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Detroit Tigers: 2018 minor league awards

By Benjamin Chase

DETROIT, MI - SEPTEMBER 19: Christin Stewart #14 of the Detroit Tigers runs the bases during the game against the Minnesota Twins at Comerica Park on September 19, 2018 in Detroit, Michigan. The Twins defeated the Tigers 8-2. (Photo by Mark Cunningham/MLB Photos via Getty Images)
DETROIT, MI - SEPTEMBER 19: Christin Stewart #14 of the Detroit Tigers runs the bases during the game against the Minnesota Twins at Comerica Park on September 19, 2018 in Detroit, Michigan. The Twins defeated the Tigers 8-2. (Photo by Mark Cunningham/MLB Photos via Getty Images) /
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Detroit Tigers Minor League Hitter of the Year: Christin Stewart

Level(s): GCL Tigers East, GCL Tigers West, AAA Toledo, MLB Tigers
Stats: Minors: .263/.363/.488, 125 G, 532 PA, 25 HR, 80 RBI, 68/108 BB/K; Majors: .267/.375/.417, 17 G, 72 PA, 2 HR, 10 RBI, 10/13 BB/K

Stewart has been the guy Tigers fans have been watching for some time now, knowing his bat would be their “next big thing” from the power department since he was drafted in the 1st round in 2015 out of Tennessee. If it weren’t for injury this season, he would have spent more time at the big league level., but he’s hit double-digit home runs every season in the minor leagues.

Stewart’s defense is passable in a corner, but no one is ever going to discuss Gold Glove with him by any means. His future will live with his bat, and that future is going to start next season as a likely member of the Tigers opening day lineup.

Runners-up

The Detroit Tigers selected Jacob Robson out of Mississippi State in the 8th round of the 2016 draft, and he’s worked his way up the system fairly quick with solid contact skills. The Canadian outfielder put together a combined line of .295/.376/.440 with 11 home runs and 18 stolen bases between AA and AAA.

Spending his time between both infield corners, Josh Lester had a breakout season in 2018 in his 4th year in the Tigers system after being drafted in the 13th round in 2015. Lester spent the year with AA Erie, hitting .259/.346/.455 with 21 home runs and 75 RBI. While his defense at third is nothing to write home about, he has good control of the strike zone from the left side and if he continues his breakout season next year in AAA, he could factor into the Tigers lineup by the end of 2019.

Very feasibly the top position prospect in the entire Tigers farm system, Isaac Paredes has lived up to all of his promise since being acquired from the Cubs in 2017. In 2018, he worked his way to AA at just 19 years old, hitting a combined .278/.359/.456 with 15 home runs and 70 RBI between high-A and AA. Paredes is never going to be a guy to steal bases, but he has the range to handle shortstop but the arm to slide over and be an exceptional defender at third.

The dynamic prospect acquired from Houston as part of the Justin Verlander deal, Daz Cameron has his father’s name to live up to and now the fact that he was a big part of the deal to send away a franchise icon. So far, he’s been doing all he can to live up to those expectations. In 2018, he worked all the way to AAA at 21, hitting a combined .264/.343/.406 with 25 doubles, 9 triples, 8 home runs, and 24 steals.

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