Andre Lipcius has proven he is a piece of the Detroit Tigers' future

Lipcius had a great spring for the Detroit Tigers

While the Al Avila administration may not get much credit for their drafting and player development, the 2019 Draft is one we need to give credit where credit is due. Riley Greene, Beau Brieske, Kerry Carpenter, Ryan Kreidler and Andre Lipcius. While all those players deserve the proper credit and recognition they have earned, we will be focusing on Andre Lipcius today.

Lipcius, a third-round pick in the 2019 draft, has seemily forced the Tigers hand in spring training. While he will not make the opening day roster, he has proven his worth with the team moving forward. Lipcius has gone 9-for-33, while clubbing three home runs and two doubles in spring training. Lipcius has been very impressive at the plate and while he will start the season in AAA, there is a good chance we will see him in the big leagues later this year.

Lipcius hit at every level he played at in 2022. In 303 at-bats with Erie, Lipcius put up an .818 OPS. He was ever better in his stint with Toledo, hitting to a tune of an .841 OPS in 159 at-bats. What is even more impressive is Lipcius' ability to control the strike zone. In Double-A, he drew 61 walks to just 56 strikeouts. That trend would continue in Triple-A, where Lipcius drew 25 walks, while striking out just 33 times.

Andre Lipcius looks like the type of player Scott Harris dreams of when he talks about "controlling the strike zone." His ability to play many different infield positions makes the 24-year-old a valuable piece for Detroit moving forward.

While fans may not agree with Lipcius starting the season in the minors, it makes the most sense for his development moving forward. Lipcius is a guy who should get every day at-bats and with veterans like Jonathan Schoop and Cesar Hernandez potentially being moved this trade deadline, he could get that opportunity later in the season.

Andre Lipcius is a player Detroit Tigers fans need to become familar with. He has shown that his ability to control the strike zone, as well as his defensive versatility makes him a good piece for this team to keep around for potentially a very bright future.