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: Dawel Luggo #18 of the Detroit Tigers throws a baseball 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) /
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:
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.
Detroit Tigers Minor League Pitcher of the Year: Matt Manning
The son of a former NBA player, Matt Manning has the stature to intimidate batters on the mound at 6’6″ with a blazing fastball, but 2018 was a huge season for Manning in taking strides in harnessing his electric stuff.
Manning rocketed up the system this summer as his stuff was able to play with a more consistent delivery and better control. While he still walked over 10% of hitters he faced, Manning’s better mechanics should allow that number to continue to come down moving forward.
Manning will open 2019 in the upper minors, likely with AA Erie and could finish 2019 in AAA before factoring in the 2020 rotation.
In his second season in the Dominican, long, lanky lefty Rodolfo Fajardo had an absolutely dominant year, making 14 appearances, 13 of them starts, tossing 59 innings, with a 1.07 ERA, 0.83 WHIP, and a 10/67 BB/K ratio. He should come stateside next season to continue his development.
An 11th round selection out of Mississippi State in 2016, Zac Houston has been a dominant force in the bullpen all the way up the chain in the Tigers system. In 2018, he split the year between AA and AAA, making 46 appearances, tossing 55 1/3 innings, saving 10 games, and posting a 1.63 ERA, 0.96 WHIP, and a 25/80 BB/K ratio. He could factor into the Detroit Tigers 2019 bullpen plans with a strong spring.
A guy who was selected in the 6th round out of Missouri State as a senior sign type, Matt Hall wasn’t really expected to jump up the farm quickly, but there he was in 2018, making short work of AA, and then moving to the rotation in AAA without missing a beat in his performance. His major league debut was forgettable, but by then, Hall had made a big impression, making 37 appearances combined in the minors, 14 of them starts, tossing 114 1/3 innings with a 2.13 ERA, 1.09 WHIP, and 45/135 BB/K ratio.
A pick out of small Western Oregon University in the 30th round in the 2014 draft, Spenser Watkins has taken his time working up the farm system. In 2018, he jumped up three levels with significant success, making 27 appearances, 18 of them starts, posting a 2.76 ERA, 1.17 WHIP, and 45/113 BB/K over 137 innings.
dark. Next. Marlins minor league awards
Detroit Tigers fans will enjoy seeing some of the fruits of a rough couple of seasons begin to phase into the major league club in 2019, but the strength of the farm system is still a few years away.
