Detroit Tigers remove injured Spencer Torkelson, Ryan Kreidler from Arizona Fall League

Detroit Free Press

Detroit Tigers prospects Spencer Torkelson and Ryan Kreidler — members of the Salt River Rafters — were removed from the Arizona Fall League roster Friday due to injuries.

Torkelson, 22, sprained his right ankle in Wednesday’s game. The injury forced the Tigers to consider shutting down their top prospect for the remainder of the fall season, which they ultimately did.

Kreidler, 23, suffered a left calf strain and is currently undergoing treatment. He is the organization’s No. 10 prospect, according to MLB Pipeline, and posted a breakout season in the minor leagues for Double-A Erie and Triple-A Toledo.

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The Tigers drafted Torkelson with the No. 1 overall pick in 2020 from Arizona State. Kreidler was picked in the fourth round of the 2019 draft from UCLA.

Deemed the organization’s first baseman of the future, Torkelson finished with a .450 batting average (9-for-20), two doubles, three RBIs, eight walks and five strikeouts in seven games in the Arizona Fall League. He had a .607 on-base percentage.

Torkelson logged a .267 batting average, 30 home runs, 91 RBIs, 77 walks and 114 strikeouts as he rose from High-A West Michigan (31 games) to Double-A Erie (50 games) and, finally, to Triple-A Toledo (40 games).

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Kreidler hit .200 (2-for-10) with three walks and six strikeouts over three games in the Arizona Fall League. The shortstop finished his year in the minors with a .270 batting average, 22 home runs and 58 RBIs over 129 games.

Outfielder Riley Greene, the Tigers’ No. 2 prospect, was scratched from the Arizona Fall League before competition began Oct. 13 because of a concussion suffered in his final game of the Triple-A season. He has since completed concussion protocol in Lakeland, Florida, and is participating in his offseason training program.

All three players — Torkelson, Greene and Kreidler — are expected to be at full health once spring training begins in February. Torkelson and Greene will compete for spots on the Tigers’ 2022 Opening Day roster.

Contact Evan Petzold at epetzold@freepress.com or follow him on Twitter @EvanPetzold. Read more on the Detroit Tigers and sign up for our Tigers newsletter.

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