Who's the next great prospect

[nmills]

I know pitching's alway a big need, but I'd like to see us find and develop another big bat like Ramirez or Belle.

[DieselPusher]

Two Florida high school shortstops went back-to-back, with Francisco Lindor from Montverde Academy going to Cleveland at No. 8, and Javier Baez from Arlington Country Day to the Chicago Cubs one pick later.

[DieselPusher]

By Jim Ingraham
JIngraham@News-Herald.com

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Stephen M. Dowell/Orlando Sentinel (used with permission) The Indians selected Francisco Lindor with the eighth overall pick in the Major League Baseball draft on Monday.

Unlike other sports, baseball teams don't draft for need. That was proven again Monday when the Indians, whose best player is a shortstop, selected a shortstop with their first pick in Major League Baseball's June draft.

With the eighth overall pick, the Tribe selected 17-year-old switch-hitting shortstop Francisco Lindor from Montverde Academy, which is located just north of Orlando, Fla.

It's the first time the Indians used their first pick in the draft on a high school player since 2001, when they selected pitcher Dan Denham.

Baseball America had Lindor ranked as the seventh-best player and third-best position player in the draft.

"It's not often that you scout a high school player and say this guy can play shortstop at the major-league level, but Francisco can," said Indians scouting director Brad Grant. "He's a line-drive gap hitter with some power, and defensively he's a premier player. Plus hands, plus feet, plus range. He has all the intangibles and instincts that make him a special player."

Lindor was born in Puerto Rico and moved to Florida when he was 12. In 53 at-bats for Montverde Academy this season, Lindor hit .528 with six home runs, 13 RBI and 20 stolen bases.

Lindor has committed to Florida State University, but the Indians apparently think signability won't be a problem.

"He wants to play pro ball," said Grant.

The eighth overall pick in last year's June draft received a $2.15 million signing bonus.

High school players tend to be high-risk/high-reward picks, but the Indians are clearly willing to wait on Lindor's potential.

"There's some risk, because he's still 17, so his developmental path will be a little longer," said Grant. "But the chance to enter a shortstop like this into our system was too good to pass by."

Grant said most high school shortstops eventually have to switch to other positions once they turn pro.

"Usually the thing they lack is range and enough arm, so they have to move to second base," he said. "But with Francisco, his range, his instincts and his arm — everything lined up. He's a special kid."

Only the first round of the draft was conducted Monday. It will continue Tuesday and finish Wednesday, through a total of 50 rounds.

[TheBestPlayersPlay]

Hopefully by the time this kid becomes a stud, the Dolans will be gone and we can make another World Series run.