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Detroit Tigers Top prospects off to strong starts in 2017
Detroit Tigers general manager Al Avila has done a solid job in rebuilding the team’s farm system with extremely promising prospects. Some of those prospects are off to strong starts in 2017.
Detroit Tigers fans have seen the team promote a number of promising young players in the last few seasons.
The likes of James McCann, Daniel Norris, Matt Boyd and Michael Fulmer have all become key contributors for the Tigers.
What’s more, JaCoby Jones and Joe Jimenez have both made their Major League debuts, while Dixon Machado has developed into a bench cog.
With the Tigers more committed to developing and keeping the team’s brightest young players, the next few waves of prospects could include the likes of Christin Stewart, Dominic Ficociello and Mike Gerber.
Overall, Detroit’s farm system is trending in the right direction. So far in 2017, a number of the team’s best young players are off to strong starts.
Christin Stewart
Age: 23
Position: Left Fielder
Affiliate: Double-A Erie
2017 Stat of Note: .386 on-base percentage
Undoubtedly the Tigers best position-player prospect, Stewart experienced Double-A for the first time in 2016.
The slugging outfielder hit .218 with a .758 OPS, six home runs and 19 RBI in 24 games.
While those games represented a mixed bag, the 2017 season has been anything but for Stewart. Over the span of 34 games (145 plate appearances), the former first-round pick is hitting .276 with a .346 on-base percentage and a .610 slugging percentage.
That’s good for a .996 OPS for a player who has a penchant for drawing walks. The 23-year-old has accumulated 133 free passes in 233 games, including a 14.5 walk percentage this season.
It certainly doesn’t hurt that he’s contributed 25 RBI, 20 runs scored, 10 home runs, five doubles, three triples and two stolen bases either.
Mike Gerber
Age: 24
Position: Center Fielder (can play all three outfield spots)
Affiliate: Double-A Erie
2017 Stat of Note: .386 on-base percentage
Stewart’s teammate with Double-A Erie, Mike Gerber continues to fill up the stat sheet.
A career .290 hitter in the minors, the outfielder is batting .317 with an .872 OPS this season. per usual, he is contributing across the board.
In 152 plate appearances, the center fielder has chipped in with 24 runs scored, 17 RBI, 11 doubles, 11 walks, five home runs and five stolen bases.
It probably wouldn’t surprise anyone to see Gerber and Stewart step in for Justin Upton and J.D. Martinez over the long haul.
Kyle Funkhouser
Age: 23
Position: Starting Pitcher
Affiliate: Single-A West Michigan
2017 Stat of Note: 14.6 strikeouts per nine innings
A former first-round pick of the Los Angeles Dodgers, Kyle Funkhouser continues to post encouraging numbers.
Stats in the minor leagues aren’t everything, but the starter has missed plenty of bats, with 51 punch outs in 25.1 innings pitched. He’s only walked 10 over the same span, showing promising control.
If he can continue to miss bats, Funkhouser will eventually be pitching out of Detroit’s rotation alongside the likes of Michael Fulmer, Matt Boyd and Daniel Norris.
Bryan Garcia
Age: 22
Position: Relief Pitcher
Affiliate: Single-A West Michigan
2017 Stat of Note: 16.9 strikeouts per nine innings
Bryan Garcia was the first pitcher taken by the Tigers after Matt Manning and Funkhouser in last year’s draft.
So far, the hard-throwing right-hander has lived up to the billing of a high draft pick.
Working predominantly as West Michigan’s closer, Garcia has tossed 13.1 innings, striking out 25 of the 56 batters he’s faced. With just 12 hits and four walks allowed, the University of Miami product looks like a future bullpen piece for the Detroit Tigers.
Victor Alcantara
Age: 24
Position: Relief Pitcher
Affiliate: Double-Erie
2017 Stat of Note: 3.7 walks per nine innings
Detroit’s return in the Cameron Maybin deal, Alcantara hasn’t had the best control in the majors.
The flame thrower has allowed 4.4 walks per nine innings since making his minors debut in 2012. That stretch included 4.6 free passes per nine frames in 111 innings last season.
So far in 2017, Alcantara has surrendered just nine walks in 22 relief innings.
Next: Tigers winners & losers so far in 2017
The switch to the bullpen seems to be working for the former Anaheim prospect, who owns a 2.05 ERA, seven strikeouts per nine innings and a save in 10 appearances.