Detroit Tigers: Ryan Carpenter should be front runner for fifth rotation spot

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DETROIT, MI – AUGUST 4: Al Avila laughs during a news conference at Comerica Park after he was promoted to executive vice president of baseball operations and general manager on August 4, 2015 in Detroit, Michigan. Avila replaces Dave Dombrowski who was the Tigers’ general manager since 2002. (Photo by Duane Burleson/Getty Images) /

Detroit Tigers pitcher Ryan Carpenter, signed earlier this month, should be the front runner for the fifth spot in the team’s starting rotation come Spring Training.

Detroit Tigers executive vice president of baseball operations and general manager Al Avila dipped into the free agent pool earlier this month, adding pitcher Ryan Carpenter on a one-year deal.

The Tigers announced the deal in a tweet on November 20.

Detroit tweeted the following after announcing the prospects added to the 40-man roster ahead of the Rule 5 draft:

“Additionally, we agreed to terms with left-handed pitcher Ryan Carpenter on a one-year contract. The 40-man roster is now at 39.”

Carpenter was selected by the Tampa Bay Rays in the seventh round of the 2011 draft.

After three seasons in Tampa Bay’s minor league system, the southpaw pitched for the Colorado Rockies’ Advanced-A affiliate in 2014.

He also made stops with the organization’s Double-A and Triple-A squads in 205 and 2016.

The 27-year-old once again pitched at Triple-A last season, striking out 9.29 batters per nine innings against just 2.25 walks and 1.10 home runs allowed per nine frames in the hitter-friendly Pacific Coast League.

What’s more, Carpenter also turned in a career-best 43.5% ground ball percentage and a 74.4% strand rate that was his best over the course of a full season.

DETROIT, MI – JUNE 28: A Detroit Tigers hat, glasses and glove sit on the dugout stairs during a MLB game against the Chicago White Sox at Comerica Park on June 28, 2015 in Detroit, Michigan. The Tigers win on a walk off home run 5-4. (Photo by Dave Reginek/Getty Images) /

One of the PCL’s best

In terms of run-prevention stats, the starter logged a 4.15 ERA, a 4.22 FIP and a 3.92 xFIP.

While those numbers don’t jump off the page, it’s also worth noting that the former Colorado farmhand finished seventh among all Pacific Coast League pitchers, who threw at least 100, innings in ERA.

He also checked in at third in FIP and second in xFIP.

He’s also should be the front runner to be the Detroit Tigers’ fifth starting pitcher.

The competition

Ryan Carpenter hasn’t appeared in a Major League game, he’s still seems like a superior option to the Tigers other options for the final spot in the rotation.

Barring any offseason movement in the rotation, Michael Fulmer, Matthew Boyd, Jordan Zimmermann and Daniel Norris will slot in as Detroit’s first four starters.

At this point if the quartet are on the roster come Spring Training, they’ll be lining up in the rotation—that much is set in stone.

The lack of a fifth candidate set in stone opens the door for Carpenter.

In addition to the ex-Rays and Rockies prospect, the Tigers could turn to fellow starters Buck Farmer, Chad Bell, Artie Lewicki or perhaps Warwick Saupold.

MINNEAPOLIS, MN – SEPTEMBER 30: Buck Farmer #45 of the Detroit Tigers listens to Rich Dubee pitching coach for the Detroit Tigers and Bryan Holaday #50 of the Detroit Tigers after Farmer walked in a run for the Minnesota Twins in the first inning during of their baseball game on September 30, 2017, at Target Field in Minneapolis, Minnesota.(Photo by Andy King/Getty Images) /

The rest

Of the bunch, Farmer showed the most promising flashes of brilliance, but he also struggled mightily at times.

Shutout outings against the White Sox and Angels that netted a combined 16 strikeouts against a cumulative six hits and three walks allowed were offset by outings against the A’s (2.2 innings pitched, six hits, five runs, four earned runs and a home run allowed), Diamondbacks (2.1 innings pitched, nine hits, six earned runs and two home runs allowed) and Rays (2.1 innings pitched, five hits, seven earned runs, three home runs and a walk allowed) that left plenty to be desired.

Elsewhere, Bell made four starts down the stretch. However, he was tagged for 5.28 walks and 2.35 home runs per nine innings during that span.

There was also Lewicki, who made just one start late in 2017 before being limited to a trio of relief outings despite the lack of stability in the rotation.

Rounding out the group is Saupold who soaked up 62.2 frames in 45 innings for the Tigers as a reliever last season.

While his FIP and xFIP both hovered in the mid fives at 5.39 and 5.57 respectively, the right-hander was effective in 40.1 innings spread across seven starts for Triple-A Toledo in 2017.

During that span, he worked to a 2.90 ERA, a 3.68 FIP, a 4.23 xFIP and 7.36 strikeouts per nine frames. However, he also walked 3.79 batters per nine innings.

The prospects

It’s possible that by the end of the 2018 season, prospects like Franklin Perez, Grayson Long, Spencer Turnbull, Matt Hall, Tyler Alexander or Beau Burrows could be in the Majors and ready to step into the rotation.

Next: The Tigers should sign Jose Miguel Fernandez

However, until then, Ryan Carpenter looks like the best bet to step into the Detroit Tigers rotation and start games on a consistent basis.

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Detroit Tigers: As it stands, Ryan Carpenter should be front runner for fifth rotation spot

Detroit Tigers pitcher Ryan Carpenter, signed earlier this month, should be the front runner for the fifth spot in the team’s starting rotation come Spring Training.

One of the PCL’s best

The competition

The rest

The prospects

Schedule