Cleveland, OH (92.3 The Fan) – All eyes are on the outfield as the Indians get set for spring training in Goodyear, Arizona. The roster will look quite different this year, especially in the outfield. The Indians are expected to stand pat with what they have on their roster, despite plenty of free agent options available.
Tyler Naquin, who turns 28 in April, posted a .264 average last season with three home runs and 23 RBI in 61 games. He will get every chance to start in right field. Leonys Martin returns after battling a life-threatening illness and is penciled in as the center fielder. The 30 year old is a plus defender, but he struggles at the plate. Martin had 11 homers in 84 games last season and has a career .248 batting average.
Jordan Luplow, 25, was acquired in a trade with Pittsburgh in November. He's inexperienced, playing in just 64 Major League games. Luplow has a .194 average and six home runs in his career.
Greg Allen is also expected to be in the mix. The speedy outfielder is intriguing and would be a prime candidate to start in center field if Martin struggles at any point. Allen, 25, doesn't hit for power, but it wouldn't be shocking to see him earn a starting job. Bradley Zimmer is still recovering from shoulder surgery, but could also be an option once he's healthy. Other darkhorse candidates include Jake Bauers, Oscar Mercado and Matt Joyce.
If the Indians don't sign a proven veteran, then they'll be stuck hoping that three legitimate starting outfielders emerge from this group. The organization cut salary this offseason in hopes of building for the future, while also remaining competitive in 2019.
It's not hard to envision one or even two of these players to rise to the occasion and play well this year. Unfortunately, not all of these candidates are going to have success. There will be injuries, depth will be tested and that's why fans are so uneasy about the outfield.
Bauers is expected to play first base, but the 23-year-old played 20 games in left and right field last season for Tampa Bay. He has legitimate power and is expected to get a chance in the outfield. Bauers is hoping to play everyday, even if it isn't at first base. If he does settle in as an outfielder, Carlos Santana could play first. This would be an ideal scenario for the Indians, who could use a power bat in the outfield. Bauers hit 11 home runs and had 48 RBI in his first season in the big leagues last year. The Indians believe he was just scratching the surface of his true potential.
If the Indians change their course, free-agent options include Adam Jones, Marwin Gonzalez, Derek Dietrich and Denard Span. If they don't, then Cleveland will be stuck hoping that the new-look outfield is better than everyone thinks.
