Detroit Tigers in winter leagues: Isaac Paredes hitting .175; Willi Castro injured

Detroit Free Press

The Mendoza Line originated from a baseball player in the late 1970s and early 1980s.

Shortstop Mario Mendoza — from Chihuahua, Mexico — had a career .215 batting average across 686 games in nine MLB seasons for the Pittsburgh Pirates (1974-78), Seattle Mariners (1979-80) and Texas Rangers (1981-82).

In five of those seasons, Mendoza failed to produce a .200 batting average.

Therefore, the Mendoza Line became baseball jargon for a sub-.200 batting average. A pair of infielders for the Detroit Tigers — both with MLB experience — are failing to reach the Mendoza Line in the winter leagues.

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In the Mexican Pacific Winter League, Isaac Paredes is hitting .175 (10-for-57) with three doubles, eight RBIs, 12 walks and nine strikeouts in 17 games for Venados de Mazatlan. The 22-year-old has three intentional walks, as well as a .329 on-base percentage and an underwhelming .228 slugging percentage.

The Mexican League is not particularly difficult for MLB hitters, and Paredes put that on display last offseason. Paredes won the league’s batting title with a .379 batting average for Mazatlan. He also dropped in 17 doubles, four home runs, 26 RBIs, 27 walks and 12 strikeouts.

This time around, he is struggling.

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The most concerning aspect of his performance is the lack of power, which follows the trend of his 57-game career in the major leagues. Paredes still does not have a home run in this year’s Mexican League, boasting just three doubles for his extra-base hits.

Across parts of two MLB seasons, Paredes is hitting .215 (37-for-172) with seven doubles, three triples, two home runs, 11 RBIs, 18 walks and 35 strikeouts. (He had 10 walks and 11 strikeouts across 23 games in 2021.)

Paredes’ power deficit gives him a .302 slugging percentage. The Tigers have always counted on him to increase his power tool, but progress remains absent. Recently, the organization has asked him to focus on pull-side power as a right-handed hitter.

In Triple-A Toledo, Paredes crushed 11 home runs in 72 games last season.

Paredes will compete for a utility infielder role in spring training ahead of the 2022 campaign. Already a reliable defender, he needs to show up to camp with more power than he is currently displaying in Mexico if he wants to make the Opening Day roster.

Injured Castro hitting .192

Willi Castro is another player hoping to make the Opening Day roster as a utility infielder. He is participating for Leones del Escogido in the Dominican Winter League.

The 24-year-old is hitting .192 (5-for-26) with one home run, two RBIs and five strikeouts in seven games. He has yet to draw a walk but has two hit-by-pitches, giving him a .250 on-base percentage. He is slugging .308.

His lone extra-base hit (a home run) occurred Nov. 6.

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Castro has not played for Leones del Escogido since Nov. 13 due to discomfort in his right shoulder. He has since tested his arm and completed throws to the bases, so the team expects him to return to the roster soon.

He also had shoulder soreness at the end of the 2020 MLB season. The pain lingered for about two months, but he did not need surgery.

Castro has a .248 batting average with 36 walks and 181 strikeouts in 191 games across parts of three MLB seasons. He tied for fourth place in 2020 American League Rookie of the Year voting, thanks to his .349 average and six home runs in 36 games.

In 2021, Castro’s career took a turn for the worst.

He hit .220 with 15 doubles, six triples, nine home runs, 38 RBIs, 23 walks and 109 strikeouts. He played 125 games and logged a .273 OBP and .351 SLG. Because of his poor defense, the Tigers moved him away from the shortstop position.

Castro spent most of 2021 as the team’s second baseman, but he transitioned to the outfield toward the end of the year.

New 40-man addition

On Friday, the Tigers added right-handed reliever Angel De Jesus and infielder Kody Clemens to the 40-man roster.

The transactions protected the prospects from December’s Rule 5 draft.

De Jesus is competing for Gigantes del Cibao in the Dominican Winter League. The 24-year-old posted a 3.34 ERA in 44 games (three starts) during his season in the minor leagues.

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De Jesus has an 11.25 ERA, four walks and one strikeout through five games for Gigantes del Cibao. He was shelled Saturday — one day after the Tigers added him to the roster — for four runs on three hits and two walks. He recorded just one out in the seventh inning.

His team lost, 18-3, to Aguilas Cibaenas.

In 2021, De Jesus pitched 13⅓ scoreless innings for Double-A Erie and continued with a 4.21 ERA in 51⅓ innings in Triple-A Toledo. Because the Tigers added him to the 40-man roster, he could make his MLB debut in 2022.

Carlton away from team

Right-handed reliever Drew Carlton plays for Leones del Escogido in the Dominican Winter League, but he has been away from his team due to strong flu symptoms. He tested negative for COVID-19, but to be safe, he isn’t participating.

The 26-year-old hasn’t pitched since Nov. 14.

Carlton, who made his MLB debut in 2021, has a 2.84 ERA, one walk and seven strikeouts over 6⅓ innings in six appearances in the Dominican Republic.

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

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