SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. — It was moving day for a number of Indians in big league spring training camp Friday, as Cleveland reduced its roster by seven players during its second round of cuts.

The Indians optioned right-handed pitchers Jeanmar Gomez and Hector Rondon, and catcher Carlos Santana and outfielder Jordan Brown to Triple-A Columbus, while also optioning infielders Carlos Rivero and Nick Weglarz to Double-A Akron. Infielder Beau Mills was re-assigned to minor league camp.

The moves came prior to a pair of split-squad games for the Indians’ — a 7-6 loss to the Giants at Scottsdale Stadium, and a 12-2 win over the Rangers at Surprise Stadium.

Rondon, 22, and Santana, 24, are widely considered the Indians’ top prospects.

Santana, who is expected to join the big league roster at some point during the season, hit .250 (4-for-16) with two doubles and an RBI in eight exhibition games.

“I can’t put a date on (a big league call-up), but Carlos is pretty clear what we expect from him in the minor leagues,” said Cleveland manager Manny Acta. “He knows he’s part of our future. He’s going to make the decision for us. There’s no timetable.”

Santana, who has won consecutive minor-league most valuable player awards — at Class A Inland Empire (Dodgers) in 2008, and last year with Akron — has yet to play on the Triple-A level. The Indians feel he needs a little time in Columbus before making his big league debut.

“He’s not a finished product by any means,” Acta said. “He needs to continue to work on his defense.”

Defense has been Santana’s catching weakness since being converted from a third baseman/outfielder in the Dodgers’ organization in 2007. But Acta said Santana, a Dominican Republic native, has made strides in the department, especially calling games.

“Calling games is not a big issue for him,” Acta said. “He did a good job with that this spring. I’ve been impressed by how he’s learned English. The kid made the effort (to learn English) in the offseason.”

Offense has never been a problem for Santana. In his first full season as a catcher in 2008, Santana hit .323 with 14 home runs and 96 RBIs in 99 games for Inland Empire. He was traded to Cleveland for Casey Blake during the season and hit .352 with six homers and 19 RBIs in 29 games for Single-A Kinston.

Last year at Akron, Santana batted .290 with 23 homers and 97 RBIs and was named the Indians’ minor league player of the year.

“He’s gifted,” Acta said. “You don’t win back-to-back MVPs with it being handed to you.”

The same can be said for Rondon, who was impressive in his second big league training camp. He went 1-0 and didn’t allow a run in three exhibition appearances (5 2/3 innings), while striking out five.

Rondon, Cleveland’s minor league pitcher of the year, split last season between Akron and Columbus and went a combined 11-10 with a 3.38 ERA and 137 strikeouts in 146 1/3 innings — 27 games (25 starts).

“He’s not afraid. He goes right after guys,” Acta said. “Our thought is that he still needs to get better with his secondary pitches.”

Acta said he was also impressed by the 22-year-old Gomez, who tossed a perfect game in his fourth start after being promoted from Kinston to Akron. He didn’t allow a run and just three hits in three exhibition appearances, covering 5 1/3 innings.

Brown, led the International League with a .336 batting average last year for Columbus. He was off to a nice start this spring and had an outside shot at winning a big league roster spot as a reserve before suffering a torn meniscus in his right knee. He underwent surgery and is expected to be sidelined for at least another month.

Mills, Cleveland’s first-round draft pick (13th overall) in 2007, hit .267 with 14 homers and 83 RBIs last season for Akron. He hit .167 (2-for-12) with a homer and an RBI in 10 exhibition games.

Cleveland’s spring training roster now stands at 48 players, with 23 still needing to go.

Contact Chris Assenheimer at 329-7136 or ctsports1@yahoo.com.

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