Indians Invite Four Players to Major League Spring Training

CLEVELAND – The Indians today announced the club has invited the following players to Major League camp: infielder Todd Hankins, righty pitcher Adam Plutko, righty pitcher Will Roberts and infielder Eric Stamets.

Hankins, 25, spent the 2015 season in Double-A Akron, hitting .261 (116-445) with 20 doubles, 5 triples, 6 home runs and 36 RBI in 109 games, appearing mainly at second base while also logging time at short stop and all three outfield positions. He also finished 12th in the Eastern League with 21 stolen bases and was named to the E.L. midseason All-Star Game. After the season the Oviedo, FL native also posted a strong Arizona Fall League campaign, finishing tied for second in the AFL in walks (17) and 4th in on-base pct. (.408). He was the club’s 15th round selection in the 2011 First-Year Player Draft out of Seminole State.

Plutko, 24, split the 2015 season between A Lynchburg and AA Akron, combining to go 13-7 with a 2.39 ERA (44ER/166.0IP) across 27 starts. Promoted to Double-A on May 27, he posted a 9-5 record with a 2.86 ERA over his final 19 starts for Akron (116.1IP, 96H, 37ER, 90SO) and was named an organizational all-star by MLB.com. The UCLA alum ranked among organizational leaders in wins (T2nd, 13), ERA (1st), innings pitched (2nd, 166.0) and strikeouts (3rd, 137) as he led all of Double-A in WHIP (1.02) and on the year averaged just 1.52 walks per 9.0IP. Adam was selected in the 11th round in the 2013 First-Year Player Draft after a standout career at UCLA. He owns a two-year professional ERA of 3.16 (111ER/315.2IP) and enters the 2016 season as the 14th-best prospect in the organization according to Baseball America & MLB.com.

Roberts, 25, went 9-6 with a 3.45 ERA in 26 starts (156.2IP, 150H, 60ER, 23BB, 84SO) between AA Akron and AAA Columbus, finishing with the 8th-lowest ERA in the Indians Player Development System. On the year he averaged only 1.32 walks per 9.0IP and tossed a 9.0-inning, complete game, 1-hit shutout for Akron on June 11 vs. New Hampshire. The Richmond, VA native was 1-0 with a 0.47 ERA over his last 3 regular season starts for Columbus (1ER/19.1IP) and was 1-0 with a 3.00 ERA in 2 Triple-A playoff starts for the IL Champion Clippers (3ER/9.0IP). He was the club’s 5th round pick in the 2011 First-Year Player Draft out of the University of Virginia.

Stamets, 24, was acquired from the LA Angels at the 2015 July trade deadline in exchange for OF David Murphy and was assigned to AA Akron. Combined on the year the Dublin, Ohio native hit .230 (76-331) with 14 2B, 2 3B, 4 HR and 35 RBI in 95 games after suffering a left shoulder injury in April. Over his 33 games in Akron he did not make an error in 33 games/141 chances. Stamets began his career in 2012 after his 6th round selection by the Angels in the June draft out of the University of Evansville. He resides in Columbus, Ohio.

2016 SPRING INVITEES (17)

# PITCHERS (9)

62 CHAMBERLAIN, Joba (RHP)

75 COLON, Joe (RHP)

44 DETWILER, Ross (LHP)

50 GORZELANNY, Tom (LHP)

67 GRUBE, Jarrett (RHP)

52 PAULINO, Felipe (RHP)

76 PLUTKO, Adam (RHP)

80 ROBERTS, Will (RHP)

54 THATCHER, Joe (LHP)

# CATCHERS (2)

45 MOORE, Adam

30 RECKER, Anthony

# INFIELDERS (3)

79 HANKINS, Todd (INF)

1 MARTINEZ, Michael

77 STAMETS, Eric (INF)

# OUTFIELDERS (3)

13 CHOICE, Michael

33 GROSSMAN, Robbie

9 ROBINSON, Shane