Tiger Cubs (notes on the minors)

[RedRamage]

10 hours ago, Edman85 said:

The only place i can find defensive metrics for the minors is BP, and their numbers are not very kind to him. The BABIP luck has been brought up. I'm not sure he's an upgrade on Perez.

It's funny... google (which we know is 100% reliable and accurate) seem to say his defense is his strength. 

[Sports_Freak]

10 hours ago, Edman85 said:

The only place i can find defensive metrics for the minors is BP, and their numbers are not very kind to him. The BABIP luck has been brought up. I'm not sure he's an upgrade on Perez.

Could he hit .180? That would be an upgrade over Perez. These 3 guys are total black holes this season;

[Edman85]

Franyerber starting his rehab today!

[Dan Gilmore]

Franyerber!

[1984Echoes]

Rainer is starting June out hot...

He's been at WM for what? 6 weeks? May didn't look so good...

But the last two weeks in Grand Rapids he's hitting .294/.390/.647 (1.037) with 3 HR's...

Keep it going Bryce...!

[NorthWoods]

 

[SoCalTiger]

The question for me is how good is John Peck at playing shortstop. The reputation is high but is that really the case. I see him as our shortstop next season if the defense is as advertised.

 

[1984Echoes]

1 minute ago, SoCalTiger said:

The question for me is how good is John Peck at playing shortstop. The reputation is high but is that really the case. I see him as our shortstop next season if the defense is as advertised.

 

Peck's a RH'er too. Advantage him (based on current Tiger's roster makeup...).

And with Torres most likely moving on... (I don't see him being signed again, IMO) that makes an easy opening for McGonigle at 2nd.

Unless 2nd is kept open for whomever can win that spot (Anderson? Keith? Lee? Etc...?) and they prefer McGonigle to still be in the SS/3B equation?

We'll see soon enough...

[SoCalTiger]

1 minute ago, 1984Echoes said:

Peck's a RH'er too. Advantage him (based on current Tiger's roster makeup...).

And with Torres most likely moving on... (I don't see him being signed again, IMO) that makes an easy opening for McGonigle at 2nd.

Unless 2nd is kept open for whomever can win that spot (Anderson? Keith? Lee? Etc...?) and they prefer McGonigle to still be in the SS/3B equation?

We'll see soon enough...

Very true. I see McGonigle being better suited to 3B not second at least until Rainier arrives and takes third if Peck is playing exceptional shortstop. Options in the fog emerging. 

[LongLiveMaroth]

One player I have been waiting to come back down to earth but just hasn't yet is Edian Espinal. 

Drafted last year in the 10th Rd out of UCF, he played 2B and some limited Catcher at UCF but is playing catcher and DH for Lakeland this year. 40 games in, and his stat line looks pretty great.  .328/.433/.492. 14.6% walk rate and a 14% K rate good for 153 wRC+. BABIP looks good as well sitting at .362. No idea on his defence or anything but could be someone to keep an eye on and would hopefully see WM soon. He is only 5ft 7 so that is probably a limiting power factor. 

[NorthWoods]

2 hours ago, LongLiveMaroth said:

One player I have been waiting to come back down to earth but just hasn't yet is Edian Espinal. 

Drafted last year in the 10th Rd out of UCF, he played 2B and some limited Catcher at UCF but is playing catcher and DH for Lakeland this year. 40 games in, and his stat line looks pretty great.  .328/.433/.492. 14.6% walk rate and a 14% K rate good for 153 wRC+. BABIP looks good as well sitting at .362. No idea on his defence or anything but could be someone to keep an eye on and would hopefully see WM soon. He is only 5ft 7 so that is probably a limiting power factor. 

Mel Ott was only 5'9" 170#

[Tenacious D]

6 hours ago, LongLiveMaroth said:

One player I have been waiting to come back down to earth but just hasn't yet is Edian Espinal. 

Drafted last year in the 10th Rd out of UCF, he played 2B and some limited Catcher at UCF but is playing catcher and DH for Lakeland this year. 40 games in, and his stat line looks pretty great.  .328/.433/.492. 14.6% walk rate and a 14% K rate good for 153 wRC+. BABIP looks good as well sitting at .362. No idea on his defence or anything but could be someone to keep an eye on and would hopefully see WM soon. He is only 5ft 7 so that is probably a limiting power factor. 

College guy doing that should probably get moved to WM soon.

[NorthWoods]

 

[Dan Gilmore]

🫣

[SoCalTiger]

If that's the same injury then tar and feather his surgeon. 

[Edman85]

His injury before was his left. This is his right.

The Tigers do need to evaluate strength, conditioning, and training up and down the system. I have a theory that may belong on the Political forum over what may be a cause. I will just say the AGM heading up player development may be susceptible to snake oil based on some tweet I found a few years ago, and a bunch of players likely are as well.

Edited June 17 by Edman85

[gehringer_2]

32 minutes ago, Edman85 said:

His injury before was his left. This is his right.

The Tigers do need to evaluate strength, conditioning, and training up and down the system. I have a theory that may belong on the Political forum over what may be a cause. I will just say the AGM heading up player development may be susceptible to snake oil based on some tweet I found a few years ago, and a bunch of players likely are as well.

yikes.

[Tigermojo]

Skubal's pre-start ritual is donuts so....not sure these guys are focused on what's best for their bodies. 

[NorthWoods]

1 hour ago, Edman85 said:

His injury before was his left. This is his right.

The Tigers do need to evaluate strength, conditioning, and training up and down the system. I have a theory that may belong on the Political forum over what may be a cause. I will just say the AGM heading up player development may be susceptible to snake oil based on some tweet I found a few years ago, and a bunch of players likely are as well.

Baseballmemorabilia

 

Don't know that it would be political, I've heard nitwits of all stripes advocating for some pretty dicey stuff.

There's a level of questioning your care to make sure you're making an informed decision, and then there's whacko.   

[SoCalTiger]

14 hours ago, Edman85 said:

His injury before was his left. This is his right.

The Tigers do need to evaluate strength, conditioning, and training up and down the system. I have a theory that may belong on the Political forum over what may be a cause. I will just say the AGM heading up player development may be susceptible to snake oil based on some tweet I found a few years ago, and a bunch of players likely are as well.

That does not sound good. Put the voodoo sticks away and stay off the internet. Real medical professional and trainers please. 

[chasfh]

I'm not sure exactly who Thomas Nestico is or what his credentials are, but he seems pretty sure that Ben Jacobs is a top 100 prospect now. 

Baseball America likes Jacobs, too. 

 

[Tiger337]

40 minutes ago, chasfh said:

I'm not sure exactly who Thomas Nestico is or what his credentials are, but he seems pretty sure that Ben Jacobs is a top 100 prospect now. 

Baseball America likes Jacobs, too. 

 

I don't know how good Nestico is at ranking prospects, but he has pretty impressive knowledge of pitching metrics.  He uses a machine learning model to evaluate MLB and minor league pitchers based on stat speed, spin rate extension, etc.  I just bookmarked his site.  https://tjstats.ca/

[LongLiveMaroth]

Oliveto made his season debut today, 0/1 2BB K

[LongLiveMaroth]

Rainer has turned it on in June and is now looking more and more like himself from last year with high exit velos. 

 

[LongLiveMaroth]

On 6/18/2026 at 9:45 AM, chasfh said:

I'm not sure exactly who Thomas Nestico is or what his credentials are, but he seems pretty sure that Ben Jacobs is a top 100 prospect now. 

Baseball America likes Jacobs, too. 

 

The almost 14K per 9 is certainly attractive, unfortunately it is attached to a 5 BB per 9 in WM but if he can get that number lower he'll be shooting up rankings soon.