News from around the Indians' minor-league system. (Statistics are through the end of the regular season.)

Triple-A Buffalo

THE SEASON: The Bison finished the year 66-77 and in fifth place in the International League North Division, 211/2 games behind division winner Scranton-Wilkes Barre.

A GOOD YEAR: Left-handed pitcher David Huff went 6-4 with a 3.01 ERA. In 802/3 innings, he struck out 77 batters and walked 13. . . . First baseman Michael Aubrey batted .281 (80-for-285), with 18 doubles, seven home runs, 29 runs scored and 37 RBI in 72 games with the Bison.

A YEAR TO FORGET: The mid-season acquisition of major-league veteran Morgan Ensberg did little to help the struggling Bison or Ensberg. He batted just .189 (30-for-159) in 59 games.

PROSPECT WATCH: In his first exposure to Triple-A, outfielder Trevor Crowe (the Indians' No. 1 pick, 14th overall, in 2005), batted .274 (40-for-146), with 12 doubles, two triples, five home runs, 13 RBI, 15 walks and five stolen bases in 35 games.

Double-A Akron

THE SEASON: The Aeros finished the regular season 80-62 as the Southern Division wild-card winners, four games behind division winner Bowie.

A GOOD YEAR: Third baseman Wes Hodges was named the top third baseman in the Eastern League as well as the Rookie of the Year, batting .290 (146-for-504), with 29 doubles, three triples, a team-best 18 home runs and a league-high-tying 97 RBI.

A SEASON TO FORGET: The free-agent signing of veteran shortstop Brandon Chaves during the offseason was made to give the Indians some much-needed minor-league depth in the middle infield. But aside from being versatile, Chaves batted just .198 (49-for-247), with two doubles, three triples, two homers and 16 RBI in 80 games.

PROSPECT WATCH: Left fielder Matt LaPorta (obtained in the July C.C. Sabathia trade to the Milwaukee Brewers) led the Aeros to a Game 1 win in Bowie in the playoffs by going 4-for-5, with two home runs and four RBI, along with the game-winning RBI-single in the 12th inning.

ARIZONA BOUND: Infielder Josh Rodriguez, Hodges and left-handed pitchers Tony Sipp and Chuck Lofgren are headed to the Arizona Fall League Oct. 7 to play for the Surprise Rafters.

High Class-A Kinston

THE SEASON: The K-Tribe finished the year 72-66 but failed to make the playoffs. The team finished in second place in the Carolina League Southern Division, 16 games behind division winner Myrtle Beach.

A GOOD YEAR: First baseman Beau Mills (the Indians' first-round pick, 13th overall, in the 2007 draft) enjoyed an outstanding year in his first full season. Mills batted .293 (141-for-482), with 34 doubles, three triples, 21 home runs, 78 runs scored and 90 RBI in 125 games.

A SEASON TO FORGET: Slugging outfielder John Drennen struggled offensively in his second consecutive season at Kinston, batting just .235 (108-for-460), with only three home runs.

PROSPECT WATCH: Catcher Carlos Santana (obtained July 25 in the deal that sent Casey Blake to the Los Angeles Dodgers) was named the California League MVP, then went on to bat .352 (37-for-105) with Kinston after the trade. Santana was rewarded with a promotion to Double-A, but played in just two games with the Aeros before being sidelined Thursday with a groin pull.

ARIZONA BOUND: Mills is headed to the Arizona Fall League Oct. 7 to play for the Surprise Rafters.

Low Class-A Lake County

THE SEASON: The Captains went 75-65 overall and won the first-half title in the South Atlantic League Northern Division with a 41-29 mark.

A GOOD YEAR: Outfielder Matt Brown (the Indians' 13th-round pick in the 2007 draft) finished the season leading the team in batting average (.308), runs scored (64), hits (139), doubles (26) and RBI (75).

ARIZONA BOUND: Captains pitching coach Ruben Niebla is headed to the Arizona Fall League Oct. 7 to help coach the Surprise Rafters.

Short-season
Mahoning Valley

STATUS: The Scrappers are 30-43 and are mired in fifth place in the New-York-Penn League Pinckney Division, 141/2 games behind division leader Batavia, with just three games remaining in the regular season.

A GOOD YEAR: First baseman Brock Simpson (the Indians' 46th selection in the 2007 draft) is batting .297 (63-for-212), with 10 doubles, two triples, two home runs, 24 RBI and more walks (28) than strikeouts (23) in 58 games.

A SEASON TO FORGET: Right-handed pitcher Matthew Langwell went 1-4 with a 7.71 ERA in 11 games (including seven starts). In 301/3 innings, he allowed 27 runs on 51 hits, including three home runs and 10 walks.

PROSPECT WATCH: Outfielder Tim Fedroff (the Tribe's seventh-round pick in the June draft), is batting .329 (28-for-85) with 10 walks, 11 runs scored, 12 RBI and six doubles in 21 games with the Scrappers. . . . Shortstop Lonnie Chisenhall (the Indians' No. 1 pick, 29th overall, in the recent draft), is batting .293, with 20 doubles, three triples, five home runs, 38 runs scored and 45 RBI in 66 games.

— Stephanie Storm