Detroit Tigers: Minor League Signings Most Likely to Contribute in 2017

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Detroit Tigers general manager Al Avila has already added significant depth this offseason. While the minor league signings won’t dominate the headlines, Avila has given Detroit some solid depth in Toledo.

Detroit Tigers players coming up from Triple-A Toledo provided mixed results. While Michael Fulmer, Matt Boyd, Daniel Norris, JaCoby Jones and Tyler Collins all relatively helped the team, there were a number of players who didn’t stick long in Detroit.

Casey McGehee’s WAR (-0.5) dropped into the negatives. Elsewhere, Bobby Parnell was tagged for seven hits, five walks, four runs and a home run in only 5.1 innings pitched.

Additionally, the likes of Logan Kensing, Dustin Molleken and Alex Presley were all limited to five or fewer games.

Fulmer, Boyd, Norris, Jones and Collins were all in the organization prior to the beginning of last offseason.

Meanwhile, McGehee, Parnell, Kensing, Molleken and Presley all joined on minor league deals either during the offseason or mid-season.

While Avila has brought back Kensing and Molleken, the general manager has also added some potentially useful depth pieces.

From familiar names like Infante, Kensing and Molleken to minor league veterans such as

Here are the minor league signings most likely to contribute to the Detroit Tigers in 2017.

Position Players

Omar Infante

Similar to Andrew Romine, Infante can provide added depth at multiple positions across the diamond. If he can make Detroit’s Opening Day roster, the 15-year veteran has a chance to contribute.

Should Infante post similar numbers to the ones he turned in as a member of the Tigers from 2012 to 2013, the team will benefit greatly.

Argenis Diaz and Gustavo Nunez

Diaz and Nunez weren’t invited to Major League Spring Training. However, they could contribute as the season progresses.

In terms of backups to Jose Iglesias and Ian Kinsler, the Tigers really only have Romine, Infante and Dixon Machado waiting in the wings.

Should injuries or a trade of either Iglesias or Kinsler occur, Detroit will be forced to dig into the team’s depth.

Diaz previously appeared in 22 games for the Pirates in 2010, while Nunez hit at least .276 while reaching double-digit steals in each of the last three minor league seasons.

Miguel Gonzalez

Similar to the situation in the middle infield, the Tigers don’t have the most depth in the world where catchers are concerned.

If the season started today, John Hicks would be James McCann’s top backup. Detroit’s third-string catcher, and starter in Toledo, would likely be prospect Grayson Greiner.

As it stands, Greiner has played a grand total of one game above Double-A in his career. Because of this, Gonzalez might be better suited to join the Tigers in the event of an injury.

The 26-year-old collected a pair of hits in nine at-bats for the White Sox in 2013, and notched 33 RBI in 66 games for the Mud Hens last season.

What’s more, the 26-year-old also threw out 40% of would-be base stealers for Lloyd McClendon’s team.

Gonzalez could see action in a handful of games if necessary, similar to how Omir Santos appeared in 14 games during the 2011 and 2012 seasons.

Mar 28, 2016; Tampa, FL, USA; Detroit Tigers pitcher Logan Kensing pitches during the seventh inning of a spring training baseball game against the New York Yankees at George M. Steinbrenner Field. Mandatory Credit: Reinhold Matay-USA TODAY Sports /

Pitchers

Ruben Alaniz

One of the more intriguing names on the list of minor league signings, Alainz spent six seasons in the Houston Astros minor league system before joining Detroit prior to last season.

The right-handed reliever split the 2016 campaign between Double-A Erie and Triple-A Toledo.

With Erie, the former Houston farmhand turned in a 2.77 ERA in 48.2 innings pitched.

Along the way, he punched out 9.1 batters per nine innings while allowing just 3.3 walks and 0.2 home runs per nine frames.

After a step up in competition to Toledo, Alaniz actually improved his numbers.

In 25 innings pitched, the right-hander’s ERA sat at 2.52. He struck out 9.0 batters per nine innings and didn’t allow a single home run.

Compared to other positons, teams tend to utilize more relievers over the course of a season. If Alaniz can continue to display the form he did in 2016 at the Major League level, the Detroit Tigers will have found a long-term bullpen piece.

Logan Kensing

Prior to appearing in three games for the Tigers last season, Kensing’s most recent taste of Major League action came in 2015 with the Seattle Mariners.

Pitching for Lloyd McClendon, Kensing pitched to a 5.87 ERA and 7.6 strikeouts per nine innings in 15.1 innings pitched.

However, much of Kensing’s struggles that season were due to a handful of poor outings. The relief pitcher appeared in 19 games, and held the opposition scoreless in 13 of them.

Additionally, the 34-year-old held the opposing team hitless in 11 of those appearances.

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It’s obviously a small sample size, but combined Kensing’s 3.44 ERA in Toledo last season, there’s reason to believe the veteran can turn in solid numbers pitching out of a big league bullpen.

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