What Happens To Top 100 Prospects?

The life line of any major league team is its farm system, particularly in the case of a mid-market organization like the Indians. At the start of each season, Indians Ink Magazine ranks Cleveland's top 100 minor-leaguers. At the midway point of what has been a disappointing 2008 season at the big-league level, let's look at where everybody ranked in the top 100 before the 2007 season is at today.

It is clear that injuries have taken their toll in Cleveland and in the farm system. The Indians have had stars Victor Martinez, Travis Hafner, Jake Westbrook and Fausto Carmona spend considerable time on the disabled list this year.

Some young players, like Ben Francisco and Rafael Perez have come out of the minors to lend a hand the past couple of years. Others that the Indians organization thought may have been in Cleveland by now have had their progress derailed by injury. Still others just have not developed as hoped.

Here's a look at the top 100 players ranked in the 2007 preseason issue of Indians Ink, with their ranking at that time and what they are doing now:

1. Adam Miller RHP
Sidelined since May 20 with tendon injury on right middle finger that required surgery in June; before that, went 0-1 with a 1.88 ERA at Triple-A Buffalo

2. Trevor Crowe OF
.325, 4 HR, 43 R, 26 RBI, 9 SB in 41 games at Double-A Akron; spent six weeks on disabled list with strained lower back; returned to DL last week with strained pectoral muscle

3. Chuck Lofgren LHP
This year: 1-4, 5.98 ERA at Double-A Akron; just activated after month-long stint on restricted list / DL to take care of personal matters

4. Edward Mujica RHP
Back and forth to Buffalo; 0-1, 4.86 ERA in 13 relief outings for Indians after going 0-2 with a 4.15 ERA in 18 appearances out of Bisons bullpen

5. Rafael Perez LHP
Key member of Indians bullpen; 1.78 ERA in 44 outings last year; 1-1 with 3.16 ERA in 43 appearances in 2008

6. Brad Snyder OF
Stalled at Buffalo, where broken thumb hindered 2007 season; this year, hitting .232 with seven homers, 36 RBI with 82 strikeouts in 76 games

7. Brian Barton OF
Lost in 2007 Rule 5 Draft to St. Louis; .246 (30-for-122) with 2 HR, 18 R, 11 RBI, 3 SB in 63 games with Cardinals

8. Max Ramirez C
Traded to Texas for OF Kenny Lofton last July 27; hit .363 with 17 HR, 49 R, 50 RBI in 67 games at Double-A this year to earn callup; in 11 games with Rangers: .256 (10-for-39), 2 HR, 5 R, 9 RBI

9. Tony Sipp LHP
Missed all of 2007 after Tommy John surgery; returned to action June 30 and is 0-0 with an 0.75 ERA in Class A rehab stint; in 12 innings over eight outings, has allowed four hits, four walks and struck out 14

10. Jordan Brown OF/1B
2007 Eastern League MVP with Akron; this year at Buffalo: .267, 4 HR, 33 R, 27 RBI; missed time in April with strained muscle in left leg

11. Ben Francisco OF
2007 International League batting champ got a few key hits for Indians last year; opened 2008 season back at Buffalo, since call up to Cleveland, he’s hitting .294 (69-for-235) with 8 HR, 37 R, 35 RBI in 63 games

12. Brian Slocum RHP
Missed most of 2007 with arm injury; bouncing between Buffalo and Cleveland in 2008; 3-6, 5.20 ERA at Triple-A; allowed six runs over two innings for Indians

13. Scott Lewis LHP
Opened season on Akron DL after straining his elbow during spring training; in eight starts, is 4-2 with a 3.73 ERA

14. Jose Constanza OF
Hitting .293 (77-for-263) with no homers, 36 runs, 27 RBI and is 15-for-20 in steal attempts in 74 games at Double-A Akron

15. Sean Smith RHP
Traded to Colorado in April to complete offseason trade that brought infielder Jamey Carroll to Indians

16. Asdrubal Cabrera SS
August callup a year ago helped Tribe make postseason; opening day starter this year at second base, hit .184 with 1 HR, 14 RBI, 40 strikeouts in 52 games and was sent back to Buffalo: .326, 4 HR, 25 R, 13 RBI in 34 games

17. Juan Lara LHP
Sustained life-threatening injuries in car crash (not his fault) in November; out for season, but does hope to resume career in 2009

18. John Drennen OF
Hit 13 homers a year ago at Class A Kinston; returned to K-Tribe this year and has no homers in 78 games, hitting .242 (76-for-314) with 53 runs and 23 RBI

19. Jensen Lewis RHP
Key member of Tribe bullpen down stretch in ’07; on Buffalo shuttle in ’08: 1-2, 3.60 ERA with Bisons; 0-3, 4.73 ERA in 23 games with Indians

20. Reid Santos LHP
Former starter; this year 1-0, 3.67 in 12 relief outings at Akron; 2-2, 7.20 ERA in 16 games out of Buffalo bullpen; now back with Double-A Aeros

21. Aaron Laffey LHP
Went 4-2 down stretch for ’07 Tribe, but opened 2008 back at Buffalo, going 3-1 with 2.77 ERA; called back to Cleveland when injuries hit starting staff, 5-5 with 3.45 ERA in 14 starts and with trade of CC Sabathia, is a permanent member of the Indians rotation

22. J.D. Martin RHP
This season: 7-3, 3.40 ERA at Akron; moved to Buffalo, 0-0 with 2.57 ERA in seven innings thus far

23. Jon Van Every OF
Signed with Boston as minor-league free agent in winter; big numbers at Triple-A Pawtucket: 23 HR, 69 R, 54 RBI, .280 in 92 games

24. Wyatt Toregas C
Busted at Buffalo (.219, 2 HR, 25 RBI in 50 games); red-hot since demotion to Akron: 8 HR, 26 RBI, .338 (25-for-71) in 21 games

25. Ryan Mulhern 1B/OF
Hit .290 with 16 homers at Buffalo last year; this year with Bisons, hit .250 with seven homers, 26 RBI in 58 games before trade to Pittsburgh Pirates organization on July 10

26. Josh Tomlin RHP
This season: 8-4 with one save and 3.41 ERA in 24 games including 10 starts, all at Class A Kinston except for one start and win at Triple-A Buffalo

27. Luis Valdez RHP
Went 2-3 with 4.71 ERA at Class A Lake County in 2007 and was released; this year: 7-1 with a 1.68 ERA for Quebec in the independent Can-Am League

28. Travis Foley RHP
Traded to Oakland in April 2007; went 5-4 with 4.67 ERA for two teams in Athletics’ system last summer; went to spring training this year with Mets, but has not pitched in 2008.

29. Michael Aubrey 1B
Hit .185 with two homers in nine games this year for Indians; .283 with three homers, 27 RBI in 61 games combined at Akron and Buffalo

30. Joe Ness RHP
Recovering from off-season shoulder surgery and has not pitched in ‘08

31. Matt McBride C
Had off-season shoulder surgery; hitting .324 in 12 games for Gulf Coast League Indians since activation on rehab assignment June 25

32. Stephen Head 1B
Hitting .302 with seven homers, 32 RBI at Akron in 33 games at first base and 26 in outfield

33. Roman Pena OF
Possibly due for promotion from Class A Lake County, where he’s hitting .289 with 10 homers and 58 RBI in 91 games

34. Jake Dittler RHP
9-2 last year combined at Akron and Buffalo; signed with Texas as minor-league free agent last winter; 1-2 with 8.64 ERA at Double-A Frisco in Rangers’ system this year

35. Dan Denham RHP
Sold to Oakland in April 2007; traded by A’s to Cincinnati last June; signed with Angels as minor-league free agent last winter; now 6-8 with 3.67 ERA at Double-A Arkansas

36. Chris Gimenez C
Hit .339 with six homers and 26 RBI at Akron to earn promotion to Buffalo; .208, 1 HR, 7 RBI in 22 games with Bisons

37. P.J. Hiser OF
Released in spring of ’07 after hitting .288 with 37 homers in three years in Tribe system

38. Tom Cowley LHP
Retired in 2007

39. Jim Deters RHP
2008 at Kinston: 4-2, 1 save, 3.12 ERA; called up to Akron and is 0-2 with 4.84 ERA

40. Josh Rodriguez SS
20 HR, 21 SB at Kinston in 2007; this year at Akron: .266, 6 HR, 41 RBI, 10 SB in 94 games, including 35 at second base

41. Matt Davis RHP
27 saves in Tribe farm system in ‘06, but released in spring training ’07 and did not pitch all year; now with Winston-Salem (Class A, White Sox), 2-1, 7.88 ERA, two saves in 23 games

42. Ryan Edell LHP
5-5 with a 4.30 ERA in 18 starts at Akron this year

43. Lucas Montero OF
Leads Class A South Atlantic League with 43 steals (in 51 attempts) for Lake County, hitting .275 with eight homers, 34 RBI in 74 games

44. Kelvin Diaz 3B
Hitting machine still stuck in Dominican Summer League because of exasperating visa problems. Hitting .343 with four homers, 10 steals and 34 RBI in 35 games; .325 hitter overall in four years in DSL

45. Nick Pesco RHP
Missed all of 2007 with injury; walked three in one inning with one strikeout on June 12 for for Class A Kinston this year and was released

46. Adam Davis 2B
Hit .203 with four homers in 37 games at Kinston and was switched to catcher; sent down a level to Lake County to work on catching and has hit .150 with two homers in 23 games

47. Neil Wagner RHP
28 saves in first two pro years entering 2008; this year at Kinston: 2-6, 3 saves, 5.00 ERA in 31 outings

48. David Huff LHP
Missed part of ’07 with sore arm at Kinston; this year at Akron: 5-1, 1.92 ERA to earn promotion to Buffalo, where he’s 2-2 with a 3.35 ERA

49. Jorge Riera RHP
Recovering from shoulder injury; went 3-1 with 2.27 ERA in 29 games combined in 2007 at Mahoning Valley and Lake County; has not pitched since June 30, 2007

50. Jason Cooper OF
Now in fifth season at Buffalo, formerly ranked in top 10 by Indians Ink, he’s hitting only .229 with nine homers and 38 RBI in 74 games

51. Pat Osborn 3B
Released mid-2007 from Akron; signed with Astros and hit .261 with two homers for Class Salem and released ; now hitting .318 with 10 homers, 70 RBI in 73 games for Southern Maryland Blue Crabs in independent Atlantic League

52. Brian Finegan SS
Released in spring training ’08; played for Pittsburgh’s Double-A team and now with Washington’s Double-A club (combined totals in ’08: .196, 4 HR, 11 RBI in 49 games)

53. Kevin Dixon RHP
8-5 with 4.12 ERA in 18 starts at Akron after going 10-4 at Kinston a year ago

54. Mike Butia OF
Released in spring training; signed April 15 with Washington (Pa.) Wild Things of independent Frontier League

55. Steven Wright RHP
2-4 with fine 2.99 ERA in 14 starts at Kinston to earn promotion to Akron; 1-1, 6.75 ERA in five starts since callup

56. Wes Hodges 3B
Due for call to Buffalo after all-star half-season at Akron; hitting .315 with 10 homers and Eastern League best 72 RBI in 91 games. Had one of U.S. team’s three hits in Futures Game at Yankee Stadium on Sunday

57. Scott Roehl RHP
24 saves a year ago at Kinston; at Akron this year: 1-2, four saves, 2.77 ERA

58. Jeff Stevens RHP
102 strikeouts in 83 innings a year ago; this year at Akron, 5-1, 1 save, 2.51 ERA to earn call to Buffalo, where he is 0-1 with five saves and 3.92 ERA; 65 strikeouts in 49 1-3 innings overall this year

59. Argenis Reyes INF-OF
Signed by Mets to minor-league contract in winter; hit .290 with no homers in 79 games at Triple-A New Orleans and was called up to New York on July 3; 5-for-18 (.278) with three runs in nine games with Mets

60. Javier Herrera C
Traded to Washington, June 9, 2007; has split 2008 season between Double-A Harrisburg and Triple-A Columbus in Nationals’ system, totaling 2 homers, 17 RBI and .252 average

61. Rodney Choy Foo INF
Retired last winter

62. Brandon Pinckney 2B-SS
Always written off, always keeps battling; sixth year in system this season at Akron: .294, four homers, 23 RBI in 54 games

63. Justin Hoyman RHP
Retired after 2008 spring training

64. Dan Cevette LHP
Still only 24, had years of injuries in lower minors; this year at Kinston: 3-1, 2 saves, 7.11 ERA, but 31 strikeouts in 19 innings

65. Jeanmar Gomez RHP
3-8 with 5.98 ERA at age 19 at Kinston; still highly regarded

66. Sung-Wei Tseng RHP
Former Taiwan National Team star has split 2008 between Kinston (0-2, 3.82 ERA) and Akron (0-0, 8.80) as he’s working on his command

67. Chris De La Cruz INF
Utility man has played at Kinston (11 games, .316), Akron (13 games, .130) and Buffalo (18 games, .140)

68. Matt Fornasiere SS
Retired after last season

69. Nick Weglarz 1B-OF
23 homers a year ago at Lake County; showing more progress at Kinston this year: .275, 10 HR, 57 R, 35 RBI with 60 walks in 88 games

70. Albert Vargas RHP
Released in spring training ’07; now pitching for CB Sant Boi in Spain

71. Bear Bay RHP
Traded to Texas during spring training ’07; went 3-7 with 5.21 for Rangers’ farm club at Bakersfield (Calif.) and retired

72. Matt Whitney 3B
Lost to Nationals in 2007 Rule 5 Draft after hitting .299 with 32 homers and 113 RBI for Lake County and Kinston a year ago; returned to Indians in April, hitting .252 with 7 HR, 45 RBI in 88 games at Akron

73. Alan Brech LHP
Released at end of March this past spring training

74. Shaun Larkin INF
Hit .422 in 13 games a year ago at Akron; listed this season as player-coach with Aeros, but has not been on active roster

75. Kyle Collins RHP
Retired last winter after going 2-5 with 7.02 ERA in 33 games combined between Kinston and Akron in ‘07

76. Jerad Head INF
Last year at Kinston: .266, 5 HR, 32 RBI in 83 games; this year at Kinston: .216, 7 HR, 29 RBI in 68 games

77. Andy Lytle INF
Retired this spring

78. Niuman Romero INF
Carolina League all-star this year at Kinston: .310, 6 HR, 43 R, 30 RBI in 67 games, playing all four infield positions, mostly at shortstop and second base

79. Ryan Knippschild LHP
Released in 2007; played in Rangers’ organization last summer; now with Long Island Ducks of Independent League

80. Felipe Garcia 1B
Retired after playing 19 games at Lake County in 2007

81. Trevor Mortensen OF
Retired before 2007 season

82. Corteze Armstrong OF
Had 22 steals in first two years in minors; this year at Mahoning Valley: .134, 6 RBI in 20 games; 24-for-26 in steals in career, but still seeking first homer after 106 games

83. Kelvin N. Diaz RHP
Pitched two-thirds of inning for Indians’ club in Gulf Coast League in 2007; disappearance from system as mystifying as non-appearance of highly touted 3B Kelvin Diaz

84. Juan Valdes OF
.319 in 34 games at Mahoning Valley in ’07; this year with Scrappers: .253 with two homers, 19 RBI in 26 games

85. Doodle Hicks LHP
Voluntarily retired in 2007

86. Carlton Smith RHP
11-6 last year at Lake County’ this year at Kinston: 6-5, 4.57 ERA in 18 starts

87. Chris Niesel RHP
Pitched two innings in 2007 after battling injuries; retired

88. Carlos Rivero SS
At Kinston and in third pro season at age 20 this year: .250, 3 HR, 32 RBI in 65 games

89. Mariano Gomez LHP
Signed with Twins last winter as minor-league free agent; 2-1, 1 save, 1.96 ERA in 38 relief appearances at Triple-A Rochester

90. Edward Buzachero RHP
“Bubbie” in 2008 at Akron: 1 save, 3.38 ERA in five games; at Buffalo: 3-4, 1 save, 2.86 ERA in 25 games

91. Matt Loberg RHP
Retired in 2007

92. Jansy Infante INF
Utility man has played at Lake County (.125 in 19 games), Kinston (1-for-1 in one game), and Mahoning Valley (4-for-10 in three games) this season at age 22

93. William Delage LHP
Released after 2007 season; currently conducting summer baseball camps in Texas

94. Jason Denham OF
At Kinston this season: .251, 4 HR, 28 R, 25 RBI, 14-for-15 in steal attempts in 61 games

95. Shawn Nottingham LHP
9-12 as starter a year ago at Akron; this year, converted to relief, went 0-2 with 7.09 ERA in 19 outings from Aeros’ bullpen; sent down to Kinston, he’s 1-1 with a 3.13 ERA in five starts

96. Randy Newsom RHP
Throw-in from Red Sox in big trade in 2006; 4-2 with 18 saves and 2.80 ERA at Kinston and Akron in ’07; this year: 5-0, 24 saves, 1.75 ERA at Akron to earn promotion to Buffalo, where he’s 0-1 with one save and 1.50 ERA in five outings

97. Argenis Tavarez, INF
Played 17 games at Lake County in 2007 and was released this spring and is playing for Nashua in the independent Can-Am League, hitting .256 with 19 RBI in 44 games

98. Micah Schilling 2B
Picked No. 41 overall in 2002, released in spring of ’07; signed with Mets and hit .283 with one homer and 15 RBI at Class A Brooklyn, but was released this past spring training

99. Alfred Ard OF
Released in spring training, 2007

100. Jay Nilsson INF
Hit. .252 with five homers in 48 games for Gulf Coast League Indians in 2006-07; released during spring training, 2008