USA Today's Detroit Tiger prospect report

Last edited by on Mon Jan 28, 2008 9:29 am; edited 1 time in total

USA Today's Detroit Tiger prospect report

January 27, 2008

By MEL ANTONEN

USA TODAY

The Tigers' refortified team at the big-league level has cost them plenty of big-name prospects, but they say their organization will be fine.

"We feel good about our system," Tigers assistant general manager Al Avila says. "We are not bare. We have good players. But we are going to replace players with the draft and international signings."

The Tigers traded six players, including outfielder Cameron Maybin and left-hander Andrew Miller, arguably the team's top two prospects, to the Florida Marlins in a December deal that brought them lefty Dontrelle Willis and third baseman Miguel Cabrera.

The Tigers also have traded away pitching prospects Jair Jurrjens (to the Atlanta Braves in the Edgar Renteria trade this offseason), Eulogio De La Cruz and Dallas Trahern (both in the Willis-Cabrera deal) and outfielder Gorkys Hernandez (in the Renteria deal).

Avila said the Tigers didn't want to part with Maybin and Miller but it was easier to do so with a young center fielder (Curtis Granderson, 26) and a pitcher such as Rick Porcello, a 2007 first-round draft pick.

The Tigers' system is stocked with pitchers, infielders and outfielders. The biggest weakness in catching.

A look at some of their top prospects:

•RHP Rick Porcello: The Tigers say Porcello, 19, is a potential No. 1 starter, and at 6-5 and 200 pounds, he reminds scouts of Josh Beckett.

Porcello has a fastball in the high-90s, with a plus-curve and plus-changeup. He has good control and command and a sound delivery. "He's a perfect 10," Avila says.

The Tigers expect he will start at either high-A Lakeland (Fla.) or low-A West Michigan.

•1B Jeff Larish: Larish, 25, who hit .264 in 25 games during the Arizona Fall League, is a left-handed batting, power-hitting prospect whose rise to the big leagues will be determined by his bat. He is an average defensive player whom the Tigers think could hit 25 home runs a season in the majors.

The Tigers roster is hard to crack this season, but the team isn't ruling out Larish as a major leaguer this season. He hit .267 with 28 home runs and 101 RBI with a .515 slugging percentage at Class AA Erie (Pa.) in 2007.

•RHP Brandon Hamilton: At 19, Hamilton, a supplemental first-round pick in 2007, is 6-3 and 200 pounds with a mid-90s fastball and a 12-6 curve and a changeup, all above-average pitches.

He is not as advanced as Porcello, but the Tigers like his build, mechanics and delivery. He pitched seven games in the rookie-level Gulf Coast League last season and will likely start at Lakeland this season.

•RHP Jeff Gerbe: Gerbe, 23, pitched most of last season at low-A West Michigan (Comstock Park, Mich.), where he went 2-2 with a 2.34 ERA with 40 strikeouts and 12 walks in 73 innings. He has a fastball in the mid-90s.

•SS Cale Iorg: Iorg, the 22-year-old son of former major league infielder Garth Iorg, is what the Tigers call a "true shortstop," in that he has all the instincts for the position.

The Tigers like his hands, range and arm and say he has good bat control, gap-to-gap power (an asset for playing at spacious Comerica Park).

He has a build (6-2, 190 pounds) that makes scouts think he will develop power.

He will likely start at Lakeland this season and might have the potential to be an all-star in the majors in the next few years.

•SS Danny Worth: Worth, 22, is a solid defensive shortstop who will be invited to big-league camp this spring training. He will likely play at Erie this season.

He hit .429 in five games for the SeaWolves last season after spending most of the year in Lakeland, where he hit .251.

•OF Clete Thomas: Thomas, 24, a left-handed batter, hit .280 with eight home runs and 53 RBI in 137 games at Erie last season.

He was 18-for-29 in steals, and the Tigers say he needs to work on cutting down on his strikeouts (he had 110 in 2007). But his speed helps him cover a lot of ground.

•OF Matt Joyce: Joyce, 23, a left-handed batter, has a future as a right fielder.

Joyce hit .257 with 17 home runs and 70 RBI in 130 games at Erie last season, though he struck out 127 times. He's an outstanding defensive player with a strong arm that could get stronger.

•RHP Freddy Dolsi: Dolsi, 24, was 5-3 with a 3.48 ERA in 48 games at Lakeland last season. He is listed at 6 feet and only 160 pounds, but he has a great arm, with a fastball in the high 90s and a strong curveball.

•OF Brent Clevlen: Clevlen, 24, is a top-notch prospect who took a step backward last season when he hit .220 with seven home runs in 90 games at Toledo.

But the Tigers are confident in this player with five-tool potential and say he'll move upward when he develops consistent hitting.