Detroit Tigers future success will be built on starting rotation

Best of the rest

Outside of those five, Detroit could see a number of other hurlers make it into the rotation down the line.

Grayson Long looks like a mid-rotation starter after holding his own in his first stint in Double-A this season. the 23-year-old, who came to Detroit in the Justin Upton deal, turned in a 2.52 ERA and 111 strikeouts in 121.1 frames for Double-A Mobile.

Elsewhere, flamethrower and 40-man roster member Sandy Baez has moved to Double-A, where he made two starts at the end of 2017.

Three other members of Erie’s rotation could also play a role in the rotation down the line.

Spencer Turnbull, who had his 2016 campaign shortened by injury, bounced back to turn in a promising 2017 campaign.

The right-hander logged 112 innings across three stops, eventually making it to Erie.

There’s also Matt Hall, who doesn’t overpower with his fastball, but instead relies on his curveball to miss bats. That curveball helped Hall amass 149 strikeouts in 138.1 minor league innings this season.

He turned in a 3.09 ERA, a 1.457 WHIP and 10 strikeouts per nine innings in 35 innings for the SeaWolves in 2017.

Another starter who doesn’t throw hard but features solid control is Tyler Alexander. Despite a 5.07 ERA for Erie this season, Alexander still has the upside to pitch out of a Major League rotation.

This is all without mentioning Austin Sodders, who enjoyed one of the better breakout seasons in the minors this year.

After a promising 2016 with Connecticut, Sodders pitched to a 1.81 ERA in 139 innings split between West Michigan and Lakeland.

The 22-year-old also did an excellent job limiting damage, with just 0.1 home runs and 1.9 walks allowed per nine frames.

If he can maintain that run of form, he’ll be pitching for the Detroit Tigers in the future.