Detroit Tigers promote Spencer Torkelson and Riley Greene to Triple A

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Detroit Tigers manager AJ Hinch wants to end a script.

First / third baseman Spencer Torkelson and outfielder Riley Greene will not make their MLB debut in 2021. The organization wants their top prospects to develop fully in the minor leagues before taking them to the end, which should arrive sometime in 2022.

But Torkelson and Greene – after tearing up the competition for Double-A Erie – were promoted to Triple-A Toledo on Sunday. Infielder Ryan Kreidler has also been promoted. The Double-A schedule ends on September 19, but Triple-A teams play until October 3.

“There were plans to keep them in Double-A,” Hinch said on Sunday morning, ahead of the promotions. “There is also an argument for giving them an uncomfortable setting for something new. I don’t think any decision has been made as to whether this next step towards Toledo will happen. But they are doing very well at it. develop and learn to play every day.

“These are an exciting prospects who are going to wear a big league uniform hopefully soon. We have to keep in mind that the real development path is to keep them going successfully and not reacting too quickly to move them.”

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Greene, 20, spent the entire season in Double-A Erie, hitting .296 with 16 doubles, four triples, 16 circuits, 54 RIBs, 41 walks and 102 strikeouts, while stealing 12 goals in 13 attempts. He has a base percentage of .380 and a slugging percentage of .520.

Greene has been particularly hot in his last eight games, hitting 0.471 with six homers, 17 RBIs, four walks and six strikeouts., helping him to a slugging percentage of 1.118 during this stretch. He has scored four consecutive games.

“Whenever an important prospect has a good week or a good game or a good streak, there is always that curiosity about whether or not they should be challenged with the next level,” Hinch said. “It’s easy to put all these guys together. What we need to do is single them out and decide what’s best for their track to Detroit.

The Tigers picked Greene out of high school with the No.5 pick in 2019. Greene and Torkelson – Arizona State’s No.1 pick in 2020 – took part in the big league’s spring training. this year in Lakeland, Florida.

Greene reached 0.231 (6 for 26) with seven walks and 11 strikeouts in 22 games at camp, while Torkelson finished with a 0.037 (1 for 27) batting average with four walks and 16 strikeouts. batting in 19 games. They represented the Tigers at the July 2021 All-Star Futures Game at Coors Field in Denver.

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Torkelson, however, put his spring training woes behind him.

The 21-year-old hits .282 with 21 doubles, a triple, 19 homers, 54 walks and 78 strikeouts combined with High-A West Michigan (31 games) and Double-A Erie (50 games).

He crossed western Michigan with a batting average of 0.312 and a baseline percentage of 0.440, joining Greene and the SeaWolves on June 13. For Erie, Torkelson is batting 0.263 with 14 home runs, 36 RBIs, 30 goals and 50 strikeouts.

“I don’t think there is an exact science,” Hinch said of Torkelson and Greene’s transfer to Toledo. “You can’t predict how things are going to turn out. You call them up, and they start real strong, then you’ve kept them there too long. You call them up and they go into a drought and they’re not. very good at first, so you rushed them. There’s no perfect way to predict exactly how they’re going to react or when the right time is. “

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In Torkelson’s last six games, he’s hitting .423 with two doubles, four homers, nine RBI, zero walks and five strikeouts, producing a slugging percentage of .962.

He went 7-for-7 with three homers and six RBIs in Thursday’s doubles schedule.

“Basically they have to be able to do anything to take it to the next level,” Hinch said. “The next level will teach them something they’ve never experienced before. Maybe it’s more triple-A speed shots, or you’re starting to plan your game, or the lefties are a little better. Now you go up against guys with league service times.

“The biggest jump in the world is from Triple-A to the big leagues. They’re getting there.”

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Kreidler, 23, has taken a big step forward in his development this season, starting all 88 shortstop games for the SeaWolves. To earn his promotion, he reached 0.256 with 15 doubles, 15 homers and 36 RBIs, with 32 walks and 119 strikeouts.

In his 24 games since July 18, he’s reached .327 with eight doubles, seven homers, 16 RIBs, 10 walks and 29 strikeouts. The Tigers drafted Kreidler in the fourth round (No. 112 overall) from UCLA in 2019.

He’s also listed as a third baseman, but hasn’t played the hot corner of his professional career.

As for Toledo’s season which lasted two weeks longer than Erie’s, Hinch had a lot to share on brewing prospects:

“From a minor league development perspective it’s a really long season for these guys. Tork and Greene are good examples. They were in spring training in mid-February, went through the whole first month. from the season they haven’t played but they were going through the minor league camp, then they go to their season and it’s extended until the end of September.

“That will factor in, certainly on pitching promotions and even on some positional elements. Ultimately, enough is enough for these kids. They were absent almost last year in its entirety, with the exception of the alternate site, so far being the first full season of Tork. Ultimately, enough is enough for these kids. These are examples of things we need to debate in our heads about whether those extra two weeks are better served ( play) or better served being at the next level.

“Some kids who’ve been playing Triple-A for you all season and worked all season, that place on the roster still matters to this young player. There’s a lot to balance out trying to prioritize things. You don’t. can’t just move the guys out of the This isn’t how you treat professionals. But if the opportunity arises, then maybe they’ll get a taste of the next level. I think this will be discussed. next month. “

Evan Petzold is a sports reporter for the Detroit Free Press. Contact him at [email protected] or follow him on Twitter @EvanPetzold. Learn more about the Detroit Tigers and sign up for our Tigers newsletter.

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