Detroit Tigers: Young position players needed regardless of buying, selling

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Aug 8, 2015; Detroit, MI, USA; Detroit Tigers executive vice president and general manager Al Avila before the game against the Boston Red Sox at Comerica Park. Mandatory Credit: Rick Osentoski-USA TODAY Sports /

Detroit Tigers general manager Al Avila has done a solid job rebuilding the team’s farm system, but Detroit needs more young position players to be competitive.

Detroit Tigers fans are used to seeing veteran teams.

The Tigers have predominantly been a veteran bunch since Jim Leyland took the team to the World Series.

However, with the Tigers looking to cut down payroll over time, younger players are a must in terms of roster construction.

As of now, Detroit’s “younger players” mainly include 27-year-olds (Jose Iglesias, James McCann, John Hicks and Warwick Saupold) and 26-year-olds (Bruce Rondon, Matt Boyd and Buck Farmer).

Just a small handful of the team is 25 or younger. These include 25-year-olds Nicholas Castellanos, Dixon Machado, JaCoby Jones and Kyle Ryan.

An even smaller fraction of the team is under 25. Michael Fulmer and Daniel Norris are both 24. Reliever and 22-year-old Joe Jimenez is the only other Tigers player this season under 25.

Moving forward, the team needs younger players, specifically position players.

Avila’s work in the draft as of late has netted the Tigers exciting pitching prospects in Matt Manning, Kyle Funkhouser and Alex Faedo.

Put the trio alongside the likes of Beau Burrows, Sandy Baez, Tyler Alexander, Gerson Moreno, Jairo Labourt among others and the Tigers have the foundation for a solid pipeline of pitchers ready to move through the ranks.

The same cannot be said for position players.

Nov 5, 2016; Surprise, AZ, USA; East outfielder Christin Stewart of the Detroit Tigers during the Arizona Fall League Fall Stars game at Surprise Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports /

Position player prospects

Outside of Christin Stewart, Mike Gerber, Reynaldo Rivera, JaCoby Jones, Derek Hill, Jose Azocar, Hector Martinez, Joey Morgan and Sam McMillan, there isn’t much top-tier depth where non-pitchers are concerned.

Of that aforementioned group, Rivera, Morgan and McMillan were just drafted. Meanwhile, Hill is in the midst of returning from a long-term injury in the minors.

Elsewhere, Azocar is in Advanced-A Lakeland. Martinez is a teammate of Manning on Gerald Laird’s Connecticut Tigers in the New York-Pennsylvania League.

Stewart and Gerber, thankfully, are closer to the Majors. Both are currently enjoying excellent campaigns at Double-A Erie.

However, it is conceivable that Detroit may not want to rush the duo to the Majors this season.

Jones has seen time in the Majors this season, but he’s currently with Toledo after struggling with the Tigers. He’s the only position-player prospect of note playing for Toledo.

Moving forward

While Stewart and Gerber will likely be in the Majors by the end of 2018, the Tigers need more position player prospects to build around—and build around starting soon.

Regardless of whether the team buys or sells at the deadline, younger pieces are need to sustain the team for now and for later.

Jun 17, 2017; Houston, TX, USA; Houston Astros left fielder Derek Fisher (21) hits a single during the sixth inning against the Boston Red Sox at Minute Maid Park. Mandatory Credit: Troy Taormina-USA TODAY Sports /

Trades and hypothetical trade fits

Detroit could trade short-term veterans like J.D. Martinez, Jose Iglesias and Justin Wilson in order to recoup some position player prospects to plug into the team.

While Martinez and Iglesias are both relatively young, Detroit can get by in the short term with fill-ins. Said fill-ins include Jim Adduci, Mahtook and Machado.

This is all purely speculative, but there are a number of intriguing prospects in Triple-A who could be fits with the Tigers.

Los Angeles’ Willie Calhoun (second base) and Alex Verdugo (center field) both could fit with Detroit, as could Houston’s Derek Fisher (outfield).

Anthony Alford is a 22-year-old outfielder in Toronto’s system who hit .325 with a .867 OPS in Double-A. He logged eight at-bats with the Blue Jays in 2017, is another potential fit.

Ketel Marte, a 23-year-old shortstop who’s posting a blistering .350 batting average with 36 extra-base hits and a .936 OPS in Triple-A for the Diamondbacks’ team in Reno, is another hypothetical trade target.

An ideal situation would see the Tigers bring in a similar haul to the one that they netted at the 2015 trade deadline when Fulmer, Norris and Boyd joined the team, only with position-player building blocks joining the franchise.

In that same ideal situation, Detroit would stay competitive while keeping hold of the likes of Miguel Cabrera, Justin Verlander and Ian Kinsler.

Next: These Tigers could find success in San Diego

Either way, the Detroit Tigers need some young position players to build around and integrate into the team.

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Detroit Tigers: Young position players needed, regardless of buying or selling

Detroit Tigers general manager Al Avila has done a solid job rebuilding the team’s farm system, but Detroit needs more young position players to be competitive.

Position player prospects

Moving forward

Trades and hypothetical trade fits

Schedule