Written by Tony Lastoria

---

Here is the next group of prospects in the 2010 Indians Top 50 Prospect Countdown here on TheClevelandFan.com and SportsTimeOhio.com.  As a reminder, these scouting reports will be linked and listed for easy access on my site.

Also, my new 2010 Cleveland Indians Top 100 Prospects & More book is now available.  To order the book (which profiles over 165 players in the system and runs 214 pages in length) ... go here for all the details.

#50-46
#45-41
#40-36
#35-31
#30-26

25. Beau Mills – First Baseman
Born: 08/15/1986 – Height: 6’3” – Weight: 220 – Bats: Left – Throws: Right 

History: Mills was drafted by the Indians in the 1st round of the 2007 Draft out of Lewis-Clark State (ID).  As a freshman at Fresno State, Mills hit 22 HR which was a school record for a freshman, and he also ranked 8th in the nation that year in home runs.  He played two years at Fresno State, but due to academic reasons the team suspended him, so he transferred to Lewis-Clark State.  He was named the Carolina League MVP in 2008. Last year at Double-A Akron he finished 5^th in the Eastern League in games played (135), 4^th in at bats (516), 9^th in hits (138), 4^th in doubles (33), and 7^th in RBI (83). 

Strengths & Opportunities:  Mills is an incredible offensive talent who has an electric bat with excellent power and strength.  He is a free-swinger, but has shown very good hitting skills and hits the ball with authority by using a nice line drive stroke where he gets good loft to hit balls a long way and punish mistakes.  He covers the plate well, and hits the ball well to all fields, and is good at making adjustments at the plate.  When he is able to get good extension, he crushes balls.  He has a good major league body and size for a corner infield position.  He is not a fast runner or very athletic, but he is smart on the basepaths and makes good decisions.  The Indians really feel like his intelligence, makeup, presence, demeanor, and level of intensity are all off the charts.  He has done a very good job of easing into the professional environment, and when you look at him and the way he carries himself on the field his build and body language absolutely scream baseball player, which is likely from him being a part of the game since his childhood because of his dad Brad Mills' involvement in the game.  The way he gets along and interacts with staff members and players is remarkable, and he plays the game at a great speed with a great intensity level like Grady Sizemore and is tough mentally and physically. 

Drafted as a third baseman, the Indians moved Mills to first base full time shortly after his professional debut.  He showed good agility and footwork at third base and the general feeling was he could become an average defender there, but he was hindered by a bad shoulder which was the result of an impingement in his arm that caused inflammation in his shoulder and hurt his throwing.  He had surgery to correct the issue, and after initially going into the 2008 season with the idea of having him split time at first and third base, a few games into the season he experienced some issues with the strength of his throwing shoulder so the decision was made to move him to first base full time. Since moving to first base full time he has made good strides and quickly become comfortable at the position.  He has made a smooth transition to first base, and is considered a solid defender there with good hands, shows good agility and footwork around the bag, and displays solid range. 

Mills’ flashes above average power and the above average ability to hit, but it is all about getting more consistent with it and the Indians believe it has everything to do with him swinging at better pitches.  His problems as a hitter last year centered around him being a little too aggressive at the plate and at times he was clearly pressing.  Earlier in the season last year he was looking to have more power numbers so got into a little bit of a pull mode, but toward the end of the season he got back to his strength of using the whole field again.  Late in the season he seemed to settle in more as his numbers started to become more consistent, partly because he got much quieter in his approach at the plate though he still has a tendency to move his feet a little too much when he hits.  He was also slow in making some subtle adjustments to the way pitchers learned how to attack him.  He likes to extend his arms when he swings which makes him susceptible to being tied up with inside pitches, so needs to learn to shorten up some so he can better handle those inside pitches.   Defensively, he still needs more work with his footwork, both moving around the bag and in his fielding mechanics.  He also needs to get better reads and jumps on balls. 

Outlook: For a typical player the numbers Mills had last year at Double-A Akron were solid, but Mills is not a typical player as he is a former first round draft pick and Top 10 prospect in the system, so a lot more was expected of him last year.  The fact the Indians sent him out to the Advanced Instructional League last fall to get more work even after such a long year in Akron showed the Indians disappointment in him last year.  The Indians currently have a lot of options at first base in the upper levels with Matt LaPorta, Jordan Brown, and potentially Nick Weglarz if they want to move him back there at some point, so Mills is going to have to show some consistent thunder with his bat to get a major league opportunity at some point.  He should open the 2010 season with a return trip to Akron as the everyday first baseman, though could spend a majority of the season in Triple-A Columbus depending on roster decisions in Cleveland and Columbus throughout the year. 

Photo courtesy of Tony Lastoria 

Beau Mills MinorLeagueBaseball.com page 

Beau Mills Baseball-Reference page 

Beau Mills MinorLeagueSplits.com page 

Beau Mills Hitting: 

Josh Judy – Right-handed Pitcher
Born: 02/09/1986 – Height: 6’4” – Weight: 200 – Bats: Right – Throws: Right 

History: Judy was selected by the Indians in the 34th round of the 2007 Draft out of the Indiana Institute of Technology.  He proved to be just as tough on lefties (.173 BAA, .526 OPS) as he was on righties last year (.219 BAA, .598 OPS).  He made a name for himself in the Arizona Fall League this past fall when in a hitter dominated league he went 2-2 with a 1.59 ERA in 11 games, and in 17.0 innings allowed 13 hits, 8 walks, and had 20 strikeouts. 

Strengths & Opportunities:  Judy is a big, physical pitcher at 6'4" 200 pounds who throws a fastball with great life that consistently sits at 92-94 MPH topping out as high as 96 MPH when he was in college. His plus fastball has good sinking action and has shown above average ability to get hitters to put the ball on the ground.  He complements his fastball with a wicked slider and changeup. The slider is very good and has a nice sharp break to it and late movement and has the makings of a plus pitch for him. Hitters have a real hard time picking it up, and it is a swing-and-miss pitch for him. He used to throw a curveball as his third pitch, but it was tabled for the changeup. He does not use the changeup much in games, but has it in his arsenal to use from time to time. 

Judy opened the 2009 season as the closer at High-A Kinston, but after just five appearances was called up to Double-A Akron on April 24th, a mere two weeks into the season. Upon joining Akron he pitched mostly in middle relief and performed well even though he was battling some bicep tendonitis in May and June.  Upon taking over the closer duties for right-hander Vinnie Pestano in early July, he took off and was dominant going 0-0 with 9 saves and a 1.47 ERA in 16 appearances after assuming the role.  His late season success was in large part due to him keeping the ball down in the zone at a good angle with excellent sink and avoiding his tendency to at times get under his pitches, which all resulted in a lot more groundball outs.  An adjustment to his delivery was the reason for these changes, as he changed from a high leg kick to more of a load position in the stretch to a more tightened up delivery where it is very quick and subtle.  His slider also saw a lot of improvement due to the mechanical adjustment as it was a lot tighter and sharper and he got more swings and misses with it. 

The Indians typically do not develop closers in the minor leagues, focusing more on a set routine where their relievers go every two or three days and for one or two innings in order to ensure regular work and development.  Because of this, it is hard to have a defined closer to pitch every save situation. But it appears Judy is being groomed for a potential 8^th or 9^th inning role in the big leagues, and should get regular work in the 8^th and 9^th innings of games this coming season.  The Indians like his approach on the mound where he is aggressive going right after hitters, displays very good composure, and is a bulldog in tight situations.  He also has his outstanding fastball-slider two pitch mix with the demeanor to handle pitching late in games, so looks to be a backend bullpen prospect the Indians are intent on developing for their big league pen. 

Judy’s slider is a weapon for him, but also can be the root of his troubles as it tends to flatten out at times, so he needs to be more consistent with it and tighten it up.  He also needs to be more consistent with repeating his delivery, and also continue to get better with his fastball-slider command.  He needs some work on controlling the running game by changing up his tempo from the stretch and also improve his pickoff move. 

Outlook: Judy has made a quick ascent up the Indians minor league ladder, both in the level he is playing at and in his standing within the organization. As a late round pick, he came into the organization with very little fanfare but has since put up a couple of strong seasons and paved the way for him to be included as one of the Indians top relief prospects, if not one of the top relief prospects in all of baseball.  After a year in which the Indians claimed he improved the most of any reliever in the system, he will need to be just as strong this coming season to keep that momentum and stay relevant to the big league situation in Cleveland.  He should open the 2010 season as the closer at Triple-A Columbus, though due to the cramped roster in Cleveland and Columbus it is possible he could start the year in Double-A Akron and by midseason move to Columbus after things shake themselves out from a roster perspective. 

Photo courtesy of Ken Carr 

Josh Judy MinorLeagueBaseball.com stats page 

Josh Judy Baseball-Reference page 

Josh Judy MinorLeagueSplits.com page 

Josh Judy Pitching: 

23. Jason Donald - Infielder
Born: 09/04/1984 – Height: 6’1” – Weight: 195 – Bats: Right – Throws: Right 

History: Donald was selected by the Philadelphia Phillies in the 3rd round of the 2006 Draft out of the University of Arizona.  The Indians acquired him as part of a four player package from the Phillies in exchange for Cliff Lee and Ben Francisco in a trade completed on July 29th, 2009.  While 2009 was a lost year for him 2008 was very busy as he was the starting shortstop for Team USA in the All Star Futures Game at Yankee Stadium and also played for Team USA in the 2008 Summer Olympics in Beijing.  He played in the Arizona Fall League as well in 2008, and was named to the All Prospect Team after hitting .407 (37-for-91) with 12 2B, 3 3B, 5 HR, and 17 RBI in 25 games. 

Strengths & Opportunities:  Donald is a very athletic player who has a great feel for hitting, good approach at the plate, and is fundamentally sound with his swing.  He has very good power to all fields for an infielder and just pounds the ball into the gaps.  He doesn’t do one thing great offensively, but his offensive skill set is a lot like current Indians infielder Asdrubal Cabrera.  He is only an average runner or maybe a tick above, but has excellent instincts and intelligence running the bases.  He is a maximum effort player who goes all out, and is often considered an overachiever. 

Donald was hampered by a torn meniscus in his left knee for a good portion of the season last year which eventually sidelined him for two months before he was traded to the Indians.  His issues with his knee could help explain some of his poor numbers last year, especially in the power department.  Shortly after joining the Indians, he was sidelined with a back strain after ten games for Triple-A Columbus.  He came out of the Columbus lineup on August 13th and did not return the rest of the season.  The injury was unfortunate as the Indians wanted to call him up to Cleveland in September to help him get acclimated to the big leagues in the hopes that he could show he would be ready for a big league bench job to start the 2010 season.  The injury nixed those plans, and as a result no matter what happens this spring the Indians now are pretty much dead set on him opening the 2010 season in Triple-A Columbus to prove he is healthy and also get his swing right.  They still expect him to get a significant number of at bats in Cleveland this season where if healthy he should be up with the big league team sometime before or after the All Star break. 

Opinions differ on Donald on what kind of player he will be.  He certainly has the offensive capabilities to be a plus offensive player anywhere in the middle of the diamond, but it is split on whether he is a second level everyday middle infielder or a utility player who has the ability to start on occasion.  The problem stems from him not fitting at any one position.  While he can play third base, shortstop, and second base, he is only average at best defensively at each position.  He lacks the range to play everyday at shortstop and he does not have the big bat or arm to be an everyday third baseman.  His best chance at an everyday gig is probably second base. 

Outlook:  Donald profiles as a very good utility player, and may be the eventual replacement in that role later this season.  His ability to play anywhere in the infield has a lot of value, which will allow him to have a pretty long big  league career even if he does not settle into one everyday position.  While he will likely begin his big league player as a bench player or as part of a second base platoon, the Indians are not going to give up on him as an everyday option as they still think he can be an average defensive shortstop with good offensive potential or be an above average all around second baseman.  He will be in the mix for a big league bench job in spring training, but he is set to open the 2010 season at Triple-A Columbus. 

Photo courtesy of Ken Carr 

Jason Donald MinorLeagueBaseball.com page 

Jason Donald Baseball-Reference page 

Jason Donald MinorLeagueSplits.com page 

Jason Donald Hitting: 

22. Scott Barnes – Left-handed Pitcher
Born: 09/05/1987 – Height: 6’4” – Weight: 185 – Bats: Left – Throws: Left 

History:  Barnes was an 8th round pick in the 2008 Draft out of St. John’s University by the San Francisco Giants.  He was actually on the verge of a well deserved callup to Double-A just before being acquired by the Indians on July 27th.  In his last seven starts before being traded he was 7-0 with a 1.50 ERA (48.0 IP, 36 H, 8 ER, 58 K), and at the time of the trade he was leading the California League in wins, was 2nd in ERA, and was 9th with 99 strikeouts. The Indians decided to make a lateral move and initially assign him to High-A Kinston in order to let him get his feet wet and settled into the organization before moving him to Double-A for the first time in his career. 

Strengths & Opportunities:  Barnes uses his size and extreme athleticism to attack hitters with all three of his offerings.  He has a deceptive fastball that sits 90-92 MPH and touches 94 MPH, a plus changeup, and a developing slurvy curveball with the makings of being a plus pitch.  He gets behind his fastball so it has a little bit of extra life and is explosive at the end because he throws it with a lot of conviction and the way it comes out of his hand it is not as easy to see.  While he likes to work off his fastball, the changeup is considered his best pitch.  He commands all three of his pitches well, fills the zone up with strikes, and has confidence using all three of his pitches in any count.  At 21-years of age and 6'4" and 185-pounds he has the body to handle the rigors as a starting pitcher, and he projects as a middle of the rotation starter in the big leagues. 

Barnes is special from a confidence and competitive standpoint, and has a boxer's mentality on the mound where he takes his competitiveness to another level.  He is at the top of the Indians system when it comes to mound presence and competitiveness, and has no fear and goes right after hitters.  While he looks very loose and relaxed on the mound, he has an edge to him.  His athleticism is a big part of his success as it allows him to repeat his delivery well, and in turn he is able to effectively change speeds on his pitches.  He likes to work fast and keep a good pace to the game, and is very distinct and focused on what he is trying to do.  In his short time in the organization the Indians were impressed with his maturity of taking control of what he wanted to do and how he took command of his defense around him when he was on the mound. 

Having only been in professional baseball for about a year Barnes is still growing and coming into his own as a pitcher.  He has shown a big improvement in his strike throwing ability since college, in large part because he has done a much better job of being more aggressive and attacking the strike zone.  Last year he did a good job commanding his fastball down in the zone to both sides of the plate to both left-handed and right-handed hitters and pitched in to both.  He also showed an ability when behind in the count to throw his offspeed stuff.  The question now is whether or not he can continue to be deceptive with his fastball and get swings and misses as he settles into Double-A this year and then Triple-A and potentially the big leagues down the road.  He also needs to continue working on his curveball, a pitch the Indians think has the potential to blossom into a plus pitch and give him the three pitch mix needed to be a solid major league starter. 

Outlook:  The Indians scouted Barnes in 2008 before the draft so they already had a book on him, but they were impressed with his advancement and how quickly he transitioned to the professional game and harnessed the ability to become a good, consistent strike thrower.  They like his feel and arsenal of pitches, and because of his athleticism think he has the chance to be a left-handed big league starter one day.  He will open the 2010 season in the Double-A Akron starting rotation. 

Photo courtesy of Ken Carr 

Scott Barnes MinorLeagueBaseball.com page 

Scott Barnes Baseball-Reference page 

Scott Barnes MinorLeagueSplits.com page 

Scott Barnes Pitching: 

21. Jess Todd – Right-handed Pitcher
Born: 04/20/1986 – Height: 5’11” – Weight: 210 – Bats: Right – Throws: Right 

History:  Todd was selected by the St. Louis Cardinals in the 2^nd round of the 2007 Draft out of the University of Arkansas.  The Indians acquired him near the end of July last year from the Cardinals as the player to be named in the Mark DeRosa trade originally completed near the end of June.  At the time of the trade his 24 saves led the Pacific Coast League and ranked tied for 4th most in all of Minor League Baseball.  He was also named the Cardinals Minor League Pitcher of the Year in 2008. 

Strengths & Opportunities:  Todd has a four-pitch mix led by a four-seam cut fastball that sits at 90-92 MPH and has topped out as high as 94 MPH. His hard slider is filthy and sits in the mid-80s with good late break. It is his out pitch and the best offering in his arsenal, one that he has very good command of and is confident throwing in any count. He also throws a two-seam fastball that sits 88-90 MPH that has some decent sinking action. His circle changeup is an average offering at best that he has a good feel for and gets good downward movement, but his command is inconsistent. 

Anyone who had a chance to see Todd pitch while with Cleveland last year knows he is kind of a maximum effort guy as he goes through his motion nice and easy but then as he brings his glove down his windup hits another gear and he just explodes through the rest of his delivery. He has a long step in his stride and very quick rotation in his hips which help him get a little extra behind the ball when he throws it. The quick arm action at the end of the delivery creates some good deception for his fastball and offspeed pitches. He repeats his delivery well, and is a mechanically sound pitcher.  He is not a big guy, but he does leverage the ball and does sink it down in the strike zone.  He is a very aggressive attack mode strike-thrower with excellent command who can sink it or cut it, and he stays out of the middle of the plate. 

Todd has a lot of versatility on how he can be used in a major league pen or even as a starter, though because of his smallish frame he is best suited for a bullpen role.  The Cardinals used him as a closer last year at Triple-A Memphis, which is something the Indians don’t do so when they acquired him they had to stretch him out in order for him to be able to handle pitching more than one inning.  He does not back down, attacks, and has a bulldog mentality, which is why many feel he is destined to be a very good major league setup man down the road.  One common comparison made of him is that he is a right-handed version of Randy Myers. 

Outlook:  As far as Todd’s stuff, command, and control goes, he is as close to a finished major league ready product as you will find.  He'll get every chance to lock down a bullpen spot in Cleveland this spring, though because he has options remaining he may initially start the 2010 season in Triple-A Columbus before coming to Cleveland later on in the season.  Either way, he should see significant time in the Cleveland bullpen this upcoming season to properly evaluate him as a potential bullpen building block for 2011 and beyond. 

Photo courtesy of Ken Carr 

Jess Todd MinorLeagueBaseball.com page 

Jess Todd Baseball-Reference page 

Jess Todd MinorLeagueSplits.com page 

Jess Todd Pitching: