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Detroit Tigers: Mikie Mahtook is providing excellent value in center field

By Ben Rosener |
Jun 27, 2017; Detroit, MI, USA; Detroit Tigers first baseman Miguel Cabrera (24) receives congratulations from center fielder Mikie Mahtook (15) after he hits a three run home run in the third inning against the Kansas City Royals at Comerica Park. Mandatory Credit: Rick Osentoski-USA TODAY Sports
Jun 27, 2017; Detroit, MI, USA; Detroit Tigers first baseman Miguel Cabrera (24) receives congratulations from center fielder Mikie Mahtook (15) after he hits a three run home run in the third inning against the Kansas City Royals at Comerica Park. Mandatory Credit: Rick Osentoski-USA TODAY Sports
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Jun 25, 2017; San Diego, CA, USA; Detroit Tigers center fielder Mikie Mahtook (15) hits a two RBI single during the ninth inning against the San Diego Padres at Petco Park. Mandatory Credit: Jake Roth-USA TODAY Sports
Jun 25, 2017; San Diego, CA, USA; Detroit Tigers center fielder Mikie Mahtook (15) hits a two RBI single during the ninth inning against the San Diego Padres at Petco Park. Mandatory Credit: Jake Roth-USA TODAY Sports /

Detroit Tigers center fielder Mikie Mahtook got off to a slow start to begin the season, but he’s starting to turn things around and provide excellent value for Al Avila and company in the process.

Detroit Tigers general manager Al Avila made just a handful of major moves in the offseason.

He shipped Cameron Maybin to Anaheim to save some cash, signed Alex Avila to pair with James McCann and snagged Daniel Stumpf in the Rule 5 draft.

Al Avila also traded for Mikie Mahtook.

At first glance, things don’t look great.

Mahtook’s on-base percentage on the year sits at a paltry .282. He’s also the owner of a 0.1 WAR.

All this for a player Detroit acquired by relinquishing an intriguing, power relief prospect in Drew Smith (who we here at Motor City Bengals ranked as the team’s 10th-best prospect heading into 2017).

However, much of Mahtook’s overall numbers are due to the slow start he got off to at the dish.

In his first 42 plate appearances with the Tigers, Mahtook registered just seven hits, four runs scored, five RBI, three walks, two doubles and a home run. He also struck out 13 times in the plate appearances, which spanned 17 games.

Since that game, things have gone much better for the former first-round pick.

Mahtook is hitting .295 with a .820 OPS since, and has been particularly effective in the last 30 days.

Jun 27, 2017; Detroit, MI, USA; Detroit Tigers center fielder Mikie Mahtook (15) hits a single in the first inning against the Kansas City Royals at Comerica Park. Mandatory Credit: Rick Osentoski-USA TODAY Sports
Jun 27, 2017; Detroit, MI, USA; Detroit Tigers center fielder Mikie Mahtook (15) hits a single in the first inning against the Kansas City Royals at Comerica Park. Mandatory Credit: Rick Osentoski-USA TODAY Sports /

Heating up at the plate

The former Rays player is batting .333 with a .556 slugging percentage and a .372 wOBA.

He hasn’t drawn a walk in that stretch, but that’s just fine when he’s also turning in a 132 wRC+ and a .222 ISO.

In the last 30 days, Mahtook has mashed a pair of home runs to go along with seven RBI, three runs scored and a stolen base. He’s even provided some value on the base paths with a 0.2 BsR.

In fact, in a lineup littered with sluggers, Mahtook is second in slugging percentage and third in wRC+ in the last 30 days.

The LSU product notched the go-ahead hit on Sunday in San Diego to put an end to Detroit’s eight-game slide.

Mahtook parlayed his hot streak into hitting second on Tuesday in the series opener against Kansas City.

Slotted in between Ian Kinsler and Justin Upton in the lineup, Mahtook delivered with a pair of hits and a run scored in four trips to the plate.

The outfielder also made a standout defensive play, running down a potential extra-base hit by Salvador Perez in the top of the fifth.

Mahtook covered some serious ground in the Comerica Park outfield grass on the play, crashing into the wall after making the catch.

Jun 11, 2017; Boston, MA, USA; Detroit Tigers center fielder Mikie Mahtook (15) makes a catch for an out during the sixth inning against the Boston Red Sox at Fenway Park. Mandatory Credit: Bob DeChiara-USA TODAY Sports
Jun 11, 2017; Boston, MA, USA; Detroit Tigers center fielder Mikie Mahtook (15) makes a catch for an out during the sixth inning against the Boston Red Sox at Fenway Park. Mandatory Credit: Bob DeChiara-USA TODAY Sports /

Looking forward

Mikie Mahtook’s improved play is certainly a welcome sign for a Detroit Tigers team that has had trouble replacing Maybin in center field.

JaCoby Jones and Tyler Collins both struggled in the early parts of the season, while Andrew Romine is better served in a super-sub role.

Due to these struggles and lack of a solution, Detroit’s center fielders currently rank 29th in the Majors in collective WAR and on-base percentage, as well as 26th in wRC+ and wOBA.

Mahtook would also provide more production at the top of the lineup, where the Tigers have yet to find a consistent solution in the second spot in the order against left-handed pitching.

Alex Avila has been excellent hitting behind Kinsler, but considering the backstop only plays against right-handed, the team needs another option.

That very well could be Mahtook, who would be a significant upgrade in the spot over Nicholas Castellanos (25.1 strikeout percentage, .305 on-base percentage).

The future

Looking forward even further, it isn’t hard to imagine Mahtook continuing to provide value to the franchise.

According to Spotrac, Mahtook is controllable through the 2021 season.

The 27-year-old isn’t arbitration eligible until after the 2018 campaign.

Jones, Derek Hill or Mike Gerber could eventually play center field in Detroit, but if Mikie Mahtook continues to produce for the Detroit Tigers, it is hard to see him being moved off the position.

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