Gameday Magazine June

Prospects to watch

2018

Outfielder Mitch Longo batted .361 with four home runs and 25 RBI in 55 games for the Captains before injuries robbed him of a full 2017 campaign. Longo was activated from the disabled list on August 31 when he made his debut with the Hillcats, and played in 5 games while going 9-for-16 at the plate. Cleveland’s 14th round pick in 2016 has been an everyday player so far this season for Lynchburg. Longo has batted a team-best .304, while clubbing two home runs to go along with 16 RBI throughout the first two months of the year. He also leads the team with 16 multi-hit games. Right-hander Eli Morgan was promoted to Lynchburg in mid-May, and has impressed in his first couple of starts. Morgan was drafted by Cleveland in the 8th Round of the 2017 draft out of the University of Gonzaga. Prior to his promotion, Morgan began the 2018 campaign in Lake County, where he went 2-0 with a 1.38 ERA through eight starts. Through his first three starts with the Hillcats, the Rancho Palos Verdes, Calif. native has gone 2-0 with a 1.57 ERA. He is ranked by Baseball America as the Cleveland Indians 28th-best prospect. The publication also ranked him as having the “best changeup” of any pitcher throughout the Indians farm system. Shortstop Luke Wakamatsu is seeing a big role in the Hillcats infield this year. He has been the club’s everyday shortstop, and after a slow April, his bat came around in may. Wakamatsu hit .254 last month compared to a .145 start in April. The switch-hitter spent last season with Single-A Lake County and batted .239 with 12 homers and 53 RBI in 100 games. He is the son of Don Wakamatsu, who is a coach on the Texas Rangers major league staff. Wakamatsu had a strong second half of the season with the Captains when he hit at a .249 clip with nine homers and 36 RBI. The Indians selected Wakamatsu in the 20th round of the 2015 draft and he is ranked by MLB.com as the Tribe’s No. 27 prospect. Third baseman Nolan Jones finished the 2017 season on a tear. The 19-year-old hit .371 with three home runs and 18 RBI in August for the Short-Season Mahoning Valley Scrappers. In 62 games, he batted .317 overall with four homers and 33 RBI. Jones, a 2nd round pick by the Tribe in 2016, is ranked by MLB.com as the Indians No. 5 prospect. Although he has just two minor league seasons under his belt, it’s possible that Jones could find himself in a Hillcats uniform at some point in 2018. A variety of Indians prospects who are already making a name for themselves with the Hillcats, while some could see time in Lynchburg later this year.