Cleveland Indians: Players who could make the 2018 All-Star team

The Cleveland Indians sent five players to the 2017 All-Star Game. There are a few players, in addition to those five, who could make it in 2018.

The Cleveland Indians have built a title contender in recent years with a roster stocked with great talent. The team sent five members of that roster to represent them in the 2017 MLB All-Star Game.

With most of that roster returning in 2018, there is no telling who the Tribe could send to Washington D.C. for the All-Star Game next season.

The safest bets would be the five they already sent in 2017. Francisco Lindor, Jose Ramirez, Corey Kluber, Michael Brantley and Andrew Miller all have legitimate shots at returning to the classic.

There are a few guys in addition to the previous five that could sniff an All-Star bid next season. They will need to build on their 2017 success and continue the growth in 2018 to make the team.

Carlos Carrasco is the first guy that comes to mind. He had a dominant season going 18-6 with a 3.29 ERA, 226 strikeouts, and pitching 200 innings.

Carrasco really took a leap forward in 2017. He showed what he can do when at full strength and when his off-speed arsenal is in command.

Cookie will need to build on this dominant season and really take the next step as the number two pitcher. This will give Cleveland a two-headed monster heading the rotation and will help Carrasco earn his first All-Star bid in 2018.

Jason Kipnis is the next player that comes to mind for a possible All-Star appearance in 2018. The JK-Kid had an unbelievable 2015 where he hit for .429 in the month of May and 51 total hits.

If Kipnis can stay healthy, he has the ability to get in that type of groove at any point. He is still a good hitter when he is at full health.

His defense at second is not as good as Ramirez, but he is a valued second basemen. He has enough value, in fact, that the New York Mets have been rumored to have expressed interest in him this offseason.

Because of the needs the Indians have, they may very well make a deal. However, wherever Kipnis should play next season, he has All-Star potential if he can stay healthy.

Edwin Encarnacion could put himself in the All-Star Game next year as well. He has played at a high level consistently for the last six seasons.

Encarnacion would do well for himself to repeat last season with a little extra. With Santana possibly gone, they will need him to up the production that much more.

He will need to continue to show the team they were right in signing him. Even with his slow start in 2017, he still hit .258 with 38 home runs and 107 RBIs while walking 104 times.

Encarnacion’s patience increased over the course of 2017 and can be an asset in 2018. If the Indians can protect him in the order, he could have a very productive year once again.

The last Indians player that could punch a ticket to D.C. is Cody Allen. He had a bit of a down year by his standards in 2017 but could push right back to form in 2018.

Allen could see an increased workload with Bryan Shaw possibly headed out-of-town. With free agency just beginning to get rolling, it could be some time before we see the Indians 2018 bullpen take shape.

Allen and Miller would likely have more flexibility in their roles than the past two seasons. Allen would likely still close but could also see time in high-leverage situations before the ninth.

Next: Kluber's road to the HOF

All four of these players could perform at a high enough level to reach D.C. in 2018. The Indians would sure love to see all of them plus the five from 2017 make it to the Mid-Summer Classic due to high-level performance.