CLEVELAND — The Indians’ season-long parade of top prospects marched on Friday at Progressive Field.
Jason Kipnis started at second base and batted eighth in his first big league game, going 0-for-2 and being hit by a pitch as the Tribe dropped a 3-0 decision to the Chicago White Sox. Cleveland’s 2010 Minor League Player of the Year had been promoted from Triple-A Columbus a day earlier.
“We brought Jason up because we feel he can help us win games,” Indians manager Manny Acta said. “He’s not a finished product, and neither is Lonnie (Chisenhall), but we still feel like he can help us win.
“In an ideal situation, you’d let them finish developing in the minor leagues, but we do feel like some of these guys can finish their development here.”
Kipnis failed to record a hit on the very humid evening, but made two strong defensive plays in front of a crowd that included his parents, Mark and Kay.
The Tribe’s second-round draft choice in 2009 sprinted down the right-field line to grab a Carlos Quentin fly ball in the first inning, then gunned down Mark Teahen on a hard-hit ball up the middle in the sixth.
“I really liked the plays he made defensively,” Acta said. “He showed some athleticism going to his right against Teahen, and really got over there to make a play on that ball by Quentin.”
The 24-year-old Kipnis became the seventh Cleveland player to make his MLB debut this season, joining third baseman Chisenhall, outfielder Ezequiel Carrera, second baseman Cord Phelps, starting pitchers Alex White and Zach McAllister and relief pitcher Josh Judy.
Kipnis was called up during his worst stretch of the season, batting just .103 over his last 10 games for the Clippers.
“I was a little surprised because it’s not like I’m playing at the top of my game right now,” he admitted. “But it’s always exciting. I think everybody dreams of that moment.”
On the season, Kipnis was hitting .289 with 12 home runs, 55 RBIs and 12 stolen bases in 91 games with Columbus. He participated in the MLB All-Star Weekend Futures Game in Phoenix and was named an International League All-Star.
More impressive, the
5-foot-11, 185-pounder earned those honors in his first season at the Triple-A level. He split last year between Single-A Kinston and Double-A Akron while making the transition from the outfield to second base.
“We project this kid to be an everyday player, just like with Chisenhall,” Acta said. “But the fact is none of us honestly know what these guys are going to do until they get here.
“May I point out that (the now-demoted Luis) Valbuena had the best numbers of those guys in Triple-A and last year?”
Kipnis, though, seems like a pretty solid bet to stay with the Indians for the rest of the season.
The Illinois native was recently named the best prospect in the organization by Baseball Prospectus. That award came one year after he was chosen as a Baseball America All-Star.
Kipnis said the success he has had as a pro made him ready for this opportunity, which comes with the Tribe in the thick of a pennant race.
“This situation actually puts less pressure on myself,” said Kipnis, who bats left and throws right. “I just want to come in and help the team keep doing what it’s doing, which is winning games.”
