Detroit Tigers: Will Mike Gerber be a starter in 2019?
With a spot or two on the roster likely to open up on the Detroit Tigers roster over the offseason, it is fair to wonder if Mike Gerber may be able to snag a starting role in 2019.
Recently, Detroit Tigers prospect Mike Gerber was called up to the big league club. He received a couple of at-bats in the Detroit Tigers latest series with the Pittsburgh Pirates, going 0-2 with a strikeout. The Tigers have now sent him back down to Triple-A Toledo and brought up reliever Johnny Barbato.
Although the left-handed hitting Mike Gerber was off to a bit of a slow start in Triple-A this season, he has built a very solid minor league resume over the past several seasons. Last year, he hit .304/.373/.496 across three levels in the Detroit Tigers minor league system. He will turn 26 years old in June and has little left to prove in the minor leagues.
Going forward, it stands to reason that Mike Gerber will likely get another opportunity with the Detroit Tigers at some point this season. It is also possible that the outfielder could compete for a more significant role in 2019.
There are a couple of ways in which a spot could open up for Gerber in 2019. For starters, designated hitter Victor Martinez is in the final season of a four-year contract, so his departure could create more flexibility.
Right fielder Nicholas Castellanos is under team control through the 2019 season, and while the Detroit Tigers could keep him or try to resign him before he becomes a free agent, he could conceivably become a trade candidate over the offseason as well.
Center fielder Leonys Martin is another player who may or may not be back next season. Leonys Martin has signed to a one-year deal this past offseason. However, as Jason Beck of MLB.com explained back in December, due to Martin’s current level of service time, the Detroit Tigers could still keep him in 2019 through arbitration.
Competition brewing for 2019 outfield
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While there are players who could be moving on from the Detroit Tigers, there are others who are very likely to remain in the mix. JaCoby Jones, for instance, has been very impressive in April and is looking like he could be a mainstay in Detroit’s outfield.
The Detroit Tigers are also currently finding at-bats for Rule 5 pick Victor Reyes, who might also be able to make his case for a larger role next season.
It remains to be seen what the future will hold for Mikie Mahtook as well. Mahtook had a nice season for the Tigers last year but was optioned to Triple-A earlier this month.
Still, it seems quite possible that there could be a clear opening for Gerber, whether as a starter or fourth outfielder. In addition to Gerber, the Detroit Tigers have another up-and-coming left-handed slugger in Christin Stewart.
The 24-year-old Stewart has quite a bit of power. He hit 28 home runs in Double-A Erie last season. That said, questions remain about his defense in the outfield, so perhaps he could eventually evolve into a solid candidate to replace Martinez at DH.
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Right now, there are a variety of scenarios that could still play out, so it is hard to guess what Mike Gerber’s role might be in 2019. That being said, if he continues doing what he has been doing, he should like his chances of being a big part of the roster next season.