As the Detroit Tigers continue to trudge through their rebuild, the focus of the 2021 season is as much on Toledo, Erie, Comstock Park and Lakeland as it is at Comerica Park.
Hope springs eternal for the Tigers because of the prospects in their minor league system. Evan Petzold ranked the top 15 before the Triple-A, Double-A and Single-A seasons began, so we will keep an eye on how they’re progressing.
Here’s a look at how the Tigers’ top prospects are performing this season (through May 16, updated each week):
Age: 20.
Class: Double-A Erie.
Stats: .245 AVG/.333 OBP/.347 SLG, 1 HR, 7 RBIs in 49 at-bats over 12 games.
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Age: 21.
Class: Single-A West Michigan.
Stats: .146/.321/.171, 0 HR, 5 RBIs in 41 at-bats over 11 games.
Age: 23.
Class: Triple-A Toledo.
Stats: 0-0, 8.53 ERA, 1.42 WHIP, 12⅔ innings, 12 earned runs, 14 hits, four walks, 14 strikeouts over three starts.
4. IF Isaac Paredes
Age: 22.
Class: Triple-A Toledo.
Stats: .267/.340/.416, 0 HR, 3 RBIs in 45 at-bats over 11 games.
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5. LHP Joey Wentz
Age: 23.
Class: Toledo.
Stats: None; still recovering from Tommy John surgery.
6. C Dillon Dingler
Age: 22.
Class: West Michigan.
Stats: .273/.405/.606, 3 HRs, 8 RBIs in 33 at-bats over nine games; caught stealing 3 of 9 runners.
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7. OF Parker Meadows
Age: 21.
Class: West Michigan.
Stats: .136/.283/.182, 0 HR, 3 RBIs in 44 at-bats over 11 games.
8. OF Daniel Cabrera
Age: 22.
Class: West Michigan.
Stats: .125/.200/.225, 0 HR, 5 RBIs in 40 at-bats over 10 games.
9. RHP Alex Faedo
Age: 25.
Class: Injured list.
Stats: None; still recovering from Tommy John surgery in December.
Age: 24.
Class: Single-A Lakeland.
Stats: .000/.286/.000, 0 HR, 0 RBI in 10 at-bats over three games.
11. OF Roberto Campos
Age: 17.
Class: Dominican League.
Stats: None.
12. 3B Gage Workman
Age: 21.
Class: Lakeland.
Stats: .234/.288/.383, 0 HR, 5 RBIs in 47 at-bats over 11 games.
Age: 25.
Class: Toledo.
Stats: .400/.400/.800, 0 HR, 0 RBI in five at-bats over one game.
Age: 26.
Class: Detroit.
Stats: .250/.250/.500, 1 HR, 3 RBIs in 12 at-bats over four games in Detroit; .000/.250/.000, 0 HR, 0 RBI in three at-bats over one game in Toledo.
15. SS Cristian Santana
Age: 17.
Class: Dominican League.
State: None.
Contact Kirkland Crawford: kcrawford@freepress.com. Follow him on Twitter @HiKirkHere.