Projecting the Detroit Tigers affiliate Triple-A Toledo rotation

Our last reminding starting pitching rotation is the Detroit Tigers Triple-A affiliate, the Toledo Mud Hens.

After stops in Lakeland, West Michigan, and Erie, we arrive at the final stop on the road to Detroit, the Detroit Tigers Triple-A team, the Toledo Mud Hens.

Toledo is coming off a successful 2021 season in which they won the first ever Triple-A East Midwest Division crown. This was rather an impressive feat for two reasons.

1. Early season injuries to the Tigers rotation, which forced a shuttle back and forth between Toledo and Erie.
2. Two different types of baseballs were in play during the season. Early on, it was the major league baseball and the pre-tacked balls during the final 10 games.

Besides Matt Manning, the Tigers got contributions from two veterans who spent some time down in Toledo in the form of starters Drew Hutchison and Wily Peralta. This season, the rotation will look a little more homegrown.

This first projection is based on what the Tigers could do after the lockout is over. It has been reported that they are looking for another starting pitcher so there could be an odd-man out. But mostly, this rotation should have some familiar names that fans should be familiar with.

As I said in the previous articles, this is just an educated guess, based on the how the rest of the farm system is shaping up.

1. Beau Brieske
2. Joey Wentz
3. Rony Garcia
4. Logan Shore
5. A.J Ladwig

Alex Faedo should see in the rotation and when Paul Richan returns, should be projected for him to land in Toledo. Brieske rose quickly through the system last season and he could start the season in Erie with Hill but if injuries happen again, Brieske would be just a short call away and could be added to the 40-man roster after the lockout is over.

As far as Wentz goes, Triple-A would be a new challenge for the left-hander. The Tigers watched his innings carefully after surgery so he could see more work this season. Garcia long term could be a long reliever but he only threw less than 30 innings last season after he hit the IL with a knee injury.

Shore is the only starter of this projection to return as Ladwig spent all of last season in Erie.  Similar to Erie, the Mud Hens will have some good starters for fans to check out during the season under new manager Lloyd McClendon.