The Cleveland Indians selected Papi with the 38th overall selection of the 2014 Major League Baseball draft.[2][6] Papi signed with the Indians, receiving a $1.25 million signing bonus, and made his professional debut with the Low-A Mahoning Valley Scrappers.[7] After two games with Mahoning Valley, the Indians promoted Papi to the Single-A Lake County Captains.[8] He got off to a slow start with Lake County,[9] and finished the Lake County season with a .178 batting average.[10] Papi was assigned to the High-A Lynchburg Hillcats in 2015 and spent the whole season there,
posting a .236 batting average with four home runs and 45 RBIs.[11] He began the 2016 season with Lynchburg and was promoted to the Double-A Akron RubberDucks in June.[12] Papi ended 2016 with a combined .231 batting average, 15 home runs and 58 RBIs in 118 games between both teams. In 2017, he played for both Akron and the Triple-A Columbus Clippers, batting a combined .258 with 12 home runs and 55 RBIs in 124 games between both clubs. He spent the 2018 season with the Clippers, hitting .247 with seven home runs and 26 RBIs in 83 games.[13]
In 2019, Papi appeared in only 27 games for Triple-A Columbus, batting .202/.290/.250 with no home runs and 10 RBI. He did not play in a game for the organization in 2020 due to the cancellation of the minor league season because of the COVID-19 pandemic.[14] Papi was released by the Indians on May 29, 2020.[15]
Gastonia Honey Hunters
On May 21, 2021, Papi signed with the Gastonia Honey Hunters of the Atlantic League of Professional Baseball.[16] Papi played in 79 games for Gastonia, hitting .243/.327/.462 with 14 home runs, 60 RBI, and 8 stolen bases. He became a free agent following the season.