There’s Plenty of Help for the Indians Bullpen in 2018; Here’s Some Options

Ian Krol, LHP (2-17 team – Braves)

Krol was at one point, with four legitimate big-league pitches that he can throw for strikes, one of the hottest pitching prospects in baseball. He showed signs of, with apologies to Kevin Costner’s character Crash Davis, possessing a million-dollar body with a 10-cent head. The jury is still out on Krol, but the 26 year-old’s history is interesting to say the least.

He was suspended twice from his high school team, Neuqua Valley High School in California, for alcohol-related incidents…including his entire senior season.

Oakland, noting his MLB-ready four-seam fastball, took a chance on the lefty, drafting him in the seventh round of the 2009 draft. In five seasons since he has been traded three times. He was the player to be named a three-team deal that sent him with University of Kentucky star A.J. Cole and Blake Trienen to Washington, sent John Jaso from Seattle to Oakland and sent Mike Morse from the Nationals to the Mariners on Dec. 2, 2013.

In December he was on the move again, getting shipped, with Steve Lombardozzi and Robbie Ray, from Washington to Detroit for Doug Fister.

On Nov. 20, 2015 the Tigers sent Krol and Gabe Speier to Atlanta for Cameron Maybin.

Krol had a big year for Atlanta in 2016, posting a 3.18 ERA in 63 appearances, striking out 56 in 51.0 innings. He crashed to earth in 2017, giving up 50 hits (including eight home runs) in just 49.0 innings. Atlanta outrighted Krol to Triple-A Gwinnett in October, but he instead elected to become a free agent.

Krol would be a project. His stuff is electric, with a four-seam fastball that touches 96, a two-seamer that settles in the low-90’s, a sweeping curve he controls and a change that shows good separation off his fastball.

Cleveland could be a good landing spot, and an unlikely mentor could be there for him to lean on. Trevor Bauer has always had electric stuff. Bauer had the scouts drooling over his arm while cringing over what sits between his ears. After a solid 2017 campaign it appears as if things have clicked for Bauer.

The same could happen for Krol in Cleveland, but it would be a risk. He would be relatively cheap, but the potential payoff is immense.

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