According to ClevelandIndians.com, Indians top prospect Carlos Santana is expected to make his Major League debut sometime this summer and could be in the majors as early as the all-star break. The 5’11” catcher is said to be the best player within the Indians farm system and the Tribe hopes that he may be able to deliver the spark that the Cleveland offense desperately needs.
Before any Cleveland fans get too excited, there are some things to know about Carlos Santana. First off would have to be that Cleveland does not expect him in the majors until sometime in late July to early September. That means that there will be no immediate help for the offense in short term.
The second thing that most Tribe fans should know is that Santana is far from being the next Victor Martinez, but not as far as some may think. Santana has only been a catcher since 2007, when he was with the L.A. Angels organization. Even though some say his defense lacks major league ability, his offensive capabilities match Martinez’s very well.
So far in 2010, Santana has hit .316 with 13 home runs and 51 RBI for the Indians’ Triple-A affiliate, the Columbus Clippers. Experts say that Carlos struggles against left-handed pitching but makes up for it with his superior ability to hit right handers. So far this season, Carlos has hit .237 against southpaws but .350 against righties.
Bringing up Santana will give the Indians some interesting options behind the plate. Current Tribe catchers Lou Marson and Mike Redmond have both been significantly struggling at the plate hitting only .190 and .208 respectively. Having Santana in the mix will ultimately cause one of these players to either be released or sent down to the minors.
Assuming that Redmond is the player to be let go, Marson will more than likely become the back-up for Santana as Cleveland enters the ending stretch into September and October.
Marson is the same age as Carlos, and most Tribe experts believe that they will benefit off of the competition for more playing time. Also Assuming that Santana takes over the starting role, it is expected that Marson would still get most of his opportunities against left-handed pitching.
Cleveland seems desperate for someone to breathe some life back into the struggling organization. For most Tribe fans, the promotion of Santana will be a bright spot in a season that seems to have had a very dark cloud hanging overhead ever since opening day. Hopefully Carlos can come into 2010, get some solid work, and become a piece of the rebuilding puzzle during the coming seasons.
Who is Carlos Santana?
Born on April 8, 1986 in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic
Originally drafted by the Dodgers in 2004
Named the top Cleveland prospect in 2010 by Baseball America 2009 Eastern League MVP 2008 Califonia League MVP
MLB.com Class A Adv. Offensive Player of the Year 2008
2009 MLB Futures Game Selection
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