Indians need Leonys Martin in 2019
Cleveland Indians outfielder Leonys Martin only appeared in six games for the Tribe in 2019 before a life threatening infection ended his season
Leonys Martin may be the most forgotten about outfielder on the Cleveland Indians. Martin came over in a trade from the Detroit Tigers last season and appeared in six games. While Martin was productive at the plate during those six games, a life threatening infection ended his season prematurely. Now the Cleveland Indians will lean on Martin to produce at a similar rate in 2019.
During Martin’s six game stint in Cleveland last year he put together a fairly impressive slash line. Granted it is from the smallest of sample sizes, but a .333/.353/.733/1.086 slash line is nothing to scoff at. Martin homered twice, drove in four runs and scored three times.
Defensively Martin spent five games in center field and one in right field. Martin’s versatility will be quite valuable next season. The Indians outfield is relatively unsettled and needs all the help it can get. Along with Martin, the team will depend on Jordan Luplow and Tyler Naquin next season.
What can Leonys Martin provide the Indians in 2019?
Baseball reference projects Leonys Martin to relatively pedestrian at the plate next season. Slashing .236/.302/.382/.683 next season. This is more in line with his career averages when compared to his six games in Cleveland last year.
Additionally the projections show Martin with 11 home runs, 14 doubles, two triples, 35 runs driven in and scoring 48 times. Considering where Martin will bat in the order this is not terrible, but it is not great either. Martin will most likely bat near or at the bottom of the order since Francisco Lindor is the leadoff hitter for the Tribe.
Martin batting near the bottom order gives Cleveland a more traditional leadoff type hitter for others to drive in. Modern baseball strategy dictates that the best hitters get the most at-bats, which is not necessarily the type of the old school set the table type of player that many still think that Martin is. Putting this type of player at the ninth spot in the order allows Lindor, Jose Ramirez and Carlos Santana the chance to drive them in.
As long as Martin can be fairly productive at the plate as part of an outfield the platoon that is more than acceptable for the Indians next season. The team just needs someone who can put the ball in play occasionally and get on base at a decent clip. Leonys Martin can do just that and that is what the Cleveland Indians need in 2019.
