Detroit Tigers: 5 Double-A Erie prospects who should be promoted

The Double-A affiliates of the Detroit Tigers, the Erie SeaWolves, are sitting pretty with a 20-10 win-loss record and just a mere 2.5 games behind Baltimore’s Double-A affiliate, the Bowie Baysox; and there is a lot of talent worthy of a promotion to Triple-A Toledo.

The Erie SeaWolves are a veteran team this season with a mix of minor league free agents and intriguing new prospects on the roster.

Our number one prospect on the Motor City Bengals Top 20 list, Riley Greene, is off to a good start and so is Andre Lipcius, who has homered in two straight games since his call up from the West Michigan Whitecaps.

While many of the guys on this list are certainly worthy of a promotion in their current state, the minor leagues have a process that has to be followed and many of these guys may not get the call-up until later this season.

Erie has been a grooming spot for some of the next Detroit stars with the recent emergence of guys like Casey Mize, Tarik Skubal, and Derek Hill; and some of these guys could be the next batch of talent in the show. Let’s take a look at five Double-A Erie players who are worthy of a promotion.

Detroit Tigers prospect to promote no 1: Ethan DeCaster

When you think of some of the pitchers the Detroit Tigers have littered throughout their minor league system, one of the first names you think of probably isn’t relief pitcher Ethan DeCaster, but he is certainly having a season worthy of that type of attention. DeCaster came to the Detroit Tigers as an 18th round selection in the 2018 MLB Draft, but has certainly exceeded expectations this season.

Back in 2019, Ethan DeCaster was a frequent flier to Triple-A Toledo, as he was optioned to the highest level of the minors four times that season. DeCaster has all the tools you look for in a bullpen arm; a low WHIP, a dominant approach, and an ERA without a blemish. DeCaster, in Double-A Erie this season, has posted a 0.00 ERA through 12.2 innings pitched while posing 16 strikeouts and a WHIP of just 0.95.

Ethan DeCaster may not be the biggest name in the Tigers’ minor league from the bullpen, but he is certainly a guy worth some consideration for a call-up to Triple-A Toledo. DeCaster has the tools to be a good bullpen arm that could benefit the big league ball club later in the season if need be.

Detroit Tigers prospect to promote no 2:Elvin Rodriguez

The Double-A Erie SeaWolves have no shortage of arms on their roster, as they have one of the best pitching staffs in the entire league at the Double-A level. One of the very pleasant surprises this season has certainly been the sudden emergence of starting pitcher Elvin Rodriguez, a player the Tigers was able to trade for back in 2017.

Elvin Rodriguez, 23, has been a bright spot in Erie’s starting rotation and he is surely worthy of a call-up to Triple-A Toledo. Rodriguez has dominated his opposition this season, logging an electric 1.40 ERA while posting an undefeated 2-0 record with a WHIP of 0.78 and a K to walk ratio of 23 to 7.

Elvin Rodriguez is excellent at keeping baserunners in the dugout and keeping hits off the box score. Rodriguez has yet to play beyond the Double-A level, but that may not be the case in the near future if he continues to pitch with polish in Double-A Erie.

Detroit Tigers prospect to promote no 4: Riley Greene

Riley Greene, our number one overall prospect here at MCB, has been an electric player to watch thrive in Double-A Erie all season long. Greene, who recently propelled 13 spots in Baseball America’s prospects list to crack the top ten, has been flashy with the bat and the glove this season; which has caused him to turn heads.

Greene, this season, is hitting .267 with an on-base percentage of .365 for the Double-A Erie SeaWolves as well as accumulating 31 hits, 22 runs scored, 5 home runs, 21 RBI, 6 stolen bases, and four extra-base hits. Greene’s glove was an area of concern entering his second professional season, but he has washed those worries down the drain with several highlight-reel plays in center field.

Riley Greene is no stranger to promotion lists, and he could be in line for one soon. The Detroit Tigers may opt to keep Greene in the minors for a while longer just to be sure he can sustain his success, but they may give him a difficult increase in Triple-A Toledo before the season’s end.

Detroit Tigers prospect to promote no 5:Pedro Payano

Pedro Payano is one of the multiple pitchers on Erie’s roster with some experience in the big leagues, and if he continues to thrive in Double-A Erie he could surely work his way back up there in the near future. Pedro Payano, 26, was picked up by the Detroit Tigers prior to the season after he was released by the New York Mets; and it’s a signing that is already starting to mold into a good one for the Tigers.

Pedro Payano, a right-handed pitcher from New York City, has been electric in the Erie pitching staff this season. Payano has posted a notable 3.60 ERA to compliment his 2-1 record in just five starts. Payano also has a WHIP of just 1.04 and a K to walk ratio of 32:13 in 25 innings pitched this season.

Payano has already seen a small stint in Triple-A Toledo this season, but he could make an extended appearance if he continues to thrive. Pedro Payano may not be high up on the list of polarizing players in Detroit’s farm system, but he’s certainly worth a look as a Triple-A rotational piece in the near future.