5. Yandy Diaz
Diaz hit .263 with no homers and 13 RBI for the Indians in 2017 in 49 games, and the team does want to see what he can do when playing first, as he’s doing it this winter in the Venezuelan Winter League.
According to a Sunday news release by Nelson Medina Arnías on LVBP.com, the online home of the Venezuelan Winter League (Liga Venezolana de Béisbol Profesional), Indians utility man Yandy Diaz will work at least one game a week at first base while playing for Leones del Caracas this fall and winter.
Now before anyone says anything, it’s quite a reach to think that Diaz will do enough in the next five months to prove to Terry Francona and the staff that he can play first and do it well enough to prove to the team they don’t have to find a player to be there if Santana leaves, but him playing first in the Winter League means they are keeping all options open.
The team is high on the 26-year-old, as he got the starting nod at third to start the 2017 season before he was sent back and forth to Columbus a couple of times.
It will be interesting to watch what the team does with Diaz throughout this winter.
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