Detroit Tigers: The next wave of reinforcements coming from Triple-A Toledo

Jeimer Candelario

Age: 23
Positions: Third Base and First Base
On 40-Man Roster: Yes

Perhaps the most obvious inclusion on this list, Candelario was the centerpiece of the swap that sent Justin Wilson and Alex Avila to the North side of Chicago.

Isaac Paredes, the other player in the deal, is still a few years away from making it to the Majors, but the argument can be made for Candelario to be playing for the Detroit Tigers right now.

He probably would be if the team didn’t employ Miguel Cabrera and Nicholas Castellanos.

Candelario has already endeared himself to Toledo fans with four hits in his first eight plate appearances, including a pair of doubles, a home run and a stolen base.

A solid defender, Candelario should hit for average and some power at the Major League level.

JaCoby Jones

Age: 25
Positions: Outfielder
On 40-Man Roster: Yes

Jones hasn’t hit much in Toledo this season, with a .235 batting average in 326 plate appearances. However, his walk percentage is up slightly, and he’s still contributing in a variety of ways.

The outfielder has chipped in with 47 runs scored, 35 RBI, 16 doubles, eight home runs, seven stolen bases and a triple.

Even if he doesn’t turn things around from an offensive standpoint this season, Jones can still make an impact late in September games as a defensive replacement or a pinch-runner.

In limited playing time with the Tigers earlier in the season, Jones notched a 28.8 UZR/150, a 3.8 UZR and a DRS of four in 140.2 defensive innings in center field.

He also turned in a 0.3 BsR and a 0.7 UBR on the base paths.

Bryan Garcia

Age: 22
Positions: Relief Pitcher
On 40-Man Roster: No

Like a number of reliever prospects in the Detroit Tiger system, Bryan Garcia throws hard.

However, none—with the exception of perhaps Jairo Labourt—have made up the kind of ground Garcia has in terms of getting close to the Majors this season.

The right-hander began the year with Single-A West Michigan, where he struck out 27 of the 59 batters he faced while collecting nine saves. Garcia also allowed just five earned runs and four walks.

That was his worst stop of the season in terms of production.

Garcia didn’t allow a run while striking out 15 of the 32 batters he matched up with in 8.2 frames with Advanced-A Lakeland.

In 18.2 innings with Double-A, the 2016 sixth-round pick surrendered just eight walks, seven hits and two runs compared to 24 strikeouts.

He’s already made his Toledo, striking out two in a scoreless inning.

Overall, Garcia is punching out 14.5 batters per nine innings to go along with a 1.48 ERA, a 0.94 WHIP and a .174 batting average against.

The Miami product looks like a long-term bullpen piece in the Motor City, and could conceivably make an impact in September.

Myles Jaye

Age: 25
Positions: Starting Pitcher
On 40-Man Roster: Yes

Brought in from the Texas Rangers in the Bryan Holaday trade that also netted Bobby Wilson (who was later flipped for Bell), Jaye has the chance to be a contributor to the Detroit Tigers, beginning as early as this season.

He’d likely fill a similar role to Saupold in the sense that he’d eat innings out of the bullpen, but long-term he could find a home at the back end of the rotation.

In 104.1 innings split between Erie and Toledo, Jaye is pitching to a 3.97 ERA with just 2.8 walks and 0.9 home runs allowed per nine innings.

His strikeouts per nine frames rate is sitting comfortably at 8.5 for the season in the minors.

Jairo Labourt

Age: 23
Positions: Relief Pitcher
On 40-Man Roster: Yes

With Justin Wilson now pitching for the Chicago Cubs, the Tigers could use another late game, left-handed reliever.

The team has Daniel Stumpf, Chad Bell and Drew VerHagen has southpaws in the bullpen, but Bell and VerHagen are better suited to eating innings than setting up Shane Greene at the end of games.

Labourt could give the club another setup option down the stretch.

The left-hander, in his first full year pitching out of the bullpen, has been effective at every level he’s pitched at in 2017.

Labourt is sporting a 2.11 ERA and a 1.012 WHIP in 55.1 innings spread between Advanced-A Lakeland, Double-A Erie and Triple-A Toledo.

The third pitcher acquired in the David Price deal, Labourt previously struggled with control. He walked 7.2 batters per nine frames as recently as last season.

However, the move to the bullpen has done wonders for the hard-throwing lefty. He’s walking just 3.3 batters per nine innings, while striking out 11.4 hitters per nine frames.

Dominic Ficociello

Age: 25
Positions: First Baseman, Third Baseman and Corner Outfielder
On 40-Man Roster: No

One of many players to make the jump from Erie to Toledo this season, Ficociello could provide Brad Ausmus with some flexibility off the bench in September.

The 25-year-old can play a number of positions across the diamond, and is hitting enough this season (.298 batting average, .804 OPS) to suggest he can hold his own at the plate.

Buck Farmer

Age: 26
Positions: Starting Pitcher
On 40-Man Roster: Yes

Buck Farmer‘s time with the Detroit Tigers this season was a tale of two starts—or, well, four actually.

Farmer was dominant in his first start, inducing 22 swinging strikes in just 6.1 innings en route to punching out 11 Chicago White Sox batters.

He only faced 23 hitters on the day, surrendering three hits, two walks and no runs.

The former second-round pick wasn’t quite as dominant with the strikeouts in his second outing.

However, he still held the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim to three hits, a walk and no runs while striking out five in 6.2 frames.

Then starts against the Arizona Diamondbacks and Tampa Bay Rays occurred.

Each start saw Farmer last just 2.1 innings.

All told, he was tagged for a combined 14 hits, 13 runs and five home runs. There’s a small silver lining to be had in that he only walked one batter, but the right-hander was simply hit to hard.

If he can get back to missing bats on a more consistent basis, Farmer could fill a similar role to Saupold, Bell or VerHagen while being on hand to make a spot start if necessary.

Ruben Alaniz

Age: 26
Position: Relief Pitcher
On 40-Man Roster: No

Alaniz and Arcenio Leon were two of the standouts in Spring Training for the Detroit Tigers this season. Leon already made his Major League debut in 2017, and Alaniz could conceivably follow.

The hard-throwing right-hander is sitting on a 4.07 ERA in 24.1 innings pitched.

While those numbers may jump off the page, Alaniz is also striking out 10.4 batters per nine frames and throwing multiple innings.

He’s logged more than three outs in 11 of his 14 outings for the Mud Hens this season.

Kyle Ryan

Age: 25
Position: Relief Pitcher
On 40-Man Roster: Yes

Ryan has thrown well lately for Toledo after being demoted earlier in the season. The southpaw is striking out 8.7 batters per nine innings to go along with a 3.66 ERA in 32 frames.

The strikeouts are particularly encouraging considering Ryan struck out just 4.9 batters per nine innings in his first 128 Major League frames.

Blaine Hardy

Age: 25
Position: Relief Pitcher
On 40-Man Roster: Yes

Like Ryan, Hardy has been demoted from the Detroit Tigers to the Toledo Mud Hens this season.

The fellow southpaw turned in an 11.7 walk percentage, a 6.05 ERA, a 6.10 FIP and a 5.98 xFIP in 19.1 innings spanning 23 outings in the Majors earlier this season.

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However, Hardy has been much better with Toledo, posting a 1.036 WHIP and a 3.54 ERA in 28 frames of work. The reliever has also struck out 30 batters compared to just three walks.