Detroit Tigers: Projecting the 2022 Erie SeaWolves Lineup

Continuing our roster-projection for the Detroit Tigers affiliates.

For the past few weeks we’ve been projecting the rosters for each of the Detroit Tigers’ four full-season minor-league affiliates. Rogelio has been handling the pitching, while I’ve been projecting the lineups. Today we turn our attention the Erie SeaWolves, Detroit’s Double-A affiliate.

Last year the SeaWolves began the season with 12 position players, so we’ll use that as our goal for today. Once again we’ll split the list into three groups — Catcher, Infield, and Outfield — and then offer some background information on each player.

Detroit Tigers: West Michigan Catcher Projections (2)

• Dillon Dingler – The Tigers used their top pick on day two of the 2020 MLB Draft on Dingler, and it didn’t take him long to look like a first-round talent. He joined Spencer Torkelson at “Summer Camp” after the draft, and then he and Tork began their pro career with the West Michigan Whitecaps in 2021. Dingler homered in his second pro game and dominated on both sides of the ball for six weeks in High-A, finishing his time there with .925 OPS. He continued to perform for his fist two weeks in Erie, but then his offensive production collapsed, and he suffered a hand injury. He’ll return to the SeaWolves to try to recapture than early success.
• Jon Rosoff – Dingler is the priority here, so whomever ends up as the backup will be something of a caddie for him. The Tigers have a few other options — Cole MacLaren, Brady Policelli, and Chris Proctor, to name a few — but Rosoff is the only one of these catchers who came to the minor-league mini camp. A four-year starter at Army, Rosoff doesn’t offer much in the way of power, but he battles through at-bats, and most importantly, the organization seems to value his defense and intangibles.