Tag: top prospects

Posted on

2022 Detroit Tigers season preview

The Detroit Tigers have emerged from a long, painful at times rebuild. The team looks like it will be a contending group soon. Not this season. Do not let that dampen your view of the 2022 Detroit Tigers. They are close to being a very good team one more step needs to be taken, the development of top prospects at the major league level. This is why this season will both be fun and interesting to watch.

LAKELAND, FL – MARCH 16: Tucker Barnhart #15 of the Detroit Tigers poses for a photo during the Detroit Tigers Photo Day at Joker Marchant Stadium on Wednesday, March 16, 2022 in Lakeland, Florida. (Photo by Preston Mack/MLB Photos via Getty Images)

Detroit Tigers owner, Christopher Illitch said when the time was right he would spend money again on the Tigers. This offseason Illitch put his money where his mouth is and spent. Pitcher Eduardo Rodriguez, all-star catcher Tucker Barnhart, closer Andrew Chafin and all-star short stop Javier Baez were all signed as free agents. A nice group!

As spring training was in it’s final hours Tigers GM, Al Avila made a surprising trade. A big trade at that. Sending a prospect and the organizations competitive balance draft pick to the Tampa Bay Rays for all-star outfielder Austin Meadows. Avila really needs to get and take all the credit for robbing the Rays of Meadows.

So what development needs to take place. #3 ranked MLB prospect Spencer Torkelson made the final roster. #5 ranked MLB prospect Riley Greene would be on the roster but suffered a fractured foot in spring training. Greene will be up when he has healed. Both prospects are going to need to adjust to the big leagues. They will look good at times and will struggle at times. Both are two important bats and gloves in the lineup. Until they have seen every pitcher and situation development must take place. They do not belong in the minor leagues, that would do no one any good.

CLEARWATER, FLORIDA – MARCH 30: Tarik Skubal #29 of the Detroit Tigers delivers a pitch to the Philadelphia Phillies in the first inning during a Grapefruit League spring training game at BayCare Ballpark on March 30, 2022 in Clearwater, Florida. (Photo by Julio Aguilar/Getty Images)

Next pitchers Matt Manning, Casey Mize and Tarik Skubal must take the next step in their development and begin to win more often which is expected, still until the do they are a work in progress.

I am on the side that the Detroit Tigers will have a winning record for the first time since 2016, I’ll even take it a step further and say they will be in the mix for an American League wild card spot much of the season.

These are the final steps! Once young players have figured it out the Tigers will be a force in MLB.

Posted on

The future looks brighter for the Detroit Tigers

Embed from Getty Images Summer camp has started. The Detroit Tigers players and coach’s are practicing for the shortened 60 game MLB season at Comerica Park. Baseball is back, at least for now. That is a good thing. A better thing for the Detroit Tigers and the fan base is top prospects are on the way and they look good.

Projection in baseball is fool’s business. For scouts and baseball insiders it is a very necessary business. The Detroit Tigers prospects have sent a buzz throughout the city of Detroit and state of Michigan.

For the Tigers they have had some rather promising pitching prospects for a couple of years now. Last years and this years MLB draft the Detroit Tigers have shifted focus to bring hitters into the prospect pool.

Having added hitters to the already nationally rated and ranked (#1 overall) pitching prospects the accumulation of talent is why the farm system now ranks among the best in baseball, or near the top depending on who is ranking.

Under normal circumstances, most of the prospects would not step onto the field at Comerica Park for another year or so. But the COVID-19 pandemic got them to Detroit sooner.

The Tigers top prospects including 2020 first round draft pick Spencer Torkelson have all be added to the taxi squad. The prospects will play intrasquad scrimmages in Toledo. The Tigers will be able to bring them up for a look as needed.

Matt Manning one of Detroit’s prized pitching prospects said “It’s gonna be fun to see this team take shape.” The Tigers have some serious young talent. That will soon enough take center stage at Comerica Park as one unit.

Still the key is to remember these guys are prospects timing is critical in their development that will play a large factor in when they are called up.  For the first time in a while, there is real hope for the Detroit Tigers future. A future that is looking better and brighter that is a reason for Tigers fans to cautiously celebrate.