Cleveland Indians All-Time Best Draft Picks by Position

With the MLB 2020 Draft upon us today we look back at the best all-time picks for the Cleveland Indians, and go position-by-position and give the players that we think were the very best at their positions.

The first round of the 2020 Major League Baseball Draft will take place today at 7 p.m. and run until Thursday, with the Cleveland Indians holding selections 23 and 36 in the first round.

Despite this year’s draft being shortened to just five rounds due to the COVID-19 Pandemic, the Indians in past years have seen success in a variety of rounds.

Below is a position-by-position look at some of the Indians best selections of all time based simply on Wins Above Replacement via Baseball Reference.

Right-Handed Pitcher

Dennis Eckersley – A third-round selection in the 1972 Draft out of high school, Eckersley’s time in Cleveland was short-lived, despite having one all-star appearance as a starter before being traded to Boston the following season. However, Eckersley would later put together a Hall of Fame career as a closer, mostly for the Oakland A’s, recording 390 career saves while winning the 1992 AL CY Young and MVP Award.

Left-Handed Pitcher

C.C. Sabathia – One of four CY Young Award winners in Indians’ history, Sabathia was selected in the first round (20 overall) in 1998 out of high school. The 2007 American League CY Young Award winner, Sabathia spent eight seasons with the Tribe posting a 106-71 record with a 3.83 ERA and a 1.265 WHIP. Sabathia, who also spent 11 seasons with the New York Yankees and half a season with the Milwaukee Brewers is more than likely on his way to Cooperstown, as he has a career 62.5 rWAR with a 3.74 ERA, 1.259 WHIP and 3,093 strikeouts.

Closer

Cody Allen – The Indians’ all-time saves leader with 149, Allen was selected in the 23 round of the 2011 Draft out of High Point University. An instrumental piece to the Indians’ run in the playoffs from 2016-18, Allen spent seven seasons with Tribe and has a career 8.4 rWAR.

Catcher

Ron Hassey – An 18 round selection in the 1976 Draft out of The University of Arizona, Hassey spent seven seasons with the Indians, hitting .271/.345/.370 with 26 home runs and 226 RBI. Hassey spent 14-years in the Majors recording a 14.7 rWAR with 71 home runs and 438 RBI, while slashing .266/.340/.382.

First Base

Jim Thome – One of the best left-handed power hitters of all-time, Thome was a 13 round selection in the 1989 Draft out of Illinois Central College. The Indians’ all-time home run leader with 337, Thome spent 13 seasons with the Tribe, where he hit .287/.414/.566. Thome spent 22 years in the MLB, hitting a career 612 home runs and 1,699 RBI with a slash line of .276/.402/.554, earning him a ticket to the Baseball Hall of Fame. In his career, Thome was also a five-time All-Star to go along with his 72.9 rWAR.

Second Base

Jason Kipnis – Originally drafted as an outfielder in the second round of the 2009 Draft out of Arizona State University, Kipnis spent nine seasons with the Indians. Now with the Chicago Cubs, Kipnis, with the Tribe hit a career .261/.333/.417 with 123 home runs and 529 RBI with a rWAR of 21.0 and two All-Star appearances.

Shortstop

Francisco Lindor – The Indians’ first major hit in the first round since Sabathia, Lindor was selected eighth overall right out of high school in 2011. The face of the franchise, Lindor, is a four-time All-Star, two-time Gold Glover and two-time Silver Slugger winner. In five seasons with the Tribe, Lindor has posted a 27.6 rWAR with a .288/.347/.493 slash line to go along with 130 home runs and 384 RBI.

Third Base

Buddy Bell – Drafted out of Archbishop Moeller High School in Cincinnati in the 16 round of the 1969 Draft, Bell spent seven seasons with the Indians. A five-time All-Star, Bell with the Tribe hit a career .274/.328/.382 with 64 home runs and 386 RBI. Bell in 18 seasons, slashed .279/.341/.406 with 201 home runs and 1,106 RBI and a 66.3 rWAR.

Outfield

Manny Ramirez – One of the greatest right-handed hitters to ever wear an Indians’ uniform, Ramirez was drafted in the first round (13 overall) of the 1991 Draft out of high school. Ramirez spent eight seasons in Cleveland where he slashed .314/.407/.592 with 236 home runs and 804 RBI. Ramirez in 19 seasons, hit .312/.411/.585 with 555 home runs and 1,831 RBI while compiling a 69.3 rWAR. If it was not for testing positive for Performance Enhancing Drugs, Ramirez would more than likely already be in the Baseball Hall of Fame.

Albert Belle – One of the most prolific power hitters of the 90s, Belle was drafted in the second round of the 1987 Draft out of Louisiana State University. In eight seasons with the Indians, Belle hit .295/.369/.580 with 242 home runs and 751 RBI, including three seasons where he finished in the top three for the MVP. Belle, who was a five-time All-Star, finished his 12-year career with a 40.1 rWAR, while hitting .295/.369/.564 with 381 home runs and 1,239 RBI.

Brian Giles – Drafted in the 17 round of the 1989 Draft out of high school, Giles played four seasons with the Indians where he hit .284/.391/.485 with 39 home runs and 157 RBI. Giles was traded to the Pittsburgh Pirates in 1998 for reliever Ricardo Rincon, where he went on to become a two-time All-Star in five seasons with the Buccos. In his 15-year career, Giles posted a 51.1 rWAR while slashing .291/.400/.502 with 287 home runs and 1,078 RBI.