Tigers Minor League Spring Training report
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2:47 PM UTC
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To the casual observer, transition can be a four-letter word in farm-system circles. It usually indicates that an organization needs to pull a 180-degree turn and start adding as much Minor League talent as it can, often at the cost of good players on the Major League roster.
Let s get this out of the way: the Tigers farm system is in a time of transition, and it s in a way that should thrill everyone in Detroit.
The organization opened 2021 as MLB Pipeline s No. 2 overall farm system, thanks in part to having five Top 100 prospects all of which were ranked among the top 25 spots in the game. In the three weeks since the Major League season began, two such prospects Casey Mize and Tarik Skubal have graduated from that status, having cracked the Opening Day roster as starting pitchers. They ve arrived in Motor City, as has always been the goal, and their entries are indicative of a club that
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Matt Manning, the No. 25 overall prospect, made his second straight appearance of two frames while showcasing his ability to change speeds and fool hitters. The Tigers No. 5 prospect entered in the fifth inning of the Tigers 6-4 loss to the Phillies and immediately notched back-to-back strikeouts, utilizing his curveball to get Jean Segura looking, then touching 97 with his fastball to get Bryce Harper swinging.
After his 1-2-3 fifth, the 2016 first-rounder allowed three singles in the sixth but limited the damage to one run, getting Jeff Mathis to bounce into a double play to end the inning.
Manning, who was 11-5 with a 2.56 ERA with 148 strikeouts over 133 2/3 innings for Double-A Erie in 2019 to be named Eastern League Pitcher of the Year, made his 2021 Grapefruit League debut on March 3, also against Philadelphia. In that appearance, he allowed one hit and fanned one.