Tag: farm system

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The Detroit Tigers should be sellers at the MLB trade deadline

Embed from Getty Images The time is coming. The time is not now. What time is that you say? Time for the Detroit Tigers to add to the core players who the organization hopes will pull them out of a rebuild and in to contention again. Until that time arrives the Tigers need to sell off players and continue to add to the prospect pool.

The Detroit Tigers are coming off a 2019 season that had very few silver linings as they chalked up 114 losses. While the Tigers minor league system is ranked #5 or #6 depending on who is doing the rankings. The system still needs to improve.

The Detroit Tigers must sell. They have some nice players to offer.  C.J. Cron, Jonathan Schoop, Cameron Maybin and starting pitcher Ivan Nova could be rentals for teams aiming for the MLB Postseason.

Detroit Tigers pitcher Matthew Boyd, who is controlled through 2022 was  shopped by Tigers general manager Al Avila last season but no trade was made as rumors circulated the Tigers were asking for a premium return for the left-handed pitcher.

In the 2020 COVID-19 shortened season, teams will have a short window to decide if they needs to add a player for a playoff push. In my opinion this could be a busy trade season in the 60 game sprint to the playoffs.

Matthew Boyd very well could be moved this summer for a team with the assets to gain his services. This would help the Detroit rebuild as it could potentially add more talent to the Tigers farm system.

With some very good pitching in the system, Avila has focused on hitters in the last two MLB drafts. The Tigers have more than enough arms to make up for Boyd should he be dealt. The team should focus on middle infielders in any return should Boyd be traded.

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The Detroit Tigers farm system climbs in the latest rankings

Embed from Getty Images As the 2020 MLB draft came and went, baseball experts are weighing in and have proclaimed the Detroit Tigers won this years draft. What does it mean for the Tigers farm system? It means it is on the rise. MLB Pipeline, has the Tigers prospect pool rated #5. While Bleacher Report has Detroit #6. That is where the others have the Tigers #5 or #6.

The Detroit Tigers have had a leg up on pitching. Casey Mize, Matt Manning and Tarik Skubal are the biggest reason for optimism in Detroit. Once that group of pitchers arrives at the major league level, alongside Matthew Boyd and high floor prospect Alex Faedo in the starting rotation, the Tigers could quickly climb back toward relevance.

(P) Casey Mize, (3B) Spencer Torkelson (2020 draft pick),  (P)Matt Manning,  (OF) Riley Greene and (P) Tarik Skubal are tier 1 rated prospects. These are the players Detroit general manager Al Avila will build around.

Tire 2 prospects include, (3B/SS)  Isaac Paredes, (P) Alex Faedo, (SS) Willi Castro, (OF) Daz Cameron and pitcher Franklin Perez. With the Detroit Tigers being the winner of this years draft, there will be new names to add to the tier’s.

Detroit took all hitters in this years draft. They really had no other choice. The Tigers farm system is overloaded with top pitching prospects. There were plenty of arms in this years draft. What was a pleasant surprise was the fact big time hitters continued to fall into Detroit’s lap during the draft.

Detroit Tigers GM Avila said “we wanted to add a pitcher, but we simply could not turn away the premium hitters that kept coming our way.” (C) Dillon Dingler ,(OF)  Danny Cabrera, (SS) Trei Cruz, (3B) Gage Workman and (3B) Colt Keith provide a class of draftees many (4) of which have a high hit ceiling.

The Tigers do not only appear to be pitching heavy (which has evened out a bit because of this draft.) But the organization appears crowded at third base. That does not concern me as some of the players can play other positions like outfield.

The Detroit Tigers took a big step forward and a nice climb up the prospect rankings. Giving Detroit a brighter future.

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MLB Pipeline ranks the Detroit Tigers farm system #5

Embed from Getty Images It continues  to be trending in the right direction. Not long ago the Detroit Tigers farm system was dead last in MLB. Trades as well as solid drafting has pushed the Tigers farm system not only into the top 10, but the top 5 in all of baseball.

With another bad season on deck and likely looking at another top five draft pick the Detroit Tigers are in good shape. Thanks in large part to the Tigers wave of upper level pitching prospects, not to mention the club also has a promising crop of young hitters that could move faster than originally thought. Provides a light at the end of the rebuild tunnel.

To start the 2019 MLB season the Detroit Tigers farm system was ranked #10 and moved up to #6 by the end of the season, due in large part to Tiger prospects who some of which performed well and a few took big steps forward in their development.

The Detroit farm system could see another bump in the ranking by seasons end. The organization has the first pick in this June’s amateur draft, in which many experts and myself included expect the Tigers to take a big (and badly needed) bat.

It has been a long rebuild and the on-field product has looked ugly at times. That is all by design. The quickest way to rebuild is lose a lot of games. Get good draft slots and draft for need and develop it.

This summer it is all about prospects refining their game in route to Detroit. As many as four top prospects are expected to arrive this summer. Though they will most likely be late season call ups.

Next season, the Detroit Tigers will look completely different, as top prospects will break spring training with the team and the team should begin to climb up the division.