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

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.