In 2003, the Columbus RedStixx, the Indians’ Low A minor league affiliate, moved to Eastlake, Ohio and became the Lake County Captains. Since then, more than 60 former Captains have reached the major leagues. We’re taking a look at the top 5 position players, starters, and relievers that made a stop in Eastlake before making the major leagues. Up next is the starting pitchers.
Roberto Hernandez
Hernandez was known as Fausto Carmona when he played for the Captains in the team’s inaugural season in 2003 and continued to play under that name through 2011. He made his big league debut in 2006 and became a solid number 2 starter behind C.C. Sabathia in the 2007 season where the Tribe was one game away from reaching the World Series. Hernandez went 19-8 with a 3.06 ERA in ’07, his best major league season, and was an All Star in 2010. After six years with Cleveland, he’s played with the Rays, Phillies, Dodgers, and Astros, and is currently in the Toronto minor league system. Hernandez has a career record of 70-98 with a 4.58 ERA.
Josh Tomlin
Tomlin spent most of 2007 with Lake County and made it to Cleveland in July 2010. He has never had electric stuff, with a fastball topping in the low 90s, but has excellent command that has led to a stellar career average of 1.5 walks per 9 innings in addition to a 43-31 record and 4.56 ERA. Tomlin had Tommy John surgery in August of 2012 and has recovered nicely, growing into an integral part of the Indians’ rotation this year. He leads the team with 7 wins so far in 2016 and has the best strikeout to walk ratio in the AL.
Chris Archer
Archer played 1 game in 2007 and all of 2008 with Lake County and was traded in December of 2008 to the Cubs in the Mark DeRosa trade. He was then one of five players sent to Tampa Bay in 2011 in exchange for Matt Garza, Fernando Perez, and Zac Rosscup. Archer made his major league debut with the Rays in 2012 and finished third in AL Rookie of the Year voting in 2013. He has a career 35-39 record with a 3.48 ERA and was a 2015 All Star.
Steven Wright
Wright didn’t stay in Lake County long, being promoted to High A Kinston after just 14 starts in 2007. In July of 2012, he was traded to the Red Sox for Lars Anderson, who never played a game for the Tribe. He made 26 appearances, including 11 starts for the Sox from 2013-15, but Wright has found a permanent spot in the rotation this season. He is 5-4 on the year, but has a stellar 2.45 ERA and is leading the American League with 3 complete games so far this year.
Danny Salazar
Salazar spent 2009 and 2010 in Eastlake and made a dramatic entrance into the big leagues in 2013. He gave up 1 run and struck out 7 Blue Jays in 6 innings to earn the win in his major league debut on July 11, 2013. After that start, he earned a place in the Tribe rotation for the remainder of 2013, and pitched the 2013 Wild Card game in Cleveland, which he lost giving up 4 runs, 3 earned, in 4 innings. The flamethrower is 28-24 with a 3.42 ERA in his career so far with the Indians. This year, Salazar is 6-3 with a 2.24 ERA, the league’s second best ERA, and leads the AL with nearly 11 strikeouts per 9 innings.
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