tyler Krieger, 2B -- Akron RubberDucks (AA)
- Marcos Gonzalez, SS -- Extended spring training
- Mitch Longo, OF -- Lynchburg Hillcats (A Adv)
- Elijah Morgan, RHP -- Lake County Captains (A)
- Brady Aiken, LHP -- Mahoning Valley Scrappers (A Short Season)
- Shawn Morimando, LHP -- Columbus Clippers (AAA)
• Indians prospect coverage | Indians' Top 30 prospects stats
Team to watch
Triple-A Columbus will be home to Mejia as well as fellow Top 10 prospects Chang and Allen, but it's the organization's Double-A affiliate, Akron, which might have the most exciting roster. The RubberDucks' lineup will boast a pair of impact hitters in Bradley and Castro -- ages 21 and 20, respectively, on Opening Day -- while Bieber and Civale are expected to headline the club's starting rotation. Akron could see receive some key in-season additions, too, with prospects like McKenzie, Capel and Hentges all beginning 2018 with Class A Advanced Lynchburg.
Where baseball's top prospects are starting the 2018 season
Teams on MiLB.TV
Columbus Clippers (AAA)
Akron RubberDucks (AA)
New faces
The Indians' Top 30 Prospects list doesn't include any players who were not with the organization last year.
On the shelf
McKenzie, Cleveland's top pitching prospect, will begin the season on Lynchburg's disabled list in what is being considered by the organization as a precautionary move after the right-hander experienced forearm soreness during spring camp. Merryweather will miss all of 2018 following his Tommy John surgery in mid-March, while Merritt opened the season on the Indians' 10-day disabled list with a left knee sprain.