24-year old righty reliever Preston Guilmet did not come into this season as a highly thought of prospect with the Indians.  That is likely to change in 2012.  Guilmet has pitched in 44 games (0 starts) in A-ball so far this year and he is 1-1 with 30 saves, a 1.82 ERA and a 0.93 WHIP.  He has only given up 37 hits and walked 9 batters in 49 1/3 innings this year while also whiffing 50 batters.  Those are impressive numbers.  He has now pitched in 89 games (15 starts) in his first three years in the minors and he is 11-8 with 41 saves, a 2.88 ERA and a 1.03 WHIP.

28-year old righty reliever/starter Justin Germano has been released by the Indians so that he could sign with the Samsung Lions of Korea.  Germano pitched in 9 games (0 starts) earlier this year for the Indians and he was 0-1 with a 5.68 ERA and a 1.58 WHIP.  He pitched in 32 games (1 start) in parts of two years with the Indians and he was 0-4 with a 3.94 ERA and a 1.15 WHIP.  Germano was likely going to get called up when rosters expand on September 1st….so he must have really wanted to pitch in Korea.

The Indians have signed 28-year old switch-hitting infielder Argenis Reyes to a  minor league contract and he has been sent to AAA.  Reyes played in 63 games in Independent and AAA-ball last year and he was 65 for 225 (.289 avg, .710 OPS) with 30 runs scored, 2 homers, 20 RBIs and 6 stolen bases.  He has played in 58 games in parts of two years in the majors in which he is 26 for 127 (.205 avg, .475 OPS) with 13 runs scored, 1 homer, 3 RBIs and 3 stolen bases.  Reyes might get called up when rosters expand on September 1st if he plays well in AAA.

The Indians have called up 26-year old righty swinging 2B/SS/3B Jason Donald to replace Orlando Cabrera on the active roster.  He started today’s game against the Royals and he was 0 for 2 with a walk and 2 whiffs.  Donald has played in 56 games in AA+AAA-ball this year and he is 61 for 203 (.300 avg, .801 OPS) with 36 runs scored, 4 homers, 17 RBIs and 8 stolen bases.  Donald got his first taste of the majors last year in Cleveland.  Donald played in 88 games for the Tribe last year and he was 75 for 296 (.253 avg, .690 OPS) with 39 runs scored, 4 homers, 24 RBIs and 5 stolen bases.  If Donald wouldn’t have gotten hurt in spring training, he would likely have been the Indians’ starting 3B in 2011.  The Indians hope that Donald can provide a spark with the bat when he plays.

The Indians have called up 24-year old lefty swinging 2B Jason Kipnis. Kipnis came into this season as the Indians’ #3 prospect according to Baseball America. Kipnis has played in 90 games in AAA-ball so far this year and he is 95 for 338 (.281 avg, .849 OPS) with 64 runs scored, 12 homers, 54 RBIs and 12 stolen bases. He has now played in 252 games in his first three years in the minors and he is 288 for 967 (.298 avg, .864 OPS) with 179 runs scored, 29 homers, 147 RBIs and 24 stolen bases. The Indians will use Kipnis as the starting 2B from now on, turning Orlando Cabrera into a utility infielder.