Indians reach deals with 3 undrafted players
CLEVELAND -- Non-drafted free agents were able to be signed any time after 9 a.m. ET on Sunday. The Indians took a slow approach, staying quiet the first two days after the market opened, but they now have agreed to terms with three non-drafted free agents.
On Wednesday evening, the club announced the signings of catcher Joe Donovan from the University of Michigan and left-handed pitcher Jaime Arias from Fresno State University. Right-hander Cade Smith from the University of Hawaii agreed to terms with the Indians on Thursday.
• Team-by-team: Undrafted free agent signing tracker
The Draft was shortened to five rounds this year because of the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic. Undrafted players may sign for a maximum $20,000.
Here’s a look at the undrafted free agents who have agreed to terms with the Indians:
Jaime Arias, LHP, Fresno State University
The southpaw worked mostly in relief during his three years with the Bulldogs, posting a 3.56 ERA in 55 games (14 starts). Before Arias’ junior season was cut short, he made four starts, pitching to a 3.75 ERA. He earned third-team Collegiate Baseball All-America honors and first-team All-Mountain West accolades after posting a 3.28 ERA with 12 saves in his sophomore campaign.
Arias, 21, was tabbed a freshman All-American by Collegiate Baseball Newspaper after owning a 3.69 ERA in 23 appearances in 2018. He ended his college career with 143 strikeouts and 29 walks in 139 innings.
Joe Donovan, C, University of Michigan
Though he wasn’t drafted this year, Donovan went through the Draft process three years ago, when he was selected in the 33rd round of the 2017 MLB Draft by the Cubs out of high school. The backstop decided to head to Michigan, where he started 80 games behind the plate in just over two seasons.
Donovan, 21, is said to have above-average arm strength and had thrown out 46 percent (six of 13) of attempted basestealers and picked off two runners before his junior season was halted because of the pandemic. He made just six starts during his freshman year but returned in his first full year behind the dish in 2019 hitting .234 with a .735 OPS, nine homers, 37 RBIs, 12 doubles and a .989 fielding percentage in 63 games (60 starts), earning an All-Big Ten third team selection.
Cade Smith, RHP, University of Hawaii
As with Donovan, the Draft process is not foreign to Smith, who was selected in the 16th round of the 2017 Draft by the Twins. The native of Vancouver, British Columbia, decided to attend Hawaii. There, he made 34 appearances (15 starts) over two-plus seasons.
The 6-foot-5, 230-pound righty recorded 22 strikeouts in 18 1/3 innings with a 4.42 ERA in 2020. He made five appearances (two starts) and walked eight batters, holding opponents to a .261 average. Smith saw the most time during his sophomore campaign in 2019, when he went 2-2 with a 4.53 ERA in 16 appearances (seven starts) with 54 strikeouts, 26 walks and four homers in 59 2/3 frames.