Tigers Minor League Baseball Blog

Kevin Goldstein recently put out his list of who he things the Tigers top eleven prospects are.  It’s an interesting list because like last year, you have two top players then a steep drop off.  Cameron Maybin checks in at number one for the second straight season and that’s not a surprise.  Yeah Maybin fell flat last year once he made it to the bigs but his minor league advancement was very solid.  He’s still considered a future star and the Tigers felt good enough about him to trade away Gorkys Hernandez, another top outfield prospect.

The Tigers 2007 first round draft pick, Rick Porcello, checks in at number two and like Maybin, he was given a five star tag.  Porcello signed too late to play in the Tiger’s system but he should start out with the White Caps.  I doubt if he’ll stay there long and I expect to see some pretty high strikeout numbers while he’s there.

After that, things thin out.  Casey Crosby, the Tigers fifth round pick in 2007, is the the third best prospect.  Like Porcello, Crosby fell further down because of signability issues and he was a big reason many though the Tigers had one of the best drafts this year. 

Cale Iorg and Brandon Hamilton (another first round, 2007 draft pick) round out the top five. Jeff Larish is sixth after a solid season at Double A last year and you also have a pair of pitchers in Yorman Bazardo and Eulogio De La Cruz who made the list despite having stints in the big leagues last year.

Jeff Larish had the only hit of the game and he broke up the no-hitter by former Tiger Gary Knots in the seventh inning in Erie’s 7-0 loss.  Not even Cameron Maybin reached base and his five game hitting streak to start the season ended rather abruptly.

Andrew Kown took the loss and he fell to 4-8 on the season.  He gave up six runs (five earned) on five hits with one strikeout in three innings.

After taking a break from the long ball yesterday, Cameron Maybin got right back at it with a three run shot in Erie’s 7-3 win over Reading.  He finished the game two for four with the homerun, four RBIs and two runs.  Clete Thomas also had a nice game and he went three for five with a double and two runs.

Jonathan Connolly improved to 7-6 with a nice start.  He gave up two unearned runs on six hits and a walk with two strikeouts in six innings of work.

Despite the fact that the Seawolves are in the middle of a race for the playoffs, all eyes have been on Cameron Maybin, who has given the team a huge boost.  He kept things up tonight and while he didn’t hit a homerun, he did go two for three with a double, two walks and a run.  Jeff Larish also had a nice game and he went two for five with a double and an RBI in the 8-6 loss.

Eddie Bonine was hit hard and he gave up six runs in four innings but he didn’t pick up the loss.  Matthew Righter gave up two runs in the sixth to blow a tie game after Erie rallied to tie things up.

Michael Hollimon has a big day at the plate in the Seawolves 7-6 win over the Defenders.  He went three for five with a double, a triple, three RBIs and a run.  Cameron Maybin homered in his third straight game since joining Erie and he went two for four with two RBIs and two runs.

Dallas Trahern was roughed up and he gave up six runs in four innings.  Anthony Tomey picked up the win and he gave up a hit and a walk with three strikeouts in three shutout innings.

Cameron Maybin picked up just one hit in Erie’s 10-9 win but he drew two walks, scored three times and he homered in his second straight game.  Jeff Larish went two for four with a homerun, three RBIs and two runs.

Matthew Rusch picked up the win and he improved to 4-1. He struck out two and he didn’t give up a base runner in two shutout innings of relief.

All eyes were on Cameron Maybin as he made his Double A debut today.  He had just one hit but it went over the fence for his first homer for Erie and his eleventh homer overall.  Jeff Larish and Clete Thomas also went yard in the 6-3 loss to the Defenders.

Jonathan Connolly fell to 6-6 in a rough start.  He gave up four runs on three homers in just 2 2/3 innings.

Lakeland took care of St. Lucie 9-6 in a nice team effort.  Eight different hitters scored and Cameron Maybin led the way with a single, a double an RBI and a run.  It very well could have been his last hit for Lakeland because Maybin got promoted to Erie.  He won’t get to play today because Erie was rained out.

Eleazar Aponte improved to 5-8 with a nice start.  He gave up three runs on seven hits with three strikeouts in six innings of work.

Lakeland continued their struggles and they dropped their third straight game in a pitchers’ duel with St. Lucie.  Burke Badenhop gave up just one unearned run in 7 1/3 innings but for his struggles, he didn’t get a win.  Freddy Dolsi gave up two runs in ninth inning and he fell to 4-3 on the season in the 3-2 loss.

Cameron Maybin belted a solo homerun, his tenth of the season.  Ovandy Suero singled twice and he stole his 67th base of the season.

There were plenty of hitting stars in Lakeland’s 13-4 blowout win over Fort Myers but Michael Hernandez was a notch above the rest.  He went three for five with a homerun, five RBIs and two runs.  Deik Scram went four for five with a double, two RBIs and three runs while Cameron Maybin went two for three with a double, two RBIs a walk and a run.

Eleazar Aponte improved to 4-8 with the win.  He gave up two runs on five hits and four walks with three strikeouts in six innings of work.

Cameron Maybin has been back for just two games but he’s already shown he’s healthy with his second straight solid game.  He went two for four with an RBI and a run.  Joseph Bowen doubled and he drove in two runs.

Brandon Johnson picked up the win and he improved to 3-3 on the season in the 5-2 win.  He gave up one run on five hits with four strikeouts in five innings of work.

Three different pitchers gave up at least a pair of runs each as the GCL Yankees took care of the GCL Tigers 7-3.  Jonathan Kibler took the loss when he gave up the first two runs and he fell to 1-1 on the season.

Cameron Maybin reached base twice in his rehab start.  He singled twice and drew two walks in his first game back from a shoulder injury.

Lakeland was double bageled by Jupiter in two tough losses.  Game one was a 13-0 blowout in which Kyle Sleeth was hit hard.  He gave up eight runs on nine hits and two walks with two strikeouts in 2 2/3 innings.  Cameron Maybin was one of two Lakeland hitters to have two hits in the game.

Game two was a 4-0 loss and it was Lucas French who took the loss. He gave up four runs (just one earned) on three hits and three walks in 2 2/3 innings.  Shawn Roof was the only Lakeland hitter in this one to have two hits.

Lakeland used an Earl Weaver favorite and with two three run homers, they cruised to a 10-2 win over Brevard County.  Cameron Maybin went two for four with a three run shot and two runs scored while Rafael Mendez singled, hit a three run homerun and scored two runs.

Burke Badenhop improved to 7-5 on the season with a decent start.  He gave up two runs on four hits and three walks with five strikeouts in six innings of work.

Lakeland got plenty of offense in their 8-3 win over Brevard County.  Michael Hernandez led the way with a game high four RBIs.  He went two for five with a homerun.  Cameron Maybin went two for five with a triple, an RBI and two runs and Ovandy Suero singled, stole his 53rd base and scored a run.

Ricky Steik picked up his first win of the season with three shutout innings of relief.  He gave up two hits and he struck out one.

Gabriel Benitez was tagged for four runs in just one inning of work and he took the defeat in Lakeland’s 6-4 loss.  He fell to 1-2 on the season.

Ryan Roberson went two for four with a double and two runs.  Cameron Maybin doubled and drove in a run while Mark Haske was two for two with an RBI.

Burke Badenhop fell to 3-4 on the season with a rough start in Lakeland’s 11-2 loss to Dunedin.  He gave up six runs (three earned) on eight hits with a strikeout in three innings.  Alfredo Figaro was also hit hard and he gave up four runs in 2 2/3 innings.  Maxwell Leon provided all of the offense in the loss.  He doubled and drove in two runs.

In the second game, the Flying Tigers edged Dunedin 3-2. Cameron Maybin hit a solo homerun (his third of the season) and William Rhymes also went yard.  Ovandy Suero continued his rampage of the base paths and he had two hits and two steals to bring his steal total up to 49 on the season.  Paul Hammond picked up the win with a shutout fifth inning.

The Flying Tigers lost both of their games in a twin billing against Tampa.  In the first game, it was a lack of hitting that cost them in a 3-1 loss.  Cameron Maybin doubled and he drove home the only run for Lakeland while Alfredo Figaro dropped to 0-3 when he gave up three runs in 5 1/3 innings.

In the second game, Matt O’Brien was hit hard for five runs in 2 2/3 innings and he fell to 0-3 on the season in the 6-3 loss.  Ovandy Suero was a perfect four for four and he racked up his 47th stolen base of the season.  He was also caught for the eleventh time.

A pretty good start by Burke Badenhop went to waste in Lakeland’s 5-3 loss to Brevard County.  He gave up two runs on six hits and a walk with six strikeouts in 6 1/3 innings. Jacob Ramos gave up three runs with out getting a single batter out in the bottom of the eighth inning.

Cameron Maybin was the hitting star in the loss.  He went two for four with an RBI.  He also stole his nineteenth base of the season.

Matt O’Brien fell to 0-2 on the season with a rough start in Lakeland’s 6-2 loss to Brevard County.  He gave up five runs on eight hits and three walks in six innings.

Cameron Maybin was one of two Lakeland hitters with two hits.  He finished two for four with an RBI.