DUNEDIN, Fla. — Detroit Tigers right-hander Garrett Hill looks different this spring. He joined teammates Jake Rogers and Tyler Alexander as players in the clubhouse with mustaches, thanks to inspiration from his younger brother.
Cameron Hill, a firefighter, put him up to the test this offseason.
“I bet you can’t grow one,” Cameron said.
“Watch this, kid,” Garrett responded.
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Hill isn’t a flamethrower on the mound, but an increase in velocity as a product of tweaking his delivery out of the stretch could pave the way for him and his mustache end up on the Opening Day roster.
He feels prepared for the upcoming task and determined to succeed. He also prioritized strengthening his body through his workout program. All signs are pointing to the fact that he will take the next step in his development this season.
“Just overall strength,” Hill said. “I made a couple of mechanical adjustments to take a lot of stress off the arm. I think that made my stuff a little bit better. My mindset, too. I’m feeling really strong mentally, and I’m looking forward to working with the new mental skills coaches.”
Last season, Hill posted a 4.03 ERA with 29 walks and 40 strikeouts in 60⅓ innings in 17 games (eight starts). His fastball averaged 91.4 mph in July, 91.2 mph in August and 93.5 mph in September.
This year, he is a candidate to pitch in a multi-inning role out of the bullpen.
“He can really pitch and generally throws strikes,” manager A.J. Hinch said. “We’re not giving up on the starting part of it. He’s still going to be extended out throughout the spring, but he could be very effective as a bridge reliever … while he gets his feet wet in the big leagues. Most of it starts with his fastball and his ability to get (the ball) above the barrel. It’s the definition of vertical fastball to pitch up and miss bats.”
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On Saturday, Hill started the first spring training game and tossed two scoreless innings with one hit, one walk and one strikeout against the Philadelphia Phillies. His fastball sat around 95 mph out of the windup and 94 mph out of the stretch.
Hill always brings his hands over his head when pitching out of the windup, which allows him to generate power through momentum, but he can’t repeat that action when pitching out of the stretch. Therefore, an increase in velocity out of the stretch was encouraging.
“Going overhead is a timing thing for me, just making sure my arm is on time,” Hill said. “In the stretch, it’s tying to find that hip position for my power half because I can’t go overhead. I want to feel that same feeling: power coming up through the legs and out the hand.”
Hinch noticed a difference.
“Part of his biomechanics stuff is how his lower half fires, when it fires and how he carries his legs down the slope,” Hinch said. “Those are little tweaks that bring a little bit more power to him, and it’s starting to translate.”
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In the first inning, former Tiger Nick Castellanos stepped to the plate at Joker Marchant Stadium. Hill seemed amped up for the battle and threw a 97 mph sinker out of the windup. The sixth pitch, though, was his best in the at-bat.
He struck out Castellanos with an 86 mph slider, a nasty down-and-away pitch. It could have been the best breaking ball Hill has thrown in his career. Here’s the thing: He first implemented the new slider into his arsenal in Thursday’s bullpen.
That was two days before the game.
“To pull that out against a hitter of that caliber, that felt good,” Hill said. “I want less sweep and a little bit firmer (shape), so 84-86 (mph) is the range we’re shooting for, and to have it look like a fastball for as possible and then drop at the last second.”
Catchers at first base
Catcher Mario Feliciano, aside from 44 innings in the Puerto Rican Winter League, has never played first base in his professional career, but that’s changing with the Tigers in spring training.
Feliciano, 24, has already logged nine innings at first base in three games.
“A little bit weird,” Feliciano said. “But I feel good.”
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In the offseason, Feliciano competed for Gigantes de Carolina in the Puerto Rican Winter League. He logged 99 innings at catcher and 36 innings at first base because he wanted to add secondary position to his skillset. He also had eight innings at first base during the 2016-17 winter ball season.
Before that, he hadn’t played first base since high school.
The Tigers have eight catchers, more than they anticipated, in spring training: Feliciano, Eric Haase, Jake Rogers, Donny Sands, Andrew Knapp, Michael Papierski, Dillon Dingler and Julio E. Rodriguez.
“That’s really a way to get him a few at-bats in camp,” Hinch said. “The catching position is very crowded, and I want to get him a few at-bats. We don’t have a lot of innings (available) behind the plate.”
Feliciano, depending on the roster configuration, could play some first base for Triple-A Toledo this season. Knapp will play first base in one of Friday’s split-squad games, while Sands could play first base in spring training.
“I’ve always said it about Haase, but I’ve never done it,” Hinch said. “It doesn’t count until I actually do it.”
Injury updates
The Tigers released their medical update Tuesday morning, with one new player added to the list. Right-hander Reese Olson (left abdominal soreness) reported oblique discomfort after Sunday’s bullpen. He has been scheduled for an MRI on Tuesday for the Tigers to further evaluate his status.
One player has been cleared to participate in games. Right-hander José Cisnero (left neck spasm) completed a live batting practice Sunday and is available to pitch out of the bullpen.
The other three players: infielder Wenceel Perez (low back inflammation), right-hander Casey Mize (right elbow sprain, lumbar strain) and left-hander Tarik Skubal (left elbow strain).
Perez, who is going through a core stabilization program, will begin “light baseball activities” this week. As for the pitchers, Mize is playing catch three times per week, while Skubal is playing catch five times per week.
Pitching plan
The Tigers have set their starting pitchers for the next five games.
Matt Manning will pitch Wednesday against the Pittsburgh Pirates in Lakeland, followed by Matthew Boyd on Thursday against the Baltimore Orioles in Lakeland, Eduardo Rodriguez on Friday (split squad) against the Phillies in Clearwater, Michael Lorenzen on Friday (split squad) against the New York Yankees in Tampa and Spencer Turnbull on Saturday against the Toronto Blue Jays in Lakeland.
It will be Turnbull’s first official game since June 4, 2021. He completed a live batting practice Monday.
Contact Evan Petzold at epetzold@freepress.com or follow him on Twitter @EvanPetzold.