Chris McCosky | The Detroit News
Lakeland, Fla. — Don’t tell Matt Manning he’s not making the team out of spring. He ain’t buying it.
“I’m pitching like I’m trying to make the team out of spring,” Manning said. “They talk about how they’re going to take the best 26 players. I’m going to try to be one of those top 26. That’s my goal. That’s my focus every day.”
He certainly looked sharp in his spring debut, pitching two scoreless innings in the Tigers’ 4-2 Grapefruit League loss to the Phillies at Joker Marchant Stadium. He gave up a single to Travis Jankowski, but promptly erased him with a 4-6-3 double-play.
Manning, 23, is the No.3-ranked prospect in the Tigers organization (MLBPipeline) and No. 25 in baseball. After dominating Double-A hitters in 2019, he was virtually shut down last year — partially because of no minor league season, but also a forearm injury that nixed his work at the alternate site.
From all indications, though, it was far from a wasted year. He’s been a Wow guy this spring. His mechanics, his delivery, are as smooth and fluid as they’ve ever been and he’s now solidified his secondary pitches with a harder, tighter slider to go along with his slower, vertical-breaking curveball.
“I put in so much work,” Manning said. “I knew where I needed to be and right now I’m at the point to where I can trust my mechanics and not think about it too much. They’re smooth enough to where I’m just focusing on 60 feet, 6 inches in front of me.
“I’m just mad it took this long to figure out.”
Count Miguel Cabrera among those who have been wowed. He has faced Manning twice in live batting practice and gave him hat-tips both times.
“Those are some trained eyes,” Manning said. “He’s seen a lot of pitchers. Any feedback he gives me I take and kind of run with.”
His arm isn’t fully built up yet, but his fastball did hit 95 on Wednesday. Mostly it sat at 92-93. But he used both his curveball and slider effectively. Two of his three swings-and-misses were with the curve. He got through the two innings in 24 pitches, 16 strikes.
Having not pitched a single inning last year makes winning a roster spot problematic for Manning. But, the track he’s on, it won’t be long before he makes his big-league debut this season. The wait has been rough on him, especially seeing two of his fellow pitching prospects — Casey Mize and Tarik Skubal, both drafted two years after he was — get the call.
“First and foremost, we have to get his attention back on the field and onto the things he can control,” manager AJ Hinch said. “His name is mentioned a lot and I hope he reads it less and goes to work on the back fields more. And I am sure he is.
“Because just making it isn’t going to be good enough. He’s going to get an opportunity, he’s earned that. But he’s got to stay away from his press clippings and just stay focused on the field.”
Sloppy, sloppy
This is what spring training is for, in theory. Working out the kinks.
Willi Castro, whose throwing issues have been well-documented, made his second error of the spring with a too-casual and errant throw on a routine ground ball in the second. Then in the third, he almost gave away an out with another looping lob to first.
The third inning fell apart completely for the Tigers.
Buck Farmer, in his first game work of the spring, walked a batter and hit Didi Gregorius on an 0-2 pitch. He also gave up a two-strike triple to Jankowski and a two-strike, two-run single to Brad Miller.
Center fielder Derek Hill gave Miller second base by bypassing the cut-off man and trying to throw out Gregorius at third base. Ill-advised.
The fourth run was a gift, too. Right fielder Riley Greene misplayed a liner off the bat of Andrew Knapp. He took a step in, hesitated, then couldn’t recover. The ball went over his head for a double.
Game bits
Left-hander Daniel Norris was sharp in his spring debut. The only blemish on his 22-pitch effort was Castro’s throwing error. He ended his day by striking out former Tiger Matt Joyce with a nasty change-up and Roman Quinn with a slider. He said he also mixed in his curveball, a pitch he didn’t use much last year.
… Spencer Torkelson entered the game at first base in the fifth inning. Hinch had said last week that he intended to give Torkelson reps at first, while continuing to develop him at third base. He likely will play first base a couple of times a week at West Michigan, in addition to working at third. As it happens, the first batter in the fifth hit a squibber right at him, which he fielded with no problem.
… Torkelson struck out looking in his only plate appearance.
Just being prepared
Hinch caught everyone’s attention during a Zoom interview on Tuesday. Talking about how the outfield might shake out, he seemed to indication there were configurations where JaCoby Jones was not in center field.
Fear not, Jones is still option one in center.
“He’s going to play a couple of positions this spring,” Hinch said. “I try to plan for everything. I’m not trying to throw hand grenades into your roster predictions, but we need guys to do multiple things. You will see him left field. I’ve talked to him about that.”
Victor Reyes has yet to make his camp debut, but he will get some reps in center field. If Rule 5 rookie Akil Baddoo sticks, he is also a true center fielder. Harold Castro and Niko Goodrum have both played center field.
And not for nothing, in 2018 when Jones played left field beside center fielder Leonys Martin, he was a plus-13 defensive runs saved.
“I try to prepare for everything so we can make every decision imaginable, and that includes JaCoby playing off center,” Hinch said. “It’s not a cause for alarm. Just preparation.”
Around the horn
…Hinch said he hopes to start playing full, nine-inning games beginning Friday in Tampa against the Yankees. Barring some last-minute change in player availability, the Saturday and Sunday games at Joker Marchant Stadium will be nine innings. “There won’t be any more five-inning games unless Armageddon hits,” Hinch said.
…The Tigers believe Michael Fulmer, who is returning from paternity leave, will clear intake testing in time to make his start on Saturday. Skubal will also pitch Saturday. On Sunday, veteran newcomers Jose Urena and Julio Teheran are expected to make their spring debuts. Mize also will pitch Sunday.
chris.mccosky@detroitnews.com
Twitter: @cmccosky