Tigers minor-league report: Collins clicking at Toledo
TRIPLE A TOLEDO
Who’s hot …
Tyler Collins, OF: Didn’t take long for regular at-bats to pay off: home run and three singles in Collins’ first two games after returning from Detroit. Tough week, self-inflicted, for a 25-year-old who isn’t likely to have any repeat bad acts. Solid guy who still qualifies as a prospect.
Warwick Saupold, LH pitcher: Australia native, 26, who has a couple of starts among his six appearances (18 innings). ERA is 1.00, with an 0.61 WHIP, and .164 opposing batting average. Ten hits, seven strikeouts, one walk. Saupold is 6-foot-1, 195 pounds.
And who’s not …
Daniel Norris, LH starter: Nothing alarming. Norris is basically having his spring camp now. Been erratic (6.16 ERA) but also has 21 strikeouts in 19 innings for Toledo and Lakeland.
Left-hander Labourt seeks to harness his stuff
DOUBLE A ERIE
Who’s hot …
Dean Green, DH/1B: One of the annually good bats in the Tigers chain, Green has been cooking in his last 10 games: .389. On the season, .309, with five homers and a .940 OPS. A left-handed batter, Green is 26, is 6-4, 255, and was an 11th-round pick in 2011 from Barry University.
Joe Mantiply, LH reliever: 10 games, 1.69 ERA, 1.22 WHIP, 102/3 innings, eight hits, 10 strikeouts, five walks. Mantiply is 25 and was a 27th-round pick in 2013 (Virginia Tech).
Who’s not …
Myles Jaye, RH starter: Primary player Tigers got in the Bryan Holaday trade has simply been giving up too many hits: 32 in 23 innings. Jaye, 24, is 6-3, 170, and was a 17th-round pick by the Jays in 2010.
SINGLE A LAKELAND
Who’s hot …
Grayson Greiner, C: Maintaining a nice start, and a potentially strong 2016, at a position of constant need. Greiner is batting .294 in his last 10 games, .267 in his first full month. About as big as a catcher gets (6-6, 220), Greiner, 23, and a right-handed hitter, was a third-round pick (2014, South Carolina).
A.J. Simcox, SS: Has been solid since the Tigers took him last June in the 14th round (Tennessee). In his last 10 games, Simcox, a right-handed hitter, and 6-3, 185, is batting .310.
A.J. Ladwig, RH pitcher: Not overpowering, but sharp with the strikes (30 innings, one walk) as Ladwig has pitched in five games, three as a starter, rolling up an 1.50 ERA and 0.70 WHIP. He’s 6-5, 180, and was drafted in 2014 (11th round, Wichita State).
And who’s not …
Joey Pankake, 2B: Uncomfortable times for Pankake, a right-handed hitter who was expected to have a big season for the Flying Tigers, and still might. He’s batting .169 in 21 games, and .083 in his last 10. On the season, he has 22 strikeouts and three home runs in 77 at-bats. It’s anticipated Pankake, who was a seventh-round pick in 2014 (South Carolina) will soon heat up.
SINGLE A WEST MICHIGAN
Who’s hot …
Will Maddox, 1B: Probably needs to be boosted a level, and might be on his way. Maddox, 23, is hitting .410 in his last 10 games, with three home runs. An 18th-round pick in 2014 (Tennessee), Maddox bats left-handed, and checks in at 5-10, 180.
Jose Azocar, CF: By end of the year, could be the Tigers’ best position prospect. He turns 20 on May 11 and is batting .329, with a .770 OPS. A right-handed batter, he’s 5-11, 165, and was signed as a 16-year-old out of Guiria, Venezuela.
Matt Hall, LH starter: Has a chance to become a Top Five farm talent only a year after the Tigers drafted him in the fifth round (Missouri State). Has been overmatching Midwest League talent in four starts: 21⅔ innings, 14 hits, two earned runs, 23 strikeouts, six walks. Hall is 6-foot, 200.
And who’s not …
Shane Zeile, C: Needs to put it together in 2016 after missing too many games, but Zeile’s batting only .171 in his last 10 games and .200 on the year. Zeile, 22, swings right-handed, is 6-1, 195, and was a fifth-round pick (UCLA) in 2014.