Detroit Tigers: Young Guys & Journeymen Getting It Done

In today’s Detroit Tigers game against the Baltimore Orioles, the veterans stayed behind in Lakeland. The bus was full of youngsters and journeymen who got the job done in the 7-1 win over the Orioles.

Only a handful have seen significant playing time in the Major Leagues.

While Miguel Cabrera, Victor Martinez, and Ian Kinsler have been off playing in the World Baseball Classic, the young players have been showing that they can hang with the best. It is clear that these young players want their chances in the Big Show. If they continue to perform like they have been, many will get a chance.

The only Tigers veterans who made the trip to Ed Smith Stadium in Sarasota, Florida were Andrew Romine and James McCann. Matt Boyd started on the mound and he pitched like he had something to prove. Shane Greene also came along for the ride and pitched in one inning.

The young guys and journeymen that did the work today have been consistent since Cabrera, Kinsler, and Martinez have not been available to play. In fact, several of them have shown that they could be contenders in the MLB. Now that Spring Training is in the last third, these are players who have stepped up and gotten the job done.

One of the most consistent young players on the Tigers squad is Dominic Ficociello.

The 6’4″ corner infielder has played in every spring training game. In fact, he has played in more games than anyone else with the exception of Dixon Machado on the Spring Training squad. His current slash is .216/.293/.486 with an OPS of .779. He has three home runs and eight RBIs. His home run total puts him in second place after Justin Upton (4) and his RBI total puts him in third behind Upton (11) and Nick Castellanos (9).

Ficociello has played 49 innings at first base while Cabrera has been with the Venezuelan WBC team. In those innings, he has a perfect fielding percentage and a range of 4.91. He has also manned third base in 41 innings. There, he also has a perfect fielding percentage and a range of 0.75. For comparison purposes during Spring Training, Castellanos has a range factor of 1.27 and Cabrera has a range factor of 4.00. At first base, Ficociello has been involved in two double plays.

Ficociello has a few things going for him. First off, he is a switch hitter. He is also physically fit and has extremely long legs that help him get to the bases quickly. He’s got quick hands at the plate and looks confident when he’s up to bat. He is 24 years old and has some room to build muscle on his tall frame. With a bit more muscle, he could hit with more power and could get more attention from the front office.

If Miggy is out for any extended period of time, Ficociello might be an option to fill in for the reigning Triple Crown King.

Alex Presley is not an unknown to Detroit Tigers fans.

In 17 spring training games, he has shown up to play. His current slash is an impressive .381/.458/.761 with an OPS of 1.220. He has two home runs and three RBIs. While Presley is not in the running for the spot at center field, he has shown that he still has some pop in his bat and speed in his feet.

Presley will be a fantastic player in Toledo in 2017, especially if he can keep up his pace. It is highly unlikely that he will show up in Detroit, but it is nice to know that there is an experienced outfielder who can get on base and make plays. As a journeyman, he has seen time in the Big Leagues with Detroit as well as the Milwaukee Brewers, the Houston Astros, the Pittsburgh Pirates, and the Minnesota Twins.

His two spring training home runs have come against the Miami Marlins and the New York Yankees. He hit one off of Dan Straily and Caleb Frare. While this isn’t quite like hitting one off of Chris Sale or Max Scherzer, only three other Tigers have two home runs in spring training, too.

Presley has fared well in the outfield, too. He has 57 innings with no errors. He usually steps in when J.D. Martinez has finished for the day and he has done well in J.D.’s place.

Even though he is not considered a “young guy,” Andrew Romine has had one outstanding spring training.

His swing has changed and he has been hitting better than ever before. In his 47 at-bats, he has two home runs, three doubles, and a triple. Only one other Tiger has a triple: Jason Krizan.

Romine’s current slash is a mighty .319/.327/.553 with an OPS of .880. Along with these impressive numbers, he has also stolen two bases – which is an oddity in the world of the Detroit Tigers. Romine currently leads the team in runs scored, with eight.

Romine has spent time at several positions. He has 35 innings at third base and 39 innings at short stop. He hasn’t spent much time in the outfield, but in his 11 innings in center field, he made three outs. In his time on defense, he has a perfect fielding percentage.

With Romine’s strong spring training, he is clearly showing that he does deserve to be on the 25-man roster when the team heads north. His speed, defensive skill, and switch-hitting ability makes him valuable. With the questions about center field, he could be a viable contender – but he is certainly useful in the infield when Castellanos and Jose Iglesias need a day off.

Next: Tigers Injuries Causing Trouble Already

While the Tigers are not known for having a plethora of prospects, spring training has shown that there is some depth. With youngsters and part-time players filling in for the veterans, the Tigers have seen that there is some hope for the future.