LAKELAND, Fla. — Cristian Santana talks a big game.
The 18-year-old shortstop prospect, who worked out with MLB star Juan Soto in the Dominican Republic this offseason, expressed his thankfulness for all the advice from Hall of Famer Alan Trammell during the first two days of full-squad workouts in minor-league minicamp.
Then, Santana made a bold statement.
“It’s an honor to play with him and learn from him,” Santana said Tuesday, through a team interpreter, about his time on the TigerTown backfields with the 1984 World Series MVP, “but if God allows me, I plan to be better than him.”
MORE ABOUT HIS GAME: Meet Tigers’ prized prospect Cristian Santana, a confident 18-year-old shortstop
From the Dominican Republic, Santana signed with the Detroit Tigers in January 2021 for $2.95 million, the largest international signing bonus in franchise history. He hit .269 with nine home runs, 30 walks and 46 strikeouts across 54 games in the Dominican Summer League last season.
The 6-foot, 170-pound right-handed hitter is slated to begin this season in the Florida Complex League and wants to reach Low-A Lakeland by the end of 2022.
Santana has another goal: MLB by 2025.
“(My confidence) is natural,” he said. “I’m just born with it.”
‘I want to be a shortstop’
Tigers prospect Manuel Sequera was playing shortstop on Tuesday during infield drills. He ran hard to his left and scooped up a tough grounder almost behind the bag, a play he might not have made a year ago.
Sequera, a 19-year-old from Venezuela, has been working to improve his range.
“Last year, I had a little bit of a blind spot where I was not reaching the ball,” he said through a Tigers interpreter. “My reach was limited. So during the offseason in Venezuela, I worked on my reach and my speed and stance, so now I feel that I can play to the level of the shortstop correctly.”
MORE ABOUT HIS GAME: Tigers prospect Manuel Sequera, Florida Complex League MVP, felt ‘confident’ in 2021
Sequera has already proved his power potential. He was named MVP of the Florida Complex League last year after hitting 11 home runs in 46 games. He had a 29.4% strikeout rate, while putting together a .246 batting average.
What did he learn from that experience?
“I’ve learned to control my anxiety,” Sequera said. “I think at the beginning of the league, I was so anxious to show. Now, I’m more relaxed and quiet.”
Sequera is 6-2 and 206 pounds. Some believe that he might eventually move to third base.
“I want to be a shortstop,” he said. “That’s something that I can control. And if there’s something that I can control, I will do it.”
He had 14 errors in 40 games at shortstop last year.
“As a player, I just have to fix the mistakes from previous leagues and previous experiences in order to play to the level to the United States,” he said.
MEET DYLAN SMITH: Why this Tigers prospect says he’s ‘the steal of this draft’ already
NASTY STUFF: Inside the pitches that make Tigers prospect Tanner Kohlhepp nasty
His neck is covered with two tattoos. The one on the right side of his neck honors a cousin who died on April 13, 2009, at the age of 2. The one on the left side of his neck honors his family. “My mom, my brothers and sister,” he said.
Sequera has been training with Trammell, too.
“It is a privilege to work with somebody like Alan Trammell,” he said. “Last year, I worked with him closely in order to fix my defense. I’m grateful and so lucky to work with a person like him.”
Greene rakes in BP
Top prospects Riley Greene and Spencer Torkelson took batting practice off a pitching machine on Tuesday. Tigers general manager Al Avila and assistant general manager Sam Menzin watched Greene from behind home plate, and once Torkelson started swinging, Avila shifted fields.
Greene put on a great show.
GREENE: Tigers’ Greene ready to make his case for Opening Day roster: ‘I love playing center field’
TORKELSON: Why Torkelson looks different: Tigers prospect may be starting 1B in 2022
He hit homers in each round, which consisted of six swings, including a spectacular three-homer round. This was simply batting practice, but considering Greene’s repetitive swing mechanics, there’s no doubt the 21-year-old is on track to make the Opening Day roster.
Greene played 124 games in the minor leagues last season, advancing to Triple-A Toledo for 40 games. He hit .308 with eight homers, 22 walks and 51 strikeouts for the Mud Hens, along with a .400 on-base percentage.
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.