Detroit Tigers Minor League Report: Week 4

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 season is roughly one month old for the Detroit Tigers affiliates. Whose stock is on the rise, and who is ready to forget a tough month? It’s week four of the Detroit Tigers Minor League Report.

Toledo Mud Hens

After a 3-4 week, the Mud Hens continue to lead the International League West Division. Their 16-9 mark is also good for the best record in the entire 14-team International League.

Last week, we touched on Blaine Hardy and his dominance so far in 2018 as a starter. The lefty kept on rolling in his most recent outing, allowing one run on five hits in seven innings, while fanning 10.

The 10 strikeouts were a career-high for Hardy, who now has struck out 30 in 24.1 innings (11.1 K/9). His last two starts earned him the International League Pitcher of the Week Award for the week of April 23-29. Hardy is the first member of the Detroit Tigers organization to win a Pitcher/Player of the Week Award in 2018.

As Andy Patton argued earlier this week, Hardy deserves another chance to help a mediocre Tigers bullpen. There is still an open spot on the 40-man roster, meaning Hardy could be added without the need for a corresponding move. His combination of domination this season and past major league success should make this move a no-brainer.

Former First Rounder Shining

Another pitcher who has come out of the gates strong is righty Kevin Comer. A former first round pick of the Blue Jays, Comer was the final piece of a 10-player trade between Toronto and Houston in 2012.

Comer had been with the Astros ever since, until signing as a minor league free agent with Detroit this offseason. In nine appearances for the Mud Hens, Comer has posted a 1.98 ERA, .180 opponents’ batting average, and 10.5 K/9.

The last few weeks he’s been especially hot, having gone six straight outings without allowing a run. During this six-outing stretch, Comer has pitched nine innings, yielded four hits, and struck out 15.

Hot Hens Bats

Last week, we noted Christin Stewart had a four-hit game, hoping it was a sign he was heating up. It now appears that’s exactly what it was, as Stewart is currently riding an eight-game hitting streak.

During the streak, Stewart is 15-for-30 (.500) with four doubles, a triple, three homers and 10 RBIs. His average now sits at .306, once again showing the potential to be a key piece of the Detroit Tigers offensive future.

Joining Stewart with great weeks at the plate were Chad Huffman and Jim Aducci. Huffman has hit safely in 14 of 16 games, and is now hitting .345 for the year, which is tops in the organization.

Aducci boasts an 11-game hitting streak, and has been a big run-producer for Toledo. Through 21 games, Aducci has driven in an International League-leading 19 runs to go with his .309 average.

Lakeland Flying Tigers

The Flying Tigers went 3-3 for the week, bringing their season mark to 12-15. They are currently five games out of first place in the Florida State League North Division.

Each week, we’ve been chronicling the starts of last year’s Detroit Tigers first round pick, Alex Faedo. Faedo was solid again this week, although he did have his first bit of trouble with walks.

Faedo walked three, having walked just one total in his first four outings. There doesn’t seem to be much cause for concern however, as the righty still threw more than two-thirds of his 94 pitches for strikes.

He also surrendered just three hits and one earned run over six innings, while striking out four. Through five starts, Faedo now owns a 2.48 ERA, 0.76 WHIP, and .175 opponents’ batting average.

Blaine Hardy wasn’t the only Detroit Tigers farmhand to record double-digit strikeouts in the last week. Lefty Austin Sodders struck out 10 in five innings on Tuesday against Clearwater (Philadelphia).

Sodders was a seventh round pick of the Tigers in 2016 out of UC Riverside. The southpaw entered 2018 with a 1.92 ERA over the course of his first two minor league seasons. It’s been an up-and-down start to the campaign for Sodders, but a 10-strikeout performance shows he’s more than capable of making some noise in the system.

The Offense

After a little bit of a slow start, Daz Cameron’s bat has started to heat up. Cameron has hit safely in 13 of his last 14 games, raising his average to .283. Cameron has also shown a good power stroke with eight doubles thus far, one shy of the Florida State League lead.

When the Detroit Tigers acquired the toolsy outfielder, they knew what they were getting in terms of defense and speed. It’s good to see the improvement in power he showed last year has stuck around, too.

West Michigan Whitecaps

A 3-5 week for the Whitecaps saw the club’s record to slip to 15-11. West Michigan is now tied for second in the Midwest League Eastern division, two and a half games out of first place.

Last week, the big news for the Whitecaps was the return of Matt Manning from the disabled list. Manning made his third start Thursday night, and things did not go so well.

The 20-year old lasted just two innings, allowing five runs on seven hits, with four walks. Even the best pitchers in the world get hit sometimes, but the walks continue to be a concern.

Manning has now walked 12 in nine and two-thirds innings in his three starts for a rate of 11.1/9. That would be a phenomenal strikeout rate (which is even higher at 16.8/9), but it is a problem that needs to be fixed.

Elsewhere in the rotation, Garett King is continuing to rack up strikeouts at a high rate. Back in week two, we noted King already had a pair of eight-strikeout performances under his belt.

The Detroit Tigers 11th round pick from last year was at it again this week, fanning eight in six innings of work. Through four starts, King has 27 strikeouts in 22.1 innings, and owns a 3.22 ERA.

His numbers may be even better if he didn’t have a knack for giving up the long ball. In four starts, King has already surrendered four home runs.

King has been a fly ball pitcher this season, getting nearly two outs in the air for every ground out he’s recorded. Home runs can be a danger of being a fly ball pitcher, but if King keeps piling up the strikeouts the way he has, he should be just fine.

Return of Another High Pick

This week, last year’s second round pick Reynaldo Rivera made his 2018 debut for West Michigan. Rivera got his season started on the right foot, doubling twice in his first game.

The next day, Rivera collected two more hits, and launched his first homer of the year. His week slowed down a little after that, ending the week with a .226 average in eight games.

While the average may not be where he or the Detroit Tigers would like it yet, his power is a good sign. Of his seven hits, six went for extra-bases, with a pair of homers and four doubles. A hot and healthy Rivera would be a big boost to a Whitecaps offense that has been scuffling in the season’s first month.

Next: Who will be Detroit's new long reliever?

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