Erik Gonzalez

Gonzalez was once again limited to a utility role in 2018. He appeared in 81 games for the Indians, slashing .265/.301/.375 with one homer and three stolen bases in 143 plate appearances. He was 20% worse than league average at the dish (80 wRC+) thanks to a 23.8% strikeout rate and 3.5% walk rate. Cleveland shipped the infielder to Pittsburgh in the offseason, putting Gonzalez in a position to compete with Kevin Newman for the starting shortstop role in spring training. He's an above-average defender at shortstop and is just two years removed from posting a 122 wRC+ in 104 games at Triple-A Charlotte. At the very least, his glove and defensive versatility should keep Gonzalez on the roster to begin the season. A 10-homer/10-steal season would be within reach if he is proves to be a better option than Newman, making him worthy of a late-round pick in NL-only leagues.

Gonzalez is a free-swinging shortstop who had a career-best season while still on the fringes of prospect status. He turned 25 in August after posting a 122 wRC+ with 11 home runs and 12 stolen bases in 104 games at Triple-A Columbus. Gonzalez parlayed this success into a cup of coffee in the big leagues, going 5-for-16 in limited at-bats. You may have heard of the Indians current shortstop, Francisco Lindor, who should be a fixture in the Cleveland middle infield for years to come. That makes Gonzalez more of a utility player heading into the 2017 campaign, though he could also be used as trade bait. He is a plus defender at shortstop, so he will be valuable as a defensive replacement at second base or third base, and would be the obvious replacement if Lindor suffers an injury.

Gonzalez has been pushed rapidly by the Indians despite some pretty ugly numbers in his minor league career, as he's basically served as Francisco Lindor's Organizational Backfill ™. Ramirez started the season at Double-A Akron before getting a taste of the slightly more comfortable bus rides and healthier paychecks at Triple-A Columbus, chasing Lindor's ascension to the big leagues. He can handle shortstop, second and third defensively which gives him a chance to have a brief career as a glove man if he can crack a big league roster down the line. The Indians let utility man Mike Aviles walk away via free agency but Jose Ramirez is around to step into that role, so Gonzalez figures to start the season at Triple-A waiting for a call that may never come.

Following an elite prospect at a premium position, it's easy to be overlooked. Gonzalez replaced Francisco Lindor at Double-A Akron in 2014, more than holding his own over 31 games following the promotion with a .357/.390/.473 line over 129 at-bats. Heralded as a good defender with a projectable body and bat, Gonzalez's future as a member of the Tribe is at a different position. For now, he will continue to play short as a way of maximizing his long-term value to other clubs. Gonzalez's most useful rotisserie asset is speed, as he went 21-for-28 on the basepaths between Carolina (High-A) and Akron last season. At 23, he will likely spend a good share of 2015 back at Akron, but he may end up replacing Lindor as the organization's Triple-A shortstop at some point during the upcoming season.