Detroit Tigers Minor League Report: Spencer Torkelson breaks out

The Detroit Tigers’ number one overall pick in the 2020 draft Spencer Torkelson broke out of an early-season slump and a veteran pitcher in Toledo makes his case for a bullpen spot on Detroit’s roster.

Triple-A: Toledo Mud Hens (2-3)

Wily Peralta, a minor league free agent who the Tigers signed in the off-season and last pitched with the Royals in 2019, had a strong three innings of work, allowing just a double in the first and striking out five. He had 70% first strike calls and was hitting the gun around 97-98 MPH. With the Tigers bullpen already being a bit of a carousel already, Peralta does have the ability to make appearances out of the bullpen, should Detroit decide to call him up.

The Mud Hens would lose 6 to 1 as veteran minor league free agent Adrelin Rodriguez went 2-for-4 with a home run.  Today’s game has been postponed due to rain.

Double-A: Erie SeaWolves (3-2)

The SeaWolves lost 6-4 to Reading last night. Jacob Robson went 2-for-3 with a double and a pair of walks. First baseman Drew Ward, signed in the off-season from the Nationals, had a home run, and Max Green, continuing his hot start out of the bullpen, fanned five in two innings of work, allowing two hits and a run.

A highlight from last night defensively was Ryan Kreidler showing off his defensive range on this throw.

The SeaWolves wrapped it up this afternoon at 2:15.

High-A: West Michigan Whitecaps (2-3)

As Dan Hasty, the voice of the Whitecaps pointed out yesterday, the Whitecaps’s 16 runs were the most since 2004. Every Whitecap in the lineup had a hit and scored the most runs among all the affiliates. Spencer Torkelson went 2-for-3 with a double and a walk and drove in three.

Dillon Dingler added his second home run of the season and Andre Lipcius continued his good start to the season, going 3-for-6 with a triple and a pair of RBIs.

There is rain in today’s forecast down in Fort Wayne as the Whitecaps look to draw even to start the season. The game is at 1:05 with Dan Hasty on the call.

Low-A: Lakeland Flying Tigers (2-3)

Joesph Salazar and Austin Bergner provided the best pitching performances among the affiliates in the 4-to-3 loss to Clearwater. Salazar went five innings, allowing just one hit and striking out five, and Bergner followed with three innings of work with four strikeouts, allowing just one hit.

Gabriel Sequeira had a rough 9th inning, allowing all four runs. Offense-wise, second baseman Wencell Perez went 2-for-4 and Nick Quintana went 1-for-3 and had a pair of walks. On the season, he has 9 walks in 16 at-bats so far on the young season.

The Flying Tigers get underway at noon.