Cleveland Indians prospect Francisco Lindor is a refreshing blend of skill, speed, flash and self-awareness. He's very good, and he knows it. But at age 21, he's mature enough to defer to his elders and approach each day as if nothing is owed him and everything he achieves must be earned.
It's only natural that Indians fans are rooting like mad for Lindor -- whom Cleveland drafted in the first round (with the eighth overall pick) of the 2011 MLB amateur draft -- to succeed. When the veteran players are on board, it says something about his character and comportment in a way that transcends the obligatory hot-prospect buildup.
Infielder Mike Aviles, who has played seven years in the big leagues with Kansas City, Boston and the Indians, has been around Lindor quite a bit the past couple of springs, and he's discerned a mix of talent and personal attributes that suggest Lindor will be around a long time.
"He's a cocky kid, a confident kid, and that's good," Aviles said. "You want that. But sometimes when you get that much hype, it's easy to let it go to your head. He's also a very humble kid, to the point where none of that gets to him. He's so willing to learn and so appreciative of any information you give him, it's actually a joy to be around him. He doesn't believe the hype ... he wants to prove the hype.
"The more you're around him, the more you want him to be good because of what a good person he is. With his attitude, I want him to have a 20-year career. He deserves all the good that's going to come to him."
Lindor is part of a wave of highly touted shortstop prospects that features the Cubs' Addison Russell, the Astros' Carlos Correa, the Dodgers' Corey Seager and the Phillies' J.P. Crawford. He's a 70 defender on the 20-80 scouting scale, runs well, throws even better and has posted a .278 batting average and a .355 on-base percentage in four minor league stops. The Indians promoted him to Triple-A Columbus last July, and Lindor hit .273 in 38 games despite being the youngest player in the International League.
It was hard to avoid noticing him in the Cactus League. Early in camp, Lindor dove at the finish line to win a sprint competition among the Cleveland position players. In a 4-2 win over Cincinnati last week, he singled twice, stole a hit with a leaping catch and handled a slow infield roller with aplomb. He even showed some unexpected pop by crushing a pair of doubles in a 10-6 win over the Cubs earlier in the week.
Lindor credits his parents with helping him understand the importance of a strong work ethic, and cites his life experiences for his unflappability in stressful situations. He moved from Puerto Rico to the United States with his family at age 12 and faced top competition as a teen at Montverde Academy, a private boarding school in Florida. He was team captain of the American squad that won the 2009 World Youth Championships in Taiwan.
Lindor worked out in Florida with Hall of Famer Barry Larkin during the offseason, and scouts have variously compared him with Larkin and/or Jimmy Rollins for his multidimensional skill set.
Lindor is hitting .260 in Columbus with a .338 on-base percentage so far this season. He has 14 extra-base hits and eight stolen bases. Lindor isn't worried about when the Indians will call him up. He is more focused on having a long-term impact than simply arriving in the big leagues.
"I was more impatient in low A than I am now," Lindor said. "I was young and naive. Now I'm older and I know how it's like. This isn't my first time out there saying, 'I might get called up to the big leagues.' Sure, I'm human and there are things that go through my head, but I try to flush them out and just continue with my day."
Lindor's internal compass tells him to stay humble, listen to the veterans, absorb their advice and let his talent do the rest. It's a great way for a kid to earn rave reviews in spring training.