Tiger Cubs (notes on the minors)

[NorthWoods]

12 hours ago, SoCalTiger said:

During spring training someone on this board said he would be our future shortstop.

I think Ranier is more often touted for that.   But everything I've read about Peck over the last couple years has said great glove but can the bat hold up.   7 HRs is a least a good start at proving it can.

[Edman85]

Trei Cruz starting his rehab today. Might be too late because the last few weeks and the next couple would have been a prime spot for him.

[RedRamage]

On 5/18/2026 at 7:49 AM, NorthWoods said:

I think Ranier is more often touted for that.   But everything I've read about Peck over the last couple years has said great glove but can the bat hold up.   7 HRs is a least a good start at proving it can.

Rainer's gonna have to learn to strike out less if he wants to be the future SS... Dude's got 59 Ks already this year... he's near a .440 K%. I know he's young and I know he's recovering from injury last season, but last year he had 33 Ks in 145 PA before getting hurt. He's very nearly doubled his Ks in only 134 PAs so far this year.

[SoCalTiger]

5 minutes ago, RedRamage said:

Rainer's gonna have to learn to strike out less if he wants to be the future SS... Dude's got 59 Ks already this year... he's near a .440 K%. I know he's young and I know he's recovering from injury last season, but last year he had 33 Ks in 145 PA before getting hurt. He's very nearly doubled his Ks in only 134 PAs so far this year.

Just don't turn him into Colt Keith . An infielder that can slug , run and play defense is mucho valuable. Yes 44% is crazy but 30% is ok with me if he slug 50 %. The Tigers have become too focused on OBP. It's important but IF you can Slug then let it rip. Leave the OBP to those without power.

Edited May 19 by SoCalTiger

[RedRamage]

41 minutes ago, SoCalTiger said:

Just don't turn him into Colt Keith . An infielder that can slug , run and play defense is mucho valuable. Yes 44% is crazy but 30% is ok with me if he slug 50 %. The Tigers have become too focused on OBP. It's important but IF you can Slug then let it rip. Leave the OBP to those without power.

His stats in 2026 are OBP .311 - SLG .371 - Now again he's very young, so power may develop.

[Tiger337]

1 hour ago, SoCalTiger said:

Just don't turn him into Colt Keith . An infielder that can slug , run and play defense is mucho valuable. Yes 44% is crazy but 30% is ok with me if he slug 50 %. The Tigers have become too focused on OBP. It's important but IF you can Slug then let it rip. Leave the OBP to those without power.

If he can hit like Keith and be a great defensive shortstop, then he will be very valuable.  

[monkeytargets39]

I don’t understand the people talking like Keith is this poor player who is irredeemable now.   He’s 24 and he had a nice step forward from his rookie year to his 2nd year and this year you can tell he’s made some adjustments to improve contact but it hasn’t clicked yet….and he’s still getting on base and hitting for average.

 

The problem with Keith is that they’ve invested the years and money with him but aren’t investing in him on the field.  Let the guy play most every day and let him play a singular position.  In 2 1/3 seasons we’ve already tried to move him defensively 3 times and he almost never gets to start if there’s an LHP.  Let him play and bat him at the bottom of the lineup vs LHP if you have to.  He’s young enough with a high enough ceiling to justify it.  Pinch hit for him vs tough lefties in clutch situations if you have to, but let him try and develop the skillset

Edited May 19 by monkeytargets39

[Edman85]

1 hour ago, SoCalTiger said:

Just don't turn him into Colt Keith . An infielder that can slug , run and play defense is mucho valuable. Yes 44% is crazy but 30% is ok with me if he slug 50 %. The Tigers have become too focused on OBP. It's important but IF you can Slug then let it rip. Leave the OBP to those without power.

Problem is 44% K in A ball makes AA a dead end unless the issues are addressed.

[Stanley70]

Rainer missed a bunch of time last year, and only has about 250 career ab's, so hopefully he makes a little more contact as the year progresses. Plus it has been cold as he$% in GR this spring. 

Going through our top propsects the only one doing well is Max Anderson.

[casimir]

I think folks need to pump the brakes on promoting Anderson until he has a better than 2% walk rate in AAA.

[gehringer_2]

42 minutes ago, casimir said:

I think folks need to pump the brakes on promoting Anderson until he has a better than 2% walk rate in AAA.

maybe, but at the end of the day OBP trumps walk rate. If guy gets his OBP by hitting 320 I don't care if his walk rate is zero. Of course not suggesting Anderson can hit 320 in the majors but I would argue that a low walk rate is not as much of a single issue disqualifier that too high a K rate becomes.

[casimir]

4 hours ago, gehringer_2 said:

maybe, but at the end of the day OBP trumps walk rate. If guy gets his OBP by hitting 320 I don't care if his walk rate is zero. Of course not suggesting Anderson can hit 320 in the majors but I would argue that a low walk rate is not as much of a single issue disqualifier that too high a K rate becomes.

OBP does trump walk rate, sure.  But the walk rate is a tiny bit of his OBP.  What happens when the  AVG dips upon promotion?

[gehringer_2]

24 minutes ago, casimir said:

OBP does trump walk rate, sure.  But the walk rate is a tiny bit of his OBP.  What happens when the  AVG dips upon promotion?

return via I-75 Southbound. 🤷‍♂️

[SoCalTiger]

8 hours ago, RedRamage said:

His stats in 2026 are OBP .311 - SLG .371 - Now again he's very young, so power may develop.

True but I remain doubtful

[SoCalTiger]

7 hours ago, Tiger337 said:

If he can hit like Keith and be a great defensive shortstop, then he will be very valuable.  

Yes but I am hoping for much more and think he will deliver 

[Sports_Freak]

Is Max Anderson almost ready? The Free Press has been highlighting him the last few days.

[NorthWoods]

Just now, Sports_Freak said:

Is Max Anderson almost ready? The Free Press has been highlighting him the last few days.

Might as well find out.    They need to be savage with a few cuts.   Make failure have consequences.

[Motor City Sonics]

12 minutes ago, NorthWoods said:

Might as well find out.    They need to be savage with a few cuts.   Make failure have consequences.

I think they're tanking it now to make it more justifyable to the fans to trade Skubal.        That's all I can come up with - for this team's total inaction.   

Edited Wednesday at 11:25 AM by Motor City Sonics

[Sports_Freak]

Just now, Motor City Sonics said:

I think they're tanking it now to make it more justifyable to trade Skubal.        That's all I can come up with - for this team's total inaction.   

I thought of that too. But with the track record of Harris not making any trades, IDK. But it makes sense, if we were contending, fans would scream if we traded Skubal. Get him healthy and trade him...

[LongLiveMaroth]

The parent team is doing poorly and honestly the prospects aren't doing too hot either, quite a few top ones are injured and the ones that aren't well most of them aren't living up to the biliing but there are some bright spots I want to focus on. 

Thayron Liranzo - The statline looks not great at first and he was injured to start the year but he has turned it on in May.  Sporting a .235/.346/.529 (.875 OPS) line over 19 games, he has 6 HR in that time frame. I think a lot of people were down on him last year due to the performance but I think we have to remember that he is still only 22 and is playing in a league where he is 2 years younger than the average. 

Ben Jacobs - Last years 3rd round pick, started in Lakeland now in WM, over 8 games he is sporting a 2.05 ERA with a 0.88 WHIP and a 13.2 SO/9

John Peck - Considered the best defensive SS in the system he has turned on the bat a bit. .276/.313/.521 shows a player flexing some power but the lack of walks and the elevated K's are concerning. 

Jhonan Coba - SSS alert but in the FCL he has a 1.69 ERA with a solid 3 pitch mix. Someone to keep an eye on.