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.

Christin Stewart

It’s been a bit of a streaky season for Stewart down in Toledo, but at the end of the day the skills that he needed to improve upon in order to get his big league call-up are skills he has improved.

He is currently sporting a 12.8% walk rate and a 20.8% strikeout rate, which are better ratios than he posted in either of the last two years at Double-A. It’s clear Stewart has made it a priority to draw more walks and cut down on his strikeouts, and he has done so without sacrificing any of his power. He has hit 25 home runs this season, after blasting 28 and 30 in the last two seasons.

Of course, Stewart’s defense is still a question mark. He has played 96 games in left field this year, with 12 starts in right field as well. The Tigers are hurting in left field, with five different players combining for a .208/.264/.345 slash line and a 61 OPS+. They haven’t fared much better at DH, with a .246/.291/.368 line.

Stewart may still be a little raw, but it’s clear the Tigers are ready for his improved approach at the plate and the tantalizing raw power. He should get every opportunity to start in left field going forward this season, with a good chance to win the job outright next 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.