Cleveland Indians Franchise: Kennedy Brooks

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11 - Kennedy Brooks - SP
Age: 21 From: United States
6'5 220 / RHP / Cleveland Indians

Scouting Report - Kennedy Brooks is a 21 year right handed pitcher for the Cleveland Indians. Brooks is a power pitcher with an above average fastball topping out at 97 mph. A 5 star potential rating with a frame that should hold up over a 162 game season. Brooks features an above average splitter at 88 mph. Ceiling of a top of the rotation starter. Slated as #5 Starter in Cleveland in '14. Currently ranked 13th in top 100 prospects list.

Pitch Types
Fastball - 97 mph
Cut Fastball - 91 mph
12-6 Curve - 85 mph
Splitter - 88 mph

Windup - Bronson Arroyo
Rating - 72 OVR
Potential - 5 stars

I took a random minor league pitcher in the Indians organization and created a player using his face. I'm playing in franchise mode with the Cleveland Indians but will only pitch the games Brooks is starting and will supersim the hitting. This is primarily a player career but I will post weekly stats and scores for the entire Indians Roster. This is played on MLB 2k13. I created my own game sliders and completely revamped the rosters matching the 2014 MLB rosters.

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Twins Buxton Named Top Prospect
Two Twins named in top 6

Byron Buxton named top prospect in baseball.

Twins Byron Buxton was named top prospect on top 100 prospects list. The 5 tool outfielder leads an impressive class in 2014. The Twins farm system continues to impress representing two of the top 6 players with Buxton and third baseman Miguel Sano. St.Louis is also loaded with young talent. Five Cardinal's were selected in the top 20 with Michael Wacha, Shelby Miller, Kolton Wong, Carlos Martinez and Oscar Taverez. The Cleveland Indians featured two prospects in the top 20. Right handed pitcher Kennedy Brooks is slated to start the year as the #5 starter and infielder Franciso Lindor will likely play third base in Cleveland in '14. Expect to see all of the players in the top 20 with a major league club by August.

Top 20 Prospects
1 - Byron Buxton - CF MIN
2 - Michael Wacha - RHP STL
3 - Xander Bogaerts - SS BOS
4 - Oscar Taverez - OF STL
5 - Taijuan Walker - RHP SEA
6 - Miguel Sano - 3B MIN
7 - Addison Russell - SS OAK
8 - Carlos Correa - SS HOU
9 - Dylan Bundy - LHP BAL
10 - Wil Myers - OF TB

11 - Kolton Wong - 2B STL

12 - Carlos Martinez - RHP STL
13 - Kennedy Brooks - RHP CLE
14 - Javier Baez - SS CHC
15 - Shelby Miller - RHP STL
16 - Jurickson Profar - INF TEX
17 - Fransisco Lindor - INF CLE
18 - Garin Cecchini - 3B BOS
19 - Mike Zunino - C SEA
20 - Kris Bryant - 3B CHC

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Cleveland Indians 2014 Starting Lineup

6 - Nyjer Morgan - RF L/L
The 33 year old outfielder was the surprise of spring training in Cleveland. The versatile outfielder will start the year in right and leadoff.


13 - Asdrubal Cabrera - SS S/R
Switch hitting Asdrubal Cabrera is one of the best shortstops in the American League. Expect a comeback year in '14


22 - Jason Kipnis - 2B L/R
Kipnis broke out in 2013 with a career year. Expect the same type of productivity with the tribe this season.


33 - Nick Swisher - 1B S/L
Switch hitter Nick Swisher will bring a big bat to Cleveland in '14. The power hitting first baseman will fit in nicely in the cleanup spot.


23 - Michael Brantley - CF L/L
Brantley is a potential 20/20 player for Cleveland.


10 - Yan Gomes - C R/R
Gomes had a nice year behind the dish in Cleveland in 2013. Expect a breakout year in '14.


41 - Carlos Santana - DH S/R
Former Catcher, Carlos Santana will DH for the tribe in '14. When healthy Martinez is one of the Indians best bats. Expect Martinez to play some third base and first base as well.


67 - Fransisco Lindor - 3B S/R
Indians top hitting prospect Fransisco Lindor has won the job at third base in 2014. A good defender with above average speed. If consistent Lindor will remain at third for the entire season.


7 - David Murphy - LF L/L
Murphy is a solid player that will likely start in left in '14.

Bench
Michael Bourn - IR
Elliot Johnson
Lonnie Chisenhall
Mike Aviles
Ryan Raburn
Jason Giambi - IR

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Masterson remains ace in Cleveland

Justin Masterson went 14-10 with a 3.45 ERA in 2013

The Cleveland Indians were the surprise team in the AL central in 2013. Finishing the season at 92-70 the Indians eventually lost to the Tampa Bay Rays in the American League Wild Card. First year manager Terry Francona was named manager of the year and the Indians success was due in large part to the strength of there starting rotation. The Indians will look to duplicate there success in 2014. Justin Masterson will start as the Indians opening day starter. Masterson is a true ace averaging over 190 innings in the last three seasons.

Rookie and top prospect Kennedy Brooks will fill out the rotation as the #5 starter in Cleveland. The talented righty has all the qualities to move up in the rotation throughout the year. Carlos Carrasco, Trevor Bauer and Corey Kluber will fill out the 2,3 and 4 spots in the rotation. Zach McCallister and Danny Salazar will battle for spot starts in 2014.

Rotation
63 - Justin Masterson - RHP
28 - Corey Kluber - RHP
59 - Carlos Carrasco - RHP
47 - Trevor Bauer - RHP
11 - Kennedy Brooks - RHP

Bullpen
31 - Danny Salazar - RHP
35 - Marc Rzepcynski - LHP
20 - CC Lee - RHP
50 - Nick Hagadone - LHP
34 - Zach McCallister - RHP
48 - Scott Atchinson - RHP
27 - Bryan Shaw - RHP
44 - John Axford - RHP CLOSER

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Swisher comes through in extras
Tribe hold off Rays in pitchers duel

Nick Swisher gave the tribe a 2-1 lead in the 10th with RBI triple.

Indians (2-2) @ Rays 2-2)

Indians top prospect Kennedy Brooks made his fist career start Monday night in Tampa Bay. The highly touted righty was as good as advertised, looking sharp in 7 innings at the Trop.

Brooks started the game strong with three shoutout innings giving up just one hit into the fourth. Brooks only blemish came in the bottom of the fifth allowing a towering homerun to Luke Scott giving the Rays a 1-0 lead.

Cleveland came back in the top of the 6th and scored on a Michael Brantley sac fly tying the game at 1. Brooks settled down in the bottom of the sixth and seventh. The highly anticipated righty impressed allowing just four hits and one earned run in his first major league start.

Both bullpens were able to come in and shut it down bringing the game into the 10th. Fransico Lindor led off the top of the 10th with a huge leadoff single. After two quick outs, Nick Swisher came through with a clutch two out triple to give the Tribe a 2-1 lead. John Axford came in and closed the door in the bottom of the Inning giving the Indians a 2-1 series win over Tampa Bay.

Indians: 2 / 8 / 0
Rays: 1 / 6 / 1

Indians Pitching
ND - Kennedy Brooks -7 IP / 4 H / 1 ER / 1 K
W - Scott Atchingson - (1-0) 2 IP / 2 H / 4 K / 0 ER

SV - John Axford - (1) 1 IP / 2 K

Rays Pitching

ND - Chris Archer - 8 IP / 7 H / 6 K

L - Grant Balfour (0-1) 1 IP / 2 H / 1 ER

Notables

CLE - Nick Swisher - 2/4 RBI

CLE - Michael Brantley - 1-4 RBI
TB - Evan Longoria - 2-3 BB
TB - Luke Scott - 1-4 HR (1)

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11 - Kennedy Brooks - SP
Age: 21 From: United States
6'5 220 / RHP / Cleveland Indians

Young Righty Kennedy Brooks impressive in Debut

Scouting Report - Brooks looked impressive in his major league debut pitching seven strong innings giving up just one earned run. Brooks got into some trouble throughout the game but was able to get out of jams with good location throughout the night. His cutter was his best pitch Monday Night, throwing it for strikes in big spots thoughout the game. Threw fastball consistently at 96 into the 6th. Had just one strikeout but recorded 9 groundball outs. Was able to get out of big spots which is a good sign out of a young pitcher. Brooks lacked command with his splitter and curveball but overall had an impressive debut.

Season Stats - (0-0) 1.29 ERA

Next Start - Cleveland vs. NYY (12:05 PM)
Brooks (0-0) 1.29 ERA vs. Nova (1-0) 3.28 ERA

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Brooks earns first career win
Tribe out-pitch Yankees

Nyjer Morgan's leadoff homerun set the tone in Cleveland.

Yankees (3-5) @ Indians (4-4)

The Indians squeaked out an impressive home win Tuesday night versus the talented New York Yankees. Nyjer Morgan set the tone leading off the game with a solo homerun to right giving the Tribe an early 1-0 lead.

Indians starter Kennedy Brooks took the mound in his second career start wasting no time striking out three in his first two innings of work. After loading the bases in the top of the third, Brooks got Yankees slugger Brian McCann to ground into a 5-4-3 double play to end the threat.

Brooks ran into more trouble in the top of the fifth after allowing two base hits to start the inning. After two quick outs, Brett Garner hit a shot to deep center that was sure to put the Yankees up a run but center fielder Michael Brantley made a diving play in the gap keeping the score at 1-0.

The Indians added some insurance in the bottom of the sixth after a Asdrubal Cabrera double, Michael Brantley singled him in giving the Tribe a 2-0 lead. Cabrera has been red hot to start the season batting .394 throught 9 games.

Nick Hagadone relieved Brooks and pitched two shutdown innings in the 7th and 8th. John Axford shut the door in the 9th recording his second save of the year. Kennedy Brooks pitched a great game in his second outing striking out four in six innings to earn his first major league win.

(5-4) Cleveland - 2 / 6 / 0
(3-6) NYY - 0 / 10 / 1

Indians Pitching
W - Kennedy Brooks (1-0) - 6.0 IP / 1 BB / 4 K *
H - Hagadone (1)
SV - Axford (2)

Yankees Pitching
L - Nova (1-1) 6.1 IP / 3 H / 2 R / 1 ER / 4 K

Notables
CLE - Nyjer Morgan: 2-4 HR (1) .256 avg
CLE - Asdrubal Cabrera: 2-4 R .394 avg
NYY - Jacoby Ellsbury: 2-4 2B .277 avg
NYY - Brett Garner: 2-4 2B .324 avg
NYY - Brian McCann: 2-4 .425 avg.

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Rookie Brooks Dominates Yankees

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Kennedy Brooks has been impressive in first two outings.

Scouting Report - Kennedy Brooks is 2-0 with a 0.69 ERA in his rookie year with Cleveland. Brooks, just twenty one years old has pitched like a veteran in his first two major league outings.

Not only has he impressed the teams across the major leagues with his stuff but his ability to get out of jams does not resemble a rookie starting pitcher. Tuesday night Brooks dominated a talented Yankee offense allowing just one earned run in six innings.

Commanding the strike zone with his cutter and splittler, Brooks cruised by all star caliber hitters. Fastball sat consistently at 95 mph. Showed the ability to make big pitches in big spots throughout the night. Splitter induced two huge ground ball outs resulting in double plays to get out of tough situations. Recorded four strikeouts using cutter and 4 seam fastballs.

His composure may be his most impressive attribute thus far. The Indians seem to have a star in the making.

Season Stats - 1-0 0.69 ERA

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Next Start - Cleveland @ BOS (7:05 PM)
Brooks (1-0) 0.69 ERA vs. Bucholz (0-0) 4.09 ERA