Detroit Tigers: 2018 minor league awards
The Detroit Tigers are now firmly in a rebuilding period. The selected first in the draft in June, and the farm system continued to be one of the highlights around the team in 2018.
As part of our continuing coverage at Call to the Pen of the minor leagues, we will be covering each organization’s top players for 2018. The coverage will go in reverse order of record. Today, we will look at the Detroit Tigers.
We are going to review the system’s leaders for each organization statistically, then choose one hitter and one pitcher to honor for every team. This will be primarily based on statistical performance, though some “age relative to level” could come into play, so a very impressive season from a 28-year-old in AA will rank below a nearly as impressive season from a 20-year-old at the same level.
After we review each organization’s hitter and pitcher of the year, we will close out October with Call To The Pen’s Minor League team of the year. That will lead into November starting our team top 10 prospect lists. In other words, there will be plenty of minor league content on the way at CTTP, so keep coming back for more each day this offseason!!
Detroit Tigers minor leagues
Three seasons ago, as the Detroit Tigers had a stronghold on the American League Central they were known for taking high-impact players, developing them well, and then either turning them into assets on the field or in trade.
As the Tigers entered a rebuild, that tremendous development system was still in place, but instead of the limited talent that would come through previously, now the system is getting loaded with young talent, specifically with young arm talent.
Before we offer up awards on the season, let’s take a look at the system’s statistical leaders:
Organization Leaders (min. 150 PA, 50 IP)
BA: John Valente .349
OBP: Vinny Esposito .424
SLG: Ronny Rodriguez .558
OPS: Ronny Rodriguez .923
R: Jacob Robson 82
H: Jacob Robson 142
2B: Jacob Robson 29
3B: Daz Cameron and Jose Azocar 9
HR: Christin Stewart 25
RBI: Christin Stewart 80
SB: Esney Chacon 48
TB: Christin Stewart 221
W: Three with 10
G: John Schreiber 49
GS: Beau Burrows 26
IP: Tyler Alexander 140
SV: John Schreiber 18
K: Matt Manning 154
ERA: Rodolfo Fajardo 1.07
WHIP: Rodolfo Fajardo 0.83
K/9: Wladimir Pinto 13.9
K/BB: Ricardo Silva 19.00