A Cleveland Indian for his entire career, Mel Harder debuted for the Tribe in 1928, where he was used in relief in his first two seasons when he was on their main roster and not in the minors.

Corey Kluber was one of the top hurlers in the American League throughout the 2010s, which could have happened in the NL had San Diego never traded him before he made the Majors.  Kluber came to Cleveland as part of a three-team trade in 2010, and after a few games in the next two years, he would make the starting rotation.

One of the early masters of the curveball, the entirety of Addie Joss Major League career was spent in Cleveland, a team he signed with before the 1902 Season.

A star with the Newark Eagles of the Negro Leagues, Larry Doby was the first African-American player in the American League when he debuted for the Cleveland Indians in 1947.