Cleveland Indians sign reliever Blake Parker to minor-league deal
Updated Feb 16, 2021;
Posted Feb 15, 2021
Veteran righty Blake Parker has agreed to a minor-league contract with the Indians according to a report by MLB Network Insider John Heyman.Getty Images
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CLEVELAND, Ohio Veteran reliever Blake Parker signed a minor-league deal with the Cleveland Indians on Tuesday that includes an invitation to major league spring training camp.
MLB Network insider John Heyman first reported the agreement Monday pending completion of a physical. Heyman indicated Parker had at least one other major league contract offer, but chose Cleveland instead. Parker’s deal could earn him close to $2.5 million if he hits his incentive, per Heyman. If that’s true, the right-hander would become the highest-paid pitcher on Cleveland’s roster.
Mike Freeman and
Owen Miller were the others invited.
This will be Freeman s second trip to Major League camp in Arizona. He was also invited to last year s shortened Spring Training and went 4-for-11 (.364) in his brief Cactus League stint.
The 2017 71st overall pick checks into MLB.com s Top 100 on the strength of his plus hit tool. He is also considered a capable defender at shortstop and possesses average speed that he makes good use of on the basepaths. Freeman s only below-average tool is his power. The right-handed hitter hit .306/.368/.410 with three homers and 19 stolen bases over 123 games between Class A Lake County and Class A Advanced Lynchburg in 2019. He owns a career .319 average over three seasons in the Minors, boosted by a .352 mark for Class A Short Season Mahoning Valley that won him the 2018 New York-Penn League batting title. Freeman was also an alternate-site participant last summer following the cancellation of the Minor League season.
Let’s see who’s in the bullpen for 2021: Cleveland Indians Top 10 Right Now
Updated Jan 29, 2021;
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CLEVELAND, Ohio Where have all the Indians’ relievers gone?
Closer Brad Hand, lefty Oliver Perez and sidearmer Adam Cimber departed after last season. Tyler Clippard, Nick Goody, Tyler Olson and Dan Otero left after the 2019 season. Franchise saves leader Cody Allen and 2016 ALCS MVP Andrew Miller left following 2018 season. As the Indians have cut payroll, there has been a talent drain in the bullpen.
Still, the performance of the pen, with the exception of a 4.60 ERA in 2018, has been steady. The Indians pen finished with the third best ERA in the AL in 2020 and 2019. They led the AL with a 2.89 ERA in 2017.
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This is the third in a six-part Toolshed series that uses FanGraphs Steamer 600 projections to look at how prospects would fare over a full Major League season in 2021. The system bases its forecast on 600 plate appearances for position players, 450 plate appearances for catchers, 200 innings for
This is the third in a six-part Toolshed series that uses FanGraphs Steamer 600 projections to look at how prospects would fare over a full Major League season in 2021. The system bases its forecast on 600 plate appearances for position players, 450 plate appearances for catchers, 200 innings for starting pitchers and 65 innings for relievers taking into account age, past performance and previous Minor League levels, among other factors. Because of the canceled Minor League season in 2020, all players included in the team tables below are ranked prospects who either played at Class A Advanced or above in 2019, sit on their organization s 40-man roster or are placed among MLB.