Jose Azocar
Age: 20
Positon: Center Fielder
Affiliate: Advanced-A Lakeland Flying Tigers
Hits: Right-Handed
Outside of Gerber and potentially Derek Hill, Jose Azocar is the Detroit Tigers’ next-best center field prospect.
The 20-year-old showed plenty of promise with 56 runs scored, 51 RBI, 14 stolen bases, 11 doubles and eight triples in 129 games for West Michigan last season.
Azocar’s 2017 numbers in 11 games—.280 batting average, .740 OPS, five runs scored, four RBI, one triple and a double—won’t jump off the page.
However, the outfielder has already mashed two home runs in 50 at-bats. If he can hit for more power moving forward, he could eventually be a long-term starter for Detroit at the Major League level.
Jason Krizan
Age: 27
Positon: Outfielder
Affiliate: Double-A Erie SeaWolves
Hits: Left-Handed
Jason Krizan isn’t your traditional prospect considering he’s already 27, but that hasn’t stopped him from hitting the cover off the baseball for the SeaWolves.
In 40 at-bats, Krizan his hitting .400 with a blistering 1.233 OPS. He’s also tacked on 13 RBI, seven runs scored, three doubles and two stolen bases.
What is perhaps most impressive is that the outfielder, who can also play first base and second base, has swatted four home runs.
He entered 2017 with just 36 career bombs in six minor league seasons. His career high came in 2016 with 10 homers.