A couple of happy development stories converged for the Tigers during this 2022 season that specialized more in sadism than in anything remotely splendid.
Riley Greene.
Parker Meadows.
One was expected: Greene, perhaps the best Tigers talent to be scouted and showcased and inserted into the daily Tigers roster since a kid named Al Kaline was brought aboard in 1953.
One was a surprise — somewhat: Meadows, a second-round pick in 2018 who had not hit in his earlier summers but who, at age 22, caught fire this year at Double-A Erie, where he has done nothing but get better as the year has worn on (September: 15 games, .356 batting average, .933 OPS).
For the season, a 6-foot-5, left-handed batter has batted .272, with 20 homers and an .826 OPS.
Meadows also plays center field — and that is where he figures to remain. Which makes any conversational inclusion with Greene more than intriguing for Tigers students.
Note this past week there was deep conversation with Tigers manager AJ Hinch about Greene and his ability to dive and stretch and cover acres of ground at Comerica Park and other MLB venues. Note at least a wee bit of anxiety about how Greene’s body might hold up, given his tumbles.
Consider also that Greene is 6-3, a solid 200 pounds, and is likely to add more Grade A-choice flesh as he gets older and even more muscular.
Now you know why, even before this year, those who had studied Greene projected him soon to be playing left field for the Tigers — providing, of course, they came up with a capable replacement in center.
Voila — Parker Meadows.
As long, of course, as he hits.
This possible scenario was run past Ryan Garko, the Tigers’ vice president of player development, during a Sunday phone conversation. Garko deferred to the Tigers’ front office and Hinch on any thoughts about future deployments in Detroit. But he did weigh in on Meadows’ breakthrough summer of 2022.
Bear in mind, Meadows is the fastest runner in all the Tigers’ farmlands. There will come a day, perhaps in Detroit, when he’ll pull the old Enos Slaughter trick of scoring from first on a single (1946 World Series). That’s how fleet the lad is.
“He’s had a nice year,” Garko said, easing into his appraisal, which follows by a year of Garko arriving as the Tigers’ new man in charge of grooming farm talent. “I don’t have the same experience with Parker, so there was a clean slate this year, and all I’ve seen Parker do is hit.
“He’s matured a lot — his body is maturing. He’s only 22 years old — young for that league.
“And the defense is what really stands out, showing he can play center field, or the corners. What’s really been important is seeing a young kid grow into a young man. The way he works and prepares is different. He came into spring camp a different guy.”
Garko explained that Meadows’ upcoming trip to the Arizona Fall League (early October until mid-November) was a strategic choice. The Tigers want Meadows to absorb all he can at a showcase where some of MLB’s best minor-league talents converge.
More: Here is who the Tigers are sending to the Arizona Fall League
“We wanted him to be around other teams’ good players,” Garko said. “Just experience what else is out there. Just talk shop with other good players.”
If this sounds like a prelude to a flight plan that involves Detroit no later than 2024, no one with the Tigers is arguing. Nor will they rush a player who still has much to prove.
It has to do with splits. Meadows isn’t yet handling left-handed pitching the way he must if everyday big-league work is viable. For the season (14 games at Single-A West Michigan, 112 at Double-A Erie heading into Sunday), Meadows was hitting .293 against right-handers, but only .196 against lefties. The OPS differences were vast: .897 to .562.
Big issue there. But time is on his and the Tigers’ side.
“We’re always talking about left-hand hitters (against lefty pitching) and trying to make them at least league-average,” Garko said. “Probably, where we’ll try here is with K-rates (32% against same-side pitching), try to improve his walks — some approach things. Maybe just staying in there (not bailing on his stance) a little bit.
“I remember with the Dodgers,” Garko said, speaking of his Double A managing stint in 2016 and 2017, “we tried to get Cody Bellinger and (Alex) Verdugo going when they had about the same splits.
“We talk about it, and I don’t think anyone can come up with a clear solution. You just continue to work on it. I think it’ll be a good fall league and offseason project for him.”
Next season will be critical. Meadows will need to show in 2023 that he can make the same relative progress he showed the past season when skills steadily were revealed that reminded the Tigers why they made him the 2018 MLB Draft’s first player grabbed in the second round (44th overall).
“We want him staying in the middle,” Garko said. “He can play center field. Where we are right now, big, strong, fast athletes — you can’t have too many of them.
“Parker is really young, strong, and fast.”
Those are hefty words from a player-development chief.
One word remains: consistent.
If he can show his 2022 growth was a foretaste of 2023, when ripping left-handers is added to his graduate-level collection of solid grades, the Tigers may have found their new full-time center fielder.
And, not incidentally, the chance to make Greene’s body an even more durable and lethal weapon in left field.
Lynn Henning is a freelance writer and retired Detroit News sports reporter.