Detroit Tigers: 5 Prospects to Watch in 2016

Apr 2, 2015; Lakeland, FL, USA; General view during a spring training baseball game at Joker Marchant Stadium between the Detroit Tigers and the New York Yankees was 6772. The Tigers won 3-2. Mandatory Credit: Reinhold Matay-USA TODAY Sports

It is hard to predict what the Detroit Tigers will do with some of their emerging and top prospects within the organization because so much is unsure for 2016.

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As we have mentioned often here, the Tigers’ ownership has pledged that they will still spend money in order to attempt to win the World Series next year and beyond. With several free agents departing this season, a very rich free agent class, and the Tigers with money to spend, it seems they will be very active in the free agency market.

What they will do is still up in the air. We know they need at least one top-flight starter and Al Avila has pledged to fix the rotation. You can only hope he gives the bullpen more attention than his predecessor and do they bring in another bat, such as trying to resign a red-hot and price-inflating Yoenis Cespedes?

Cespedes could be the x-factor. The Tigers could explore interest and if they sense that Cespedes might be out of their price range or in love with New York, they can move on to decide what they want to do in a Rajai Davis-less outfield.

These moves could lead to increased or reduced playing time for Detroit Tigers prospects.

Either way, these five prospects will likely play into the Tigers’ plans at some point in the 2016 season. Let’s take a look at them.

Next: Michael Fulmer

Mar 29, 2015; Clearwater, FL, USA; A general view of a Detroit Tigers hat, glove and sunglasses in the dugout against the Philadelphia Phillies at Bright House Field. Mandatory Credit: Kim Klement-USA TODAY Sports

Michael Fulmer

Yoenis Cespedes has been playing out of his mind as he tries to help the New York Mets earn their first postseason appearance since 2006. The Mets knew they would have to pay a steep price for Cespedes.

They sent RHP Michael Fulmer and Luis Cessa to the Tigers in exchange for Cespedes. Fulmer in particular was an intriguing player with tremendous upside.

Playing in AA in the Mets and Tigers organizations, Fulmer went 10-3 with a 2.24 ERA and 1.075 WHIP. He struck out 121 batters in 120.2 innings.

Last week, he was named 2015 Eastern League Pitcher of the Year, but the Tigers decided to leave him out of September call-ups and out of fall/winter ball this season. The club may not want him to pitch much more this season since he’s gone about 30 innings over his innings pitched from 2014.

The Tigers are very excited about Fulmer being an eventual addition to their starting pitching rotation, possibly by 2017. He is a prospect on the rise after this year’s performance, however and it is not unheard of for a pitcher to make the jump from AA to MLB starting rotation (Justin Verlander in 2006 immediately comes to mind).

Next: Steven Moya

Mar 8, 2015; Lakeland, FL, USA; Detroit Tigers left fielder Steven Moya (33) works out before a spring training baseball game against the Houston Astros at Joker Marchant Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kim Klement-USA TODAY Sports

Steven Moya

Steven Moya can relate to Michael Fulmer’s Double-A adulation. His 2014 season at Erie and Arizona Fall League could not have gone any better.

Moya earned multiple MVP honors (league and All-Star Game) and an appearance in the MLB All-Star Futures Game. He hit 35 homers and racked up a respectable .276 average. He also hit .375 in a limited role with the Tigers last September.

These strong performances installed him as the #1 prospect in the Tigers organization after the trade of Devon Travis to Toronto for Anthony Gose. All of this led many to think Moya had a decent shot at earning the right field spot vacated by Torii Hunter. This assumption was diminished after the December acquisition of Yoenis Cespedes, making for a crowded outfield.

Still, you had to think if Moya dazzled in Spring Training, it would be hard to keep him off the Opening Day roster, or at least one of the first call-ups. A very poor March made sure neither of those happened and injuries and inconsistency hampered Moya’s performance this year.

He finished with just 20 homers and a .240 average. Even more troubling, he struck out 162 times in 126 games with the Mud Hens.

One more season, or partial season, in Toledo for seasoning may not be the worst thing, however time is ticking for one of the best Tigers’ prospects.

If he does not improve a lot by next Spring Training, it is hard to imagine he will make the 2016 Opening Day roster, but unlike this year, the Tigers will likely give him every shot to do so.

Next: Jefry Marte

May 23, 2015; Detroit, MI, USA; Detroit Tigers starting pitcher Kyle Lobstein (53) pitches in the second inning against the Houston Astros at Comerica Park. Mandatory Credit: Rick Osentoski-USA TODAY Sports

Kyle Lobstein

You can easily point to Justin Verlander or Miguel Cabrera as being the most detrimental Detroit Tigers injury this season, but another one that could have easily cost them ball games was the loss of Kyle Lobstein.

Betsided

Twice now in his young career, the Tigers have called on Lobstein to step into the rotation and fill humongous holes. It was Verlander’s rotation spot that Lobstein found himself in on the team out of Spring Training. He gave the Tigers seven quality starts in his eight appearances before going down with an arm injury in May.

That led to the never-ending stream of pitching prospects such as Kyle Ryan, Buck Farmer and others not yet ready to contribute on a major league level. Lobstein was not perfect–carrying a 4.34 ERA to the DL in May, but he was certainly better than anything else the Tigers threw up in his place.

Lobstein has struggled in Toledo and one appearance in Detroit since coming back from injury last month. It will take him some time to get completely right and a full off season will no doubt help.

I would be shocked not to see Lobstein on the Opening Day roster next year, likely with an edge on Shane Greene for a rotation spot in 2016.

Next: JaCoby Jones

Jul 3, 2015; Atlanta, GA, USA; General view of MLB baseballs on the field before a game between the Philadelphia Phillies and Atlanta Braves at Turner Field. Mandatory Credit: Brett Davis-USA TODAY Sports

JaCoby Jones

The return piece of the Joakim Soria to Pittsburgh deal, JaCoby Jones came with a sterling reputation and the versatility of being able to play pretty much any outfield or infield position.

Jones slashed .265/.336/.496 with AA Erie since the trade, but came out with a bang in his third game with the SeaWolves, hitting three home runs, each one to a different direction of the ballpark. He struggled a bit after that initial burst of success, but still remains an intriguing prospect to watch.

Tigers fans will get to see him into the fall if they are so inclined, as he is one of seven players headed to the Arizona Fall League this coming November.

I wouldn’t expect Jones to make the big league roster next season, but with a likely promotion to AAA next season, he may not be too far from helping out the big league club.

Next: Tigers finalize their September roster