Detroit Tigers: Matt Manning Shines in Lakeland Debut

Erie SeaWolves

The SeaWolves posted a 4-3 mark for the week, bringing their season record to 40-44. Erie currently sits in fifth place in the Eastern League’s Western Division.

Four SeaWolves Named All-Stars

The Eastern League announced the rosters for their 2018 All-Star Game this week, and four SeaWolves were named to the squad. The four spots were claimed by Beau Burrows, Kyle Funkhouser, Will Maddox, and Jake Robson.

A former first rounder, Burrows earned a Mid-Season All-Star nod for the second straight year, having been named a Florida State League All-Star last year with Lakeland. Through 16 starts, Burrows sports a 3.83 ERA, and has held opponents to a .228 batting average. Burrows also claimed an Eastern League Pitcher of the Week award back in May.

The other member of the rotation heading to the All-Star Game is Kyle Funkhouser. The former Louisville Cardinal owns a 3.36 ERA through 16 starts, earning him a spot just inside the Eastern League’s top-10. The right-hander has taken things to another level in his last 10 starts. In those outings, Funkhouser yielded more than two earned runs once, while shutting out the opponent three times.

Will Maddox collected his second Mid-Season All-Star selection, having been selected as a Midwest League All-Star while with West Michigan in 2016. The infielder’s .303 average places him in the top-10 in the league, and leads Erie among players with at least 100 plate appearances.

Jake Robson also earned his second All-Star selection. The Eastern League replaced him, however, as the Tigers recently promoted him to Toledo. While with Erie, Robson led the club in runs, hits, doubles, walks, total bases, and steals.

The promotion has not slowed him down. Since joining the Mud Hens, Robson owns a .462 average, has hit safely in all seven games, and belted three home runs. He’s also scored 11 times, driven in eight runs, and swiped three bases. Not bad for a first taste of Triple-A.

Replacing Robson

A few days after the announcement, the Eastern League replaced Robson with Danny Woodrow. Woodrow collects his second straight Mid-Season All-Star nod, after earning a selection with West Michigan last year.

After a brief stop in Lakeland to start his campaign, the Tigers quickly elevated Woodrow to Erie. In 43 games for the SeaWolves, Woodrow owns a .299 batting average. He celebrated with a four-hit, three-RBI performance Thursday night, which also included his first professional home run.

Lakeland Flying Tigers

Lakeland broke even with a 3-3 week. The Flying Tigers lead the second half standings in the Florida State League North at 9-3. Their overall records stands at 45-37.

Manning’s Masterful Debut

Matt Manning made his first start since earning a promotion to Lakeland this week. The former first rounder tossed five shutout frames, yielded one hit, one walk, and struck out nine.

Manning posted a 3.40 ERA in 11 starts for West Michigan prior to his promotion, but seems to have taken things to the next level as of late. In his last three starts, he’s allowed one run on 12 hits over 19.0 innings. The righty is throwing more strikes too, having walked three, while collecting 25 strikeouts.

Watkins Snags Weekly Award

Spenser Watkins picked up the seventh Pitcher of the Week award for a Detroit Tigers minor leaguer in 2018 this week. Watkins earned the honor for an outing in which he tossed a seven-inning one-hit shutout on June 27, and came within two outs of a no-hitter.

The righty followed that up with another quality start this week. Watkins gave up two runs on four hits over six innings on Tuesday, adding four strikeouts. His 1.67 ERA leads the Florida State League, sitting nearly a full run lower than the next closest qualifier. Watkins joins former Flying Tiger Alex Faedo as the two Lakeland pitchers to pick up a Pitcher of the Week award in 2018.

All-Star Sittinger Heads South

Midwest League All-Star Brandyn Sittinger also debuted for Lakeland this week, making a pair of relief appearances. In his debut last Friday, the righty fanned the only batter he faced. Two days later, he struck out three and did not surrender a hit over three scoreless frames.

Sittinger struggles with walks at times, but the strikeouts have always been there during his minor league career. This season, he struck out nearly 12 batters per nine innings with West Michigan, but was walking more than five. For his career, Sittinger’s strikeout rate is 11.4/9, and his walk rate is 4.3/9.

Montgomery Hits the DL

Troy Montgomery started the season in Erie, but his struggles resulted in a demotion to Lakeland. For several weeks, the speedy outfielder continued to draw walks, but his average remained low.

Finally, Montgomery seemed to find his stroke again, collecting four multi-hit efforts in the span of a week. However, he left Monday’s game with an injury, and landed on the disabled list. Hopefully it’s a short stint on the DL for Montgomery, and he can pick up where he left off before the injury.

West Michigan Whitecaps

The Whitecaps snapped a five-game losing skid earlier in the week, and are currently riding a three-game winning streak. West Michigan’s 8-7 second half record has them in a tie for fourth in the Midwest League Eastern Division. Their overall record stands at 44-41.

Hernandez Promoted

Like Troy Montgomery, Wilkel Hernandez came over from the Angels in the Ian Kinsler trade. Hernandez began his year with Connecticut, making a pair of starts before joining the Whitecaps.

The 19-year old made his debut for West Michigan this week, starting on Monday. Hernandez lasted three and two-thirds, surrendering two runs on five hits, walking five, and striking out one. The five free passes marked a career-high for Hernandez, another high-strikeout, high-walk arm in a Detroit Tigers system seemingly full of them.

Bass Bounces Back

After yielding five earned runs in back-to-back outings, Brad Bass responded with a strong outing this week. Last year’s seventh rounder gave up one run over seven innings, adding seven strikeouts without issuing a free pass.

After a solid pro debut for Connecticut in 2017, Bass has been up and down this year. Through 12 starts, he owns a 5.17 ERA, and opponents are hitting .292 against him. In five of his starts, he’s allowed two earned runs or fewer. Bass has also given up five earned runs or more in four of his outings. The Tigers hope the former Notre Dame righty can find some more consistency over the season’s final few months.

Deatherage Destruction Continues

A few weeks back, Brock Deatherage blasted his way into Detroit Tigers fans’ consciousness. After a two-game stint with Tigers West in the GCL, he jumped up to West Michigan.

Since the promotion, Deatherage has continued to wreck opposing pitching. In 12 games for the Whitecaps, this year’s 10th round pick boasts a .372 average, and has added 11 runs, six extra-base hits, and six steals in seven attempts. Granted it’s a small sample size, but in 14 pro games Deatherage has posted an incredible .404/.467/.846 slash line.

Clemens Debuts

Another 2018 selection made his pro debut this week, as third rounder Kody Clemens joined West Michigan. It’s been a slower start for Clemens, who went hitless in his first eight at-bats.

He broke out on Wednesday, launching his first two professional home runs. Clemens’ average stands at .174 through six games. A candidate for the Detroit Tigers second baseman of the future, his development will be a very interesting case to follow over the next few years.

Connecticut Tigers

Connecticut turned in a 5-2 week, bringing their record to 8-12. The Tigers remain in last place in the New York-Penn League Stedler Division.

Arriera Racks Up the K’s

Gio Arriera collected a boatload of strikeouts in his two starts this week. Last year’s fourth rounder started by striking out eight in five and two-thirds scoreless frames on Friday. He followed that up Wednesday by fanning a career-high 12 in a career-high seven innings.

The righty has recorded at least five strikeouts in each of his first four outings this season for Connecticut. In 22.1 innings, he’s fanned 31, for a rate of 12.5 K/9. Arriera racked up plenty of strikeouts in 2017, too. Pitching for Tigers West in the GCL, he punched out 28 in 27.1 innings, for a rate of 9.2/9.

GCL Tigers

Both of the Detroit Tigers Gulf Coast League affiliates sit in first place ties in their respective divisions. Tigers East turned in a 3-2 week to tie for the top spot in the Northeast Division at 8-6. Tigers West won three of four and had a pair of games rained out. They co-lead the Northwest Division at 8-4.

Perez Continues Rehab

Tigers top prospect Franklin Perez continued his rehab assignment with Tigers East this week, making a pair of starts. Perez began the week with three perfect innings against Tigers West, which included a pair of strikeouts.

The second start did not go quite as well. Again Perez tossed three innings, this time allowing three runs on a pair of hits, one hit batter, and a strikeout. Through three rehab outings, the righty sports a 4.50 ERA, 0.38 WHIP, and opponents batting average of .120.

West No-Hits East

In the first of Perez’s two rehab starts, his team was no-hit by a duo from Tigers West. Lefty Alfredo Silva tossed the first six frames, walking three and fanning seven. Righty Angel Reyes finished off the no-hitter with a perfect seventh.

The no-no is the first thrown by a Detroit Tigers affiliate in 2018. It also marks the second time a Tigers affiliate has been no-hit this year. Lake County (Cleveland) held West Michigan hitless back on April 25.

Next: Tigers Midseason Awards

That’ll do it for another week of the Detroit Tigers Minor League Report. Make sure to check back each Friday for the latest news and updates from around the organization.