Detroit Tigers Minor League Report: Week 3

The Detroit Tigers are in rebuilding mode. “Future Friday” is a segment where we examine the bevy of prospects in Detroit and their future impact in the Motor City.

The Detroit Tigers affiliates are all at or near the 20 games played mark. It was an eventful week around the system, as a pair made their 2018 Tigers debuts, including one MLB debut. As always, we start with a team still in first place.

Toledo Mud Hens

After going 4-2 on the road this week, the Mud Hens continue to lead the International League West at 13-5. Toledo returns to Fifth Third Field tonight to begin a six-game homestand.

As we mentioned last week, Mike Gerber was called up to be the 26th man in last Friday’s doubleheader against Kansas City. He made his MLB debut as a pinch runner in the second game, but did not get an at-bat. On Monday, he was brought back up by the Tigers to replace Drew VerHagen, who was designated for assignment.

Gerber went 0-for-2 in a pair of pinch hit opportunities during Wednesday’s double dip against Pittsburgh. With all the pitching the Tigers used Wednesday, Gerber was then optioned back to Toledo to bring up an extra arm.

The arm Detroit selected was righty Johnny Barbato. Barbato was dominant for the Mud Hens prior to his call-up, posting a 1.17 ERA. He was warming up at one point during Thursday’s game, but did not enter.

Detroit also brought up righty Artie Lewicki for the first time this season. Lewicki worked six scoreless innings in his most recent outing for the Mud Hens, and was recalled to be the 26th man for Wednesday’s twin bill against the Pirates. The righty allowed two runs in his lone inning of work, and was sent back to Toledo after the game.

A Familiar Face Back in Detroit?

DFA’ing VerHagen opened up a spot on the Detroit Tigers 40-man roster. Earlier in the week, our Andy Patton examined candidates for the open spot. Who the Tigers choose could give us a clue as to the next player to make his debut in the Motor City.

One of the candidates to replace VerHagen on the 40-man roster is lefty Blaine Hardy. Hardy has made 164 relief appearances with Detroit over the last four years, but started the year in Toledo after dealing with injuries this spring.

Hardy was dominant in his outing this week, going six shutout innings while allowing just one hit. For the season, the southpaw has a 0.52 ERA in six outings, the last three of which have been starts. In 17.1 innings, he’s allowed six hits, four walks, and struck out 20.

Offense Heating Up

Similar to the Tigers, Toledo had a slow start with the bats, but the offense has perked up lately. The Mud Hens pounded out 14 hits on Tuesday, led by Christin Stewart.

Likely the best power-hitting prospect in the system, Stewart had a breakout game. The former first rounder went 4-for-5 with a homer, a double and two RBIs. He started off the season slow, but the four-hit effort hiked his average up to .250. Hopefully, the four-hit game is a sign he’s heating up.

One guy who has done nothing but hit when he’s been in the lineup is Jason Krizan. In that Tuesday night contest, Krizan was 3-for-4 and scored three times. In nine games, the former eighth rounder has four multi-hit games and is hitting .448.

While a pair of outfielders had good weeks at the plate for the Mud Hens, Mikie Mahtook did not. The Tigers Opening Day left fielder went 4-for-26, bringing his average to .146 in 10 games with Toledo. Strikeouts continue to be a problem as well, as Mahtook has fanned 14 times in 41 at-bats.

Finally, after starting the season on the disabled list, infielder Kody Eaves made his 2018 debut this week. In two games, Eaves went 0-for-6. Prior to the season, Eaves made Andy Patton’s under-the-radar prospects list.

Lakeland Flying Tigers

The Flying Tigers are playing better after a slow start and had won four straight until a loss Thursday night. Lakeland heads into the weekend in third place in the Florida State League North Division with a 9-12 record.

As always, we’ll start with last year’s first rounder, Alex Faedo. Faedo took the hill on Tuesday for Lakeland and turned in another very good outing.

In a season-high six and two-thirds, the righty gave up a run on four hits, did not walk a batter, and fanned six. That puts Faedo’s ERA at 2.74, his strikeout-to-walk ratio at 21:1, and opponents’ batting average at .185. Those are great numbers for anyone, let alone someone making his first four professional starts.

Two Flying Tigers are on the Detroit Tigers current 40-man roster. One of them, Eduardo Jimenez, is off to a great start as Lakeland’s closer. Jimenez has converted all three of his save opportunities, and given up one earned run in eight and two-thirds innings.

Elsewhere in the Lakeland bullpen is local lefty Trent Szkutnik. After attending Bedford High School in Temperance, Szkutnik went to Michigan for three years.

The Tigers made Szkutnik a 20th round pick after his junior year with the Wolverines, and he’s pitched well for the organization since. So far in 2018, Szkutnik owns a 0.84 ERA, and a 6:1 strikeout-to-walk ratio.

Offensively, one of the most consistent hitters for Lakeland has been catcher Austin Athmann. Earlier in the week, Athmann had a seven-game hitting streak snapped that featured four multi-hit games.

During the streak, the former Minnesota Golden Gopher went 12-for-23 (.522), raising his average to .412. Since the streak snapped, he’s hit a slump, but his .298 average is still good for third on the club.

West Michigan Whitecaps

It was an up-and-down week for the Whitecaps, who had both a three-game winning streak and three-game losing streak. They currently sit at 12-6, a half game behind Lansing (Toronto) in the Midwest League Eastern Division.

The big news of the week for West Michigan was the 2018 debut of Matt Manning. One of the top young arms in the system, Manning started the year on the DL.

Manning’s first outing of 2018 was a mixed bag. The first nine outs the 20-year old recorded were strikeouts, and 10 of his 11 outs were K’s.

In the fourth, things started to unravel. With one out, he gave up a single and a walk. After picking up his 10th strikeout, he loaded the bases with another walk, then gave up a two-run single which ended his night. For the evening, Manning threw 69 pitches, 43 of them (62 percent) for strikes.

The former first rounder took the hill again for West Michigan on Thursday afternoon. Again, he had mixed results. On one hand, Manning did not allow a hit, and struck out six in four innings.

On the other hand, he walked five, and threw just 55 percent of his 86 pitches for strikes. Walks were an issue at times last year for Manning, who posted 4.4 BB/9 in his two stops in 2017. Hopefully, as Manning gets comfortable again following the injury, he starts to pound the strike zone more.

The Offense

As seems to be the case with many of the Detroit Tigers affiliates, the offense has been a work in progress for West Michigan. Only two Whitecaps are hitting above .250 thus far, shortstop Cole Peterson, and outfielder Luke Burch.

The Whitecaps took their offensive struggles to a new low on Wednesday, as they were no-hit in game one of a doubleheader against Lake County (Cleveland).

Outside of Peterson, whose hot hitting we’ve detailed in each of the first two weeks, the lone bright spot has been Burch.

A ninth round pick last year out of Kent State, Burch leads West Michigan with 11 RBIs. He drove in multiple runs in four straight from April 19-22, including a career-high three on April 21. Hopefully, the rest of the Whitecaps bats warm up with the weather to keep the team in contention.

Next: Top 10 Tigers Shortstops of All-Time

That’s it for week three of the Minor League Report. Make sure to check back each Friday for the latest news and happenings from around the Detroit Tigers system.