Detroit Tigers reportedly hire Doug Mientkiewicz as Triple-A Toledo manager

Detroit Tigers fans will reportedly see a new manager at Triple-A Toledo. FanRag Sports’ Jon Heyman reported in a tweet on Tuesday morning that Doug Mientkiewicz will manage the club.

Detroit Tigers executive vice president of baseball operations and general manager Al Avila—along with the rest of the front office—reportedly made another managerial hire on Tuesday.

FanRag Sports’ Jon Heyman reported the news in a tweet on Tuesday morning.

Heyman tweeted the following:

"“Doug mientkiewicz is being hired as triple-a tigers manager (toledo). The Gardenhire connection made it a great fit.”"

Mientkiewicz previously played 12 years in the Majors from 1998 to 2009.

Career

He began his career with the Minnesota Twins with an eight-game stint in 1998. Mientkiewicz would play for the American League Central franchise through the 2004 season.

The first baseman finished 14^th in the MVP voting and won a Gold Glove in 2001.

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During the 2004 campaign he was flipped to the Boston Red Sox, a team he helped claim the World Series later that year.

Mientkiewicz also played for the New York Mets, Kansas City Royals, New York Yankees,  Pittsburgh Pirates and Los Angeles Dodgers. He last played in the Majors in 2009.

The 43-year-old hit .271 with a .765 OPS and 66 home runs in 1087 lifetime games at the game’s highest level.

During Mientkiewicz’ time in in Minnesota he played under new Detroit Tigers manager Ron Gardenhire when Gardenhire was both the bench coach and manager in the Twin Cities.

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Mientkiewicz managed in both the Florida State League (Advanced-A) and the Southern League (Double-A) for Minnesota’s teams.

He won league titles with the Fort Myers Miracle in the Florida State League in 2014, and then again with the Chattanooga Lookouts in the Southern League in 2015.

In his time in the Twins’ minor league system, the manager helped develop future Major League players like outfielders Byron Buxton and Max Kepler, starting pitcher Jose Berrios, third baseman Miguel Sano and middle infielder Jorge Polanco.

Prospects

Last season, a number of the organization’s best prospects finished the year at Double-A Erie.

They included outfielder Christin Stewart, infielder Dawel Lugo, relief pitchers Gerson Moreno, Joe Navilhon, Adam Ravenelle and Mark Ecker as well as starting pitchers Franklin Perez, Beau Burrows, Grayson Long, Tyler Alexander, Sandy Baez and Spencer Turnbull.

It’s possible that a number of those players, if not most, will be in Toledo—or even the Majors—at some point next season.

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Outfielder Mike Gerber, relievers Bryan Garcia and Paul Voelker, catcher Grayson Greiner and infielder Kody Eaves could also be playing for Toledo come Opening Day, so there should be plenty of young talent on display at the minors’ highest level.