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Detroit Tigers: 3 hitting prospects to be excited about beyond 2022

By Tyler Kotila |
Mar 22, 2022; Clearwater, Florida, USA; Members of the Detroit Tigers take batting practice before the start of the game against the Philadelphia Phillies during spring training at BayCare Ballpark. Mandatory Credit: Jonathan Dyer-USA TODAY Sports
Mar 22, 2022; Clearwater, Florida, USA; Members of the Detroit Tigers take batting practice before the start of the game against the Philadelphia Phillies during spring training at BayCare Ballpark. Mandatory Credit: Jonathan Dyer-USA TODAY Sports
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The Detroit Tigers have a few hitting prospects to be excited about.

The Detroit Tigers are continuing to knock games off the schedule before the 2022 season comes to an end. They made the big move to fire Al Avila back in August, leaving a lot of uncertainty moving forward.

There are many different options, and the Detroit Tigers will likely be sitting on this decision to make sure they make the right choice. While taking some time to decide could lead to a decision soon after the season, there is going to be some urgency to allow whoever they bring in to take inventory of the team and start making moves.

Facing the facts, the Tigers organization is not as deep as it once was, when there was a full crop of pitching prospects—especially in terms of hitting prospects. With Riley Greene and Spencer Torkelson making it to the big leagues, there are fewer options to be stoked about.

However, after adding in Jace Jung to this year’s draft, it brings a breath of fresh air in terms of new hitters to add to the organization. There are still some players to like, and the team’s new leadership will have to decide which pieces will see the end of the rebuild—the rebuild that Christopher Ilitch proclaimed was over when the 2022 season began.

Even if there are not as many exciting prospects as the Baltimore Orioles seem to keep churning out, there are players to be excited about.

Here are 3 Detroit Tigers’ hitting prospects to be excited about beyond 2022.

Detroit Tigers infield prospect Izaac Pacheco fields grounders during spring training.
Detroit Tigers infield prospect Izaac Pacheco fields grounders during spring training. /

The Detroit Tigers selecting Izaac Pacheco was an excellent investment.

In 2021, the Detroit Tigers opted to use their second-round selection on a prep shortstop out of Friendswood high school in Texas. Izaac Pacheco was viewed as one of the top prep bats in the draft class, behind the likes of Marcelo Mayer and Brady House, who were both first-rounders.

Pacheco has a larger 6-foot-4, 225-pound frame with strength that keeps developing. While he’s listed as a shortstop, this larger build makes me think he may wind up moving to the hot corner. Even with Ryan Kreidler killing it after making his debut, Pacheco is someone to keep in the back pocket as the future at third base.

He’s got plenty of excitement. The Tigers took him, knowing it would take time to get him in the weight room and polish the on-field tools. But there’s plenty to like with what he has to offer. He slashed .267/.342/.415 with 21 doubles and eight home runs over 330 at-bats with the Single-A Lakeland Flying Tigers.

He has since been promoted, which has led to a not-so-exciting performance. He’s slashed .185/.262/.333 over 54 at-bats with the High-A West Michigan Whitecaps. There’s plenty of room for improvement there, but the long game with Pacheco is still the winner.

After all, he’s just 19 years old, with room to keep improving. Playing the long game, he’s someone to be excited about beyond this season. He can bounce back next summer and be one of the organization’s better prospects.

Currently ranked as the eighth best prospect on the farm according to MLB Pipeline, Pacheco’s projectability should leave fans excited. The possibility of becoming a power-hitting corner infielder or even a shortstop with some pop is exciting.

Infielder Wenceel Perez warms up for practice during Detroit Tigers spring training.
Infielder Wenceel Perez warms up for practice during Detroit Tigers spring training. /

Wenceel Perez is another Detroit Tigers infielder to be excited about.

The Detroit Tigers signed Wenceel Perez back in 2016 as an international free agent. He was a scrawny and lanky middle infielder with a lot of raw talent. After five seasons with the organization, he has started to put all the pieces together.

He’s added third base to his resume and can slot in at any of the infield positions besides first base. In 2022, he has re-broken out and started to really settle in; even after a promotion, he continues to improve.

There is plenty to like about the toolsy infielder who has added polish. He’s a switch-hitter at the dish and has produced solid numbers at the Double-A level with the Erie SeaWolves. He’s moved away from shortstop, but there are still reasons to like him as he has re-established himself this summer.

He’s thickened up, growing into his body more, and looks like he has a shot to keep pushing towards the big leagues. He came up as a skinny shortstop who was a slap-hitter, finding open space and spraying the field to hustle out hits.

Nowadays, he’s grown into the frame and has learned to drive the ball more frequently, getting some loft under it and attacking the gaps. It’s helped him slash .307/.374/.540 with ten doubles, five triples, and five home runs over 150 at-bats with the SeaWolves.

This comes after he slashed .286/.364/.529 with 13 doubles, five triples, and nine home runs over 206 at-bats with the High-A West Michigan Whitecaps. He’s been able to improve all-around. As 2022 ends, he’s someone to watch moving forward.

Tigers prospects Cristian Santana, Manuel Sequera, and Roberto Campos wait to take batting practice.
Tigers prospects Cristian Santana, Manuel Sequera, and Roberto Campos wait to take batting practice. /

The Detroit Tigers are hoping to “hit” on Cristian Santana.

Oddly enough, the next Detroit Tigers hitting prospect on this list is related to Wenceel Perez. The two are cousins, and Cristian Santana has a ton of upside as one of the team’s international signings in January of the 2021 season.

The Tigers organization has plenty to be excited about with Santana. He is still just 18 years old and a primary shortstop. Like Perez, he can shift around to play second or third base if needed. The tool that speaks the loudest is his bat.

There is a ton of bat speed in the swing; it’s explosive and violent at its best. He’s got a big leg lift, getting the hands back as he starts to rotate through the swing. The hips rotate from a closed-off load; that’s where the explosivity is.

He’s got a good attack angle, getting an uphill path; when he matches planes, it produces some of those moonshots that have circulated on Twitter. Santana’s stats on paper may need some improvement, but he’s still super young with a lot of room to keep improving.

Santana has slashed .217/.387/.376 with 12 doubles and 10 home runs for 32 RBI with Single-A Lakeland Flying Tigers, except for five at-bats with the Tigers FCL squad. There’s so much raw talent here with plenty of room for growth.

The long game comes into play here as well. Similar to Pacheco, Santana is an investment for the long-term. If he grows into his frame and continues adding strength, there are plentiful reasons to like what he could bring to the table as an infielder. Keep an eye on Santana moving forward.

Next. 3 Detroit Tigers players who may not return for the 2023 season. dark

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