Around the Tigers’ farm: Ryan Kreidler showing signs of becoming factor in shortstop hunt

Detroit News

In any appraisal of Ryan Kreidler, you begin with some basics.

He was promoted to Double A in 2021 even though he hadn’t played a lick of minor-league ball in 2020, and even though he was drafted but two years ago (fourth round, UCLA).

In other words, the Tigers were gambling that the advancement, and the potential, they saw in a 6-foot-4, 208-pound shortstop was worth bumping to a level that could backfire on all parties.

But it hasn’t.

Kreidler has held his ground and is steadily rising: .310 batting average during the past 28 days, with nice splits of .379/.607/.986 OPS.

Considering that he plays baseball’s wheelhouse position, and that his right-handed bat is gaining steam (14 homers on the year, .255 average, .754 OPS), the Tigers are thinking they just might have a pesky roster hole in Detroit on the verge of being filled.

“He’s a good player, and they pushed him for a reason,” said Arnie Beyeler, Erie’s manager, during a conversation last week. “There’s still some holes, still some work to do. But he has survivable tools with his defense, and he can run.

“He’s a college guy, a real mature kid (23 years old), and knows how to play the game. He’s a real asset even when he’s not hitting. Who knows down the road what’s there for him, but he’s definitely a guy with some big-league tools.”

Kreidler’s size and power aren’t necessarily pluses at shortstop unless you can field in pleasing fashion. He can. With an arm to match. Kreidler’s range is exceptional for a big man, who also has that quality baseball people love to cite: soft hands.

“He runs the infield,” Beyeler said. “The guys call him ‘Captain.’ He’s got that leadership quality.

“That makes my job easier. He’s a student of the game who wants to learn. He’s always talking about defense, and yet he works hard on his offense. Being at this level, first year at Double A, he’s definitely competing and surviving.”

More: A tall order? Shortstop Ryan Kreidler’s ability to make impact with Tigers rests with bat

Kreidler will be heading, at least if initial plans remain firm, for the Arizona Fall League this autumn where he’ll likely be joined by Riley Greene, Spencer Torkelson, and Dillon Dingler.

His bat will remain a First Focus as big-league preparations go. Handling the high fastball and the breaking stuff away — those are the gremlins that so often sabotage a budding big-leaguer. Kreidler’s strikeouts (110 in 81 games) testify to issues there, big ones, although those have been coming down of late, as well (10 in his last 10 games).

“I think there’s a lot of improvement there for him with some swing adjustments he’s going to make,” Beyeler said. “It’s hard to make adjustments during the season.

“But, again, this is a meticulous guy who pays attention to details. And he’s got some power — that home run he hit (Wednesday night) was to right field. So, it’s not like he has pull-side cheap power.

“We’ve got some things to work on. But he’s not afraid to work.”

No time to ding Dingler

He is now on the injured list after breakin g his finger last week, which won’t make Dillon Dingler’s adjustment to Double-A Erie any less challenging.

Dingler is batting .201 in 36 games for the SeaWolves, with a .597 OPS.

This man is supposed to be the Tigers’ next regular, heavy-hitting catcher?

Give him time, Tigers developmental chiefs say. The group includes Beyeler, Erie’s manager, who understands Dingler is a catcher, which means Dingler’s 2021 adjustment to Double-A ball has been primarily an exercise in defense and pitch-calling.

“It’s all about putting fingers down (signs) and running the game,” Beyeler said of the Tigers’ second pick in the 2020 MLB Draft. “He’s a guy who’s going to have a chance to hit, but I’ve seen it a lot at this level: guys have all-star batting numbers when they get here and then find Double A is a different animal.

“He’ll have it in his toolbelt,” Beyeler said, referring to Dingler’s bat. “Right now, there are some other priorities. But he’s learning.”

Dingler was viewed by Tigers scouts to be as essential a year ago as was getting the Tigers’ first pick, No. 1 overall slugger, Spencer Torkelson. Dingler was a 6-foot-3 catcher out of Ohio State with a decathlete’s physical assets, which included his right-handed swing.

Dingler looked as if he were prepping for 2022 and a Tigers Opening Day roster spot as he warmed up this spring through May and June at Single-A West Michigan, batting .287 in 32 games, with eight home runs and a .925 OPS.

He got a same-day June ticket to Erie along with Torkelson. But offense, in Dingler’s case, has been in something of a stall since he joined the SeaWolves.

Beyeler brushes away any anxiety there. This is normal, he repeats, all because of the position Dingler plays. It carries demands like no other defensive job on a field.

“He’s got a lot going on over the plate, and I don’t think he’s seen that before,” Beyeler said. “Game-planning, pitching plans, all that stuff — it takes a lot of time. These guys can’t just come to the ballpark at 10 o’clock (morning) and be here all day.

“You’ve got to learn to pick and choose during your days. To get a routine down. That’s hard and difficult. But he’s learning that, which is player development. There’s a lot going on right now that isn’t in the (hitting) numbers. And he’s learning and getting better.

“It’s all going to come together in the next couple of years.”

Note the timetable: “couple of years.”

The Tigers intend to let Dingler have all the time essential to grooming a catcher for big-league work. They, at least ostensibly, have some wiggle room there, thanks to Eric Haase and Jake Rogers, who have brought the Tigers a seemingly intact two-catcher tandem.

In the spirit of that old Paul Masson wine advertisement, Dingler will not be served before his time.

Short hops

Beau Brieske had another strong start Saturday (seven innings, five hits, no runs, no walks, four strikeouts) at Double-A Erie, his second in two games since the Tigers boosted him from Single-A West Michigan.

Brieske, who is 23 and throws right-handed, might be the biggest surprise among the Tigers’ farm pitchers in 2021. He ripped up Single-A hitters and now is doing the same with the SeaWolves, as his two starts confirm: 1.38 ERA, 13 innings, 10 hits, one walk, eight strikeouts.

Brieske, who is 6-3, 200, was something of a well-concealed pitcher at the Colorado State University-Pueblo. The Tigers got him in the 27th round of the 2019 draft.

Jack O’Loughlin continues, in much the same manner as Brieske, to be a 2021 delight at Single-A Lakeland. His start Saturday was the latest in a strong string for a 21-year-old left-hander from Adelaide, Australia: six innings, three hits, one walk, nine strikeouts. On the season, O’Loughlin, who is 6-5, 223, has these digits from seven Lakeland starts: 2.25 ERA, 36 innings, 32 hits, 10 walks, 38 strikeouts, 1.17 WHIP.

Lynn Henning is a freelance writer and former Detroit News sports reporter.

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