Detroit Tigers: 15 players who could go to the Arizona Fall League

Detroit Tigers Arizona Fall League Options: Top Prospects

Riley Greene

2021 Stats

Odds of going to the Arizona Fall League: 10%

Riley Greene has had a spectacular season in which he turned himself into a consensus top-10 prospect in baseball. He has only missed a handful of games this year, though, and he still has 10 more to play in Toledo, so it seems likely the club will let him rest in the offseason.

Spencer Torkelson

2021 Stats

Odds of going to the Arizona Fall League: 20%

Like Greene, Spencer Torkelson has had an outstanding season and is deserving of some time off. We’re putting his percentage slightly higher than Greene just because he has found Triple-A slightly more challenging, and because he went to school in Tempe. He might be slightly more inclined to return to his old stomping grounds, and it would certainly result in a lot of local excitement for the AFL.

Gage Workman

2021 Stats

Odds of going to the Arizona Fall League: 30%

Gage Workman is another player who saw a full season of action and deserves some time off, but, like Torkelson, he went to school at Arizona State. Unlike Tork, Workman is actually from the area, so it may be a real trip home for him. We’re keeping this one lower because the competition may be a bit stiff for Workman, who struggled for a bit at the High-A level before turning things around in the final month of the season.

Colt Keith

2021 Stats

Odds of going to the Arizona Fall League: 5%

Colt Keith did miss some time this year due to injury/illness, so he could potentially use some extra work, but sending him to the AFL would be exceptionally aggressive, and it could potentially harm his development. He struggled at High-A West Michigan this season, and that should be enough for him to know what he needs to improve for 2022.

Ryan Kreidler

2021 Stats

Odds of going to the Arizona Fall League: 50%

No Detroit Tigers minor league has raised his prospect profile more over the past season than Ryan Kreidler. He’s done it by performing, and seemingly improving after a promotion to Triple-A. Like all the players on this list he probably deserves a break, BUT, and we know fans don’t want to read this, it would behoove the Tigers to see Kreidler against top competition as much as possible to know if he has a chance to be their shortstop of the future.

Pitchers

At this point the Detroit Tigers don’t have many highly ranked pitching prospects. Alex Faedo and Alex Lange are both ineligible because they are on the 40-man roster, and they’re in different stages of recovery from Tommy John surgery anyway. Jackson Jobe hasn’t thrown a professional pitch yet, while Ty Madden and Dylan Smith both completed long college seasons, and neither has thrown a competitive pitch in months.

Detroit Tigers Arizona Fall League Options: Injured Players

Dillon Dingler

2021 Stats

Odds of going to the Arizona Fall League: 50%

Dillon Dingler looked like a top-100 prospect for the first few months of the season. He was excellent in High-A, and then got off to a fantastic start with Double-A Erie, only to slam into the wall. Then he missed several weeks with a broken hand, and he never really got back on track. Catching is incredibly grueling, and from the outside Dingler just looked exhausted, but learning to play through that is part of the gig. It certainly wouldn’t hurt him to get some more at-bats against quality pitching, but even more important, he needs to get behind the plate and catch some future big-league arms, because he didn’t get many chances to do that this year.

Cooper Johnson

2021 Stats

Odds of going to the Arizona Fall League: 50%

Cooper Johnson’s offensive numbers are ugly, there’s no denying that, but he remains a terrific defensive catcher with all the tools to be a big-league backup. If Dingler heads to Arizona then it’s highly unlikely Johnson goes, too, but it’s always tough to find catchers for the AFL. And like Dingler, Johnson could use some practice catching top arms.

Kody Clemens

2021 Stats

Odds of going to the Arizona Fall League: 80%

Kody Clemens seems to fit all the criteria of an AFL invitee. He missed time at the beginning of the season, and depending on your opinion, he’s either a legitimate part of the future who could use a bit more seasoning before being added to the 40-man roster, or he’s a fringe prospect looking to establish himself as a potential trade target for other clubs.

Nick Quintana

2021 Stats

Odds of going to the Arizona Fall League: 40%

It’s getting late early for Detroit’s 2nd rounder from 2019. Quintana battled nagging injuries for much of the 2021 season, but he’s never really performed in pro ball. He went to college at the University of Arizona, so perhaps the team thinks a return to the desert might kickstart his career.

Logan Shore

2021 Stats

Odds of going to the Arizona Fall League: 60%

As mentioned on page one, teams each need to send four pitchers to the AFL, and there’s always a premium on arms who can go multiple innings. Logan Shore turns 27 in late December and probably isn’t a part of the future for the Detroit Tigers, but he could theoretically be an emergency swingman, he didn’t work a full slate this season, and he’s been to the AFL before, back in 2017.

Garrett Hill

2021 Stats

Odds of going to the Arizona Fall League: 60%

Hill fits a lot of the same criteria Shore does, though he’s one year younger and hasn’t pitched much at the higher levels yet. But he had a strong season, can probably handle another 20-30 innings, and deserves a chance to prove himself against better competition.

Detroit Tigers Arizona Fall League Options: Fringe Prospects

Eric De La Rosa

2021 Stats

Odds of going to the Arizona Fall League: 50%

The Detroit Tigers thought enough of Eric De La Rosa to draft him in the 7th round in 2018, but his pro debut that year was rough (.605 OPS), and his 2019 season was even worse (.435 OPS at short-season Connecticut). The 24-year-old outfielder had a remarkable turnaround this year, though, hitting his way to Double-A Erie. De La Rosa is a lithe, plus athlete with good bat speed, better foot speed, and enough pop to keep pitchers honest. He likely tops out as an emergency outfielder, but the Tigers may want to be sure by sending him to Arizona to face quality pitching and work on his defense.

Andrew Navigato

2021 Stats

Odds of going to the Arizona Fall League: 30%

Andrew Navigato probably isn’t a big-leaguer. The Tigers took him in the 20th round in 2019 out of Oklahoma State, and he seems like a good org soldier. But, he offered solid offensive production this year while moving across three levels, and he played at least 20 games at four different positions. That sort of versatility is coveted on AFL rosters, and it’s a nice reward for a kid who had a strong season.

Austin Bergner

2021 Stats

Odds of going to the Arizona Fall League: 50%

Austin Bergner began the year in Low-A Lakeland and showed some promise, but it wasn’t until he was promoted to West Michigan and moved to the rotation (out of necessity) that he really took off. Bergner went 4-0 with a 2.90 ERA with the Whitecaps, but he still figures to be a reliever if he makes it to the Majors. The AFL will give him a good chance to work in that role again against more advanced hitters.

Brendan White

2021 Stats

Odds of going to the Arizona Fall League: 40%

White’s 2021 story is similar to Bergner’s, in that he began the season in the bullpen before moving to the West Michigan rotation out of need. He’s a sinker/slider pitcher with terrific spin rates on his offerings, but, Like Bergner, he probably fits best as a reliever. He has already topped 100 innings this year, so the club may shut him down for the year, but he might be able to handle another 10-15 frames as a reliever.