Detroit Tigers: Three Players who will make a difference in September

Detroit Tigers fans can look forward to seeing some of their prospects make their big league debut this month. Here are three that will make an impact.

The Detroit Tigers dropped to 55-83 with Monday’s loss to the White Sox. That brings their winning percentage to .399 on the year. It’s pretty obvious this team is not contending for anything this season – which can make it hard for fans to stay engaged.

However, soon the Detroit Tigers will take advantage of September’s roster expansion rules and will bring up talented prospects to give them their first taste of the majors. With Triple-A Toledo clinching a playoff berth, the team may be waiting that out before making moves.

Once they do, there will be plenty of intrigue for the last month of the season.

Here are three players who are likely to be recalled who Tigers fans should be watching closely. These players will be auditioning for permanent roles on next year’s squad, and their performance this month could go a long way toward helping make that a reality.

Zac Houston

It’s not the sexiest thing to be excited about the promotion of a reliever who was drafted in the 11th round, but Houston has been electric this season and deserves a shot at the Tigers bullpen.

Houston, an 11th round pick in the 2016 Draft out of Mississippi State, has been a strikeout machine this season. He began the year in Double-A Erie, tossing 17 1/3 innings and posting a 25/9 K/BB ratio and a 2.60 ERA.

His numbers have been even better since he got to Toledo, where he has posted a 1.18 ERA with 55 strikeouts in just 38.0 innings of work – good for a 13.03 K/9.

The six-foot-five, 220 pound Houston has a huge frame and a fastball that sits in the mid-90’s and can reach 98. He is a two-pitch pitcher, with a slurvey slider complimenting his heater.

Houston has clearly done more than enough to merit an opportunity to pitch in the Detroit Tigers bullpen. Control is still a concern, with a 3.79 BB/9 and a tendency to plunk hitters when he’s trying to back them off the plate. His strikeout numbers will likely come down in the show, but his funky delivery and solid two-pitch mix should make him a viable bullpen option for the time being.

Plus, Detroit’s bullpen could use reinforcements. Bad. If Houston struggles, he is still unlikely to be worse than many of the options that have labored in the big leagues all season.

Matt Hall

The Detroit Tigers have jerked Matt Hall around a bit, moving him from the rotation to the bullpen and back to the rotation this season. Many thought he would get the call when Blaine Hardy went on the DL, but the team instead went with fellow left-hander Ryan Carpenter.

However, it’s clear Hall is ready to face major league hitters. Through 10 starts at Toledo, Hall has a 2.67 ERA , a 1.15 WHIP and a 9.26 K/9. His future is likely as a back-end of the rotation starter, but he might be approaching that ceiling in the next year or two.

Hall is not on the 40-man roster, which will require an additional move if they want to promote him. They could easily add John Hicks, who is out for the season, to the 60-day DL which would free up a spot.

Ultimately, Hall needs to get a chance this season to pitch out of Detroit’s rotation. It’s a rebuilding season, and therefore Detroit’s prospects should be getting looks as soon as they are ready. Carpenter is not a viable big league pitcher, and his future is virtually non-existent.

Hall has a chance to stick in a big league rotation, and it doesn’t do the Tigers any good to roll with Carpenter for the rest of the season when Hall has proven himself ready to take on big league hitters.

The Detroit Tigers have an opportunity to expose their fans to some of the talent that has been sitting in the minor leagues for many years. While the rebuild is still in its infancy, getting a look at the players who will help turn this thing around is always fun, and should make September much more interesting.