Detroit Tigers: Top prospects to play at Triple-A Toledo in 2017

Detroit Tigers fans will see a number of prospects move into the Major League roster in the coming seasons. Here’s a look at the closest to the Majors.

Detroit Tigers players like Jeimer Candelario, Joe Jimenez, JaCoby Jones, Dixon Machado, Jairo Labourt, Victor Alcantara, Zac Reininger and Daniel Stumpf all made their first significant contributions in the Majors last season.

The group represented a much-needed wave of younger reinforcements for a Detroit franchise that desperately needed it.

More reinforcements from the minor leagues are expected in the coming seasons.

By 2019 at the latest, the likes of Franklin Perez, Beau Burrows, Christin Stewart, Kyle Funkhouser, Grayson Long, Dawel Lugo, Matt Hall, Gerson Moreno and Adam Ravenelle could all be in the Majors.

However, the vast majority of those players ended the season with Double-A Erie.

The only exception was Funkhouser, who was limited to 12 starts, but likely would have been with the SeaWolves at some point after turning in a 1.72 ERA, a 0.93 WHIP and 34 strikeouts compared to just six walks in 31.1 innings for Advanced-A Lakeland.

Closer to the Majors

It’s realistic to expect many of the aforementioned group to be with Toledo at some point in 2018. That being said, they’ll need to find success with the Mud Hens before making the jump to the Majors.

While that group continues to develop, the Detroit Tigers next wave of younger reinforcements will likely come from Triple-A.

Excluding those who debuted in the Majors and in no particular order, here are the top Tigers prospects who suited up for Toledo last season.

Some or all of them could be with Detroit at some point in 2018.