The odds of a delayed 2022 MLB season are growing stronger, but images of Detroit Tigers minor leaguers in action have begun leaking out of spring training camp.
MLive’s Evan Woodbery tweeted out the roster for Detroit’s minor-league mini-camp on Wednesday morning (it’s fairly close to our depth chart projections), and various beat writers began reporting from Lakeland.
Later in the day Chris McCosky of the Detroit News shared photos of a new blue wall for weighted ball practice, while Evan Petzold of the Detroit Free Press offered glimpses of a few pitching prospects in attendance, as well as a look at former top prospect Franklin Perez.
Franklin Perez isn’t part of minicamp, but he’s in Lakeland rehabbing. He underwent right shoulder surgery in May. #Tigers pic.twitter.com/oLlyXbYE0T
— Evan Petzold (@EvanPetzold) February 16, 2022
Thursday’s camp action brought video, with Petzold posting bullpen footage of Beau Brieske, minor-league Rule 5 addition Nick Kuzia, and reliever Will Vest:
Beau Brieske, Nick Kuzia and Will Vest throwing bullpens.
— Evan Petzold (@EvanPetzold) February 17, 2022
Last season, Brieske had a 3.12 ERA with 23 walks and 116 strikeouts in 106.2 innings for High-A West Michigan (13 starts) and Double-A Erie (eight starts). #Tigers pic.twitter.com/SoUNMrTqCt
Petzold also gave fans some batting practice footage of Detroit’s top catching prospect Dillon Dingler…
#Tigers catcher Dillon Dingler. He is the team’s No. 4 prospect, per @MLBPipeline. pic.twitter.com/MXs6U0t56n
— Evan Petzold (@EvanPetzold) February 17, 2022
…and video of that new blue wall in use.
Ty Madden, Jackson Jobe and Garrett Hill using weighted balls. #Tigers pic.twitter.com/bE8VC5vTfI
— Evan Petzold (@EvanPetzold) February 17, 2022
Top Detroit Tigers Draft Picks on Display
Undoubtedly the biggest highlights from Thursdays video drops were the glimpses of Jackson Jobe and Ty Madden, the club’s top two picks from the 2022 draft, pitching in Detroit Tigers uniforms for the first time.
The Detroit Tigers Player Development Twitter account offered a few nice photos of the duo:
.@jacksonwjobe and @tymadden32 look good in the Olde English D! pic.twitter.com/Hub8rp8WJR
— Detroit Tigers Player Development (@RoadtoDetroit) February 17, 2022
While McCosky shared footage of, Jobe, Madden, and Garrett Hill pitching next to one another.
Tigers prospects Ty Madden and Jackson Jobe pic.twitter.com/WOvoXnxwr9
— Chris McCosky (@cmccosky) February 17, 2022
But it was Petzold who won the day, at least from a multimedia perspective, with videos of Jobe and Madden warming up together…
Jackson Jobe and Ty Madden seem like good friends. Bullpens coming up next. #Tigers pic.twitter.com/qsdeg14phy
— Evan Petzold (@EvanPetzold) February 17, 2022
…as well as multiple angles of Jackson Jobe’s bullpen session. This first video shows Jobe from behind the pitcher’s mound, with plenty of Detroit Tigers brass watching.
Here’s some of Jackson Jobe’s bullpen.
— Evan Petzold (@EvanPetzold) February 17, 2022
Watching closely: Al Avila, Sam Menzin, AJ Hinch, Chris Fetter, Gabe Ribas and Alan Trammell, among others. #Tigers pic.twitter.com/9cg9AQiTgC
But it’s this shorter video, taken from behind catcher Eliezer Alfonzo, that seems to have Tigers fans buzzing the most, as it offers a glimpse of Jobe’s dastardly slider.
Jackson Jobe. #Tigers pic.twitter.com/0bK00zqnyo
— Evan Petzold (@EvanPetzold) February 17, 2022
The minor league camp will continue with more bullpens over the weekend, and then pitchers will get to face live hitters beginning next week.