Detroit Tigers minor league players

Nolan Blackwood (born March 16, 1995) is an American professional baseball pitcher in the Detroit Tigers organization.

Blackwood attended Southaven High School in Southaven, Mississippi, where he developed his side-arm delivery, saying, "In high school one day, I was having arm issues. My elbow kept bothering me, and my high school coach said, 'Hey, drop it down and just see how it feels and see how you do.' My first bullpen [session] I threw like that, I think I threw like 90 percent strikes."[1] He would help lead the school to a state championship in 2013 as a senior, allowing just a single run in 39 2/3 innings. Blackwood would then attend the University of Memphis where he would set a program record for appearances as a freshman (31) following that up with a program record in saves as a sophomore (14). He spent three years at Memphis finishing his career with 24 saves, a 7–9 record, a 2.32 ERA, and 77 strikeouts in 116.1 innings.[2]

Blackwood was drafted by the Oakland Athletics as a 16th round pick in the 2016 MLB Draft. Blackwood spent the majority of his season in A-ball with five appearances for the Vermont Lake Monsters and 13 appearances for the Beloit Snappers finishing with 25 strikeouts in 26.1 innings and a 2–2 record with a 3.26 ERA in his first pro season. He spent the full 2017 season with the High-A Stockton Ports where he held batters to a .205 average, made 19 saves in 20 opportunities, and struck 48 batters out compared to 18 walks. He finished the year with a 1–5 record and 3.00 ERA.

He started the 2018 campaign with the AA Midland RockHounds in the Oakland organization, however the Athletics would trade him to the Detroit Tigers along with a player to be named later (eventually Logan Shore) for Mike Fiers.[3] Blackwood played six games in the Tigers organization with the AA Erie SeaWolves and finished 2018 with a 6–4 record and 4.13 ERA over 45 AA appearances in the Oakland and Detroit organizations. Starting the 2019 season with the AAA Toledo Mud Hens, Blackwood made just three appearances giving up seven earned runs in three innings. He returned to Erie where he had a career-low ERA (1.76) and career-high in strikeouts (61), more than in any other full season. He held batters to just a .211 average and struck out 61 in 66.1 innings. He would also finish with a 6–4 record while earning four saves.[4]

• Career statistics and player information from Baseball Reference (Minors)

Ethan DeCaster (born October 27, 1994) is an American professional baseball pitcher in the Detroit Tigers organization.

DeCaster attended Creighton University for his first three years of eligibility, and subsequently transferred to Duke University as a graduate transfer. As a freshman at Creighton, he developed his side-arm style of pitching as a result of an injury suffered.[5] He would end his career as a Bluejay with a 2.42 ERA over 75 appearances, all coming in relief.[6] At Duke, he was named to the Second Team NCBWA All-American team after going 6–0 in relief with a 1.34 ERA, and 57 strikeouts to just six walks.[7]

DeCaster was drafted by the Tigers as an 18th round pick in the 2018 MLB Draft, and would be assigned to the GCL Tigers shortly after the draft. After merely two games, a stint lasting eight days, DeCaster would be called up to the Connecticut Tigers, where he spent under a month before moving up to the single-A West Michigan Whitecaps. He would see one game of action in Lakeland as well, for the Lakeland Flying Tigers, and would finish the 2018 campaign with a cumulative 0.84 ERA over 32 innings pitched. Opponents would only manage a .173 average off him.

DeCaster would continue his rise through the Tigers minor league ranks in 2019 as after just seven more games to start the season in Lakeland, he would be called up to the Erie SeaWolves. Throughout the season, DeCaster would shuffle between Erie and the Toledo Mud Hens, where he would not give up a run through his first six appearances. In less than 365 days, DeCaster was able to move from getting drafted to the Triple-A Mud Hens' roster.[8]

• Career statistics and player information from Baseball Reference (Minors)

Bowdien Henry Asa Derby (born February 24, 1994) is an American professional baseball pitcher in the Milwaukee Brewers organization.

Derby attended La Salle High School in Pasadena, California.[9] As a senior in 2012, he compiled a 9-1 record, a 0.90 ERA, and 117 strikeouts in 81 innings.[10] After graduating, he enrolled at San Diego State University where he played college baseball for the San Diego State Aztecs. In 2015, as a junior, he went 8-4 with a 3.32 ERA and 131 strikeouts in 103 innings[11] and was named to the All-Mountain West first team. After the season, Derby was drafted by the Oakland Athletics in the sixth round, 188th overall, of the 2015 Major League Baseball draft.[11] He signed with Oakland and was assigned to the Rookie-level Arizona League Athletics before being promoted to the Vermont Lake Monsters of the Class A Short Season New York–Penn League. In 14 games (ten starts) between the two teams, he went 1-1 with a 1.21 ERA and 47 strikeouts over 37+1⁄3 innings.

On February 12, 2016, Oakland traded Derby, along with Jacob Nottingham, to the Milwaukee Brewers in exchange for Khris Davis.[12] He was assigned to the Brevard County Manatees of the Class A-Advanced Florida State League and he spent all of 2016 there, going 6-13 with a 5.59 ERA in 26 games (25 starts). In 2017, he played for both the Biloxi Shuckers of the Class AA Southern League and the Colorado Springs Sky Sox of the Class AAA Pacific Coast League, compiling a combined 7-1 record, a 3.26 ERA, and a 1.20 WHIP over 113+1⁄3 innings. innings pitched between the two teams,[13] and in 2018, he returned Colorado Springs, going 6-5 with a 4.49 ERA in 31 games (16 starts).[14]

Derby spent 2019 with the San Antonio Missions,[15] going 7-8 with a 4.99 ERA over 27 games (18 starts), striking out 104 batters over 115+1⁄3 innings. He did not play a minor league game in 2020 due to the cancellation of the minor league season caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. To begin 2021, he was assigned to the Nashville Sounds of the Triple-A East, but was demoted to Biloxi in June then released in August. On April 14, 2022, Derby signed a minor league contract with the Detroit Tigers.[16]

• Career statistics and player information from Baseball Reference (Minors)

Francis Dillon Dingler (born September 17, 1998) is an American professional baseball catcher in the Detroit Tigers organization.

Dingler attended Jackson High School in Massillon, Ohio, where he played baseball, basketball, and football, leading Jackson to state championships in both basketball and baseball his senior year.[17][18][19] Undrafted in the 2017 Major League Baseball draft, he enrolled at Ohio State University where he played college baseball for the Ohio State Buckeyes.

As a freshman at Ohio State in 2018, Dingler batted .244 with four home runs and 17 RBIs over 53 games.[20] He earned Big Ten Conference All-Freshman honors.[21] In 2019, his sophomore year, he was named a team captain.[22] He missed 19 games during the season due to a broken hamate bone in his left hand.[23] Over 49 games, he slashed .291/.392/.424 with three home runs and 19 RBIs, and was named to the All-Big Ten second team.[24][25] As a junior in 2019, Dingler once again was named a team captain.[26] He hit .340 with five home runs and 14 RBIs over 13 games before the college baseball season was cut short due to the COVID-19 pandemic.[27]

Dingler was selected by the Detroit Tigers in the second round with the 38th overall pick in the 2020 Major League Baseball draft.[28] He signed for $1.93 million.[29] He did not play a minor league game in 2020 due to the cancellation of the minor league season caused by the pandemic.[30] To begin the 2021 season, he was assigned to the West Michigan Whitecaps of the High-A Central.[31] After slashing .287/.376/.549 with eight home runs and 24 RBIs over 32 games, he was promoted to the Erie SeaWolves of the Double-A Northeast on June 13.[32] In early August, he was placed on the injured list with a finger injury.[33] He returned to play in early September.[34] Over fifty games with Erie, Dingler batted .202/.264/.314 with four home runs and twenty RBIs.[35] He returned to Erie to begin the 2022 season.[36]

• Ohio State Buckeyes bio

• Career statistics and player information from Baseball Reference (Minors)

Colten Keith (born August 14, 2001) is an American professional baseball third baseman in the Detroit Tigers organization.

Keith attended Verrado High School in Buckeye, Arizona before transferring to Biloxi High School in Biloxi, Mississippi as a junior in 2019.[37] He was named the Gatorade Baseball Player of the Year for the state of Mississippi as a junior after batting .527 with nine home runs and 49 RBIs.[38] He was drafted by the Detroit Tigers in the fifth round of the 2020 Major League Baseball draft.[39][40][41][42] He signed with the Tigers rather than play college baseball at Arizona State University.

Keith made his professional debut in 2021 with the Florida Complex League Tigers before being promoted to the Lakeland Flying Tigers and West Michigan Whitecaps.[43][44] Over 65 games between the three teams, he slashed .286/.396/.789 with two home runs, 32 RBIs, eight doubles, and five triples.

• Career statistics and player information from Baseball Reference (Minors)

Ryan Kreidler (born November 12, 1997) is an American professional baseball shortstop in the Detroit Tigers organization.

Kreidler attended Davis High School in Davis, California. He was drafted by the Chicago Cubs in the 35th round of the 2016 Major League Baseball draft but did not sign and played college baseball at the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA).[45][46] In 2018, he played collegiate summer baseball with the Wareham Gatemen of the Cape Cod Baseball League.[47] He was drafted by the Detroit Tigers in the fourth round of the 2019 MLB draft and signed.[48]

Kreidler made his professional debut with the Connecticut Tigers, batting .232 with two home runs and twenty RBIs over sixty games.[49] He did not play a minor league game in 2020 due to the season being cancelled because of the COVID-19 pandemic. He started 2021 with the Erie SeaWolves before being promoted to the Toledo Mud Hens.[50][51] Over 129 games between the two teams, he slashed .270/.349/.454 with 22 home runs, 58 RBIs, and 15 stolen bases.[52]

• Career statistics and player information from Baseball Reference (Minors)

Andre Martinas Lipcius (born May 22, 1998) is an American professional baseball third baseman in the Detroit Tigers organization.

Lipcius would attend Lafayette High School in Williamsburg, Virginia, where he was a four-year letterman and a team captain. He would commit to the University of Tennessee, where he would play with his brother and fraternal twin, Luc, and major in nuclear engineering.[53] and, as a freshman, was named to the SEC All-Freshman Team, as he started all 52 of the team's games at first base leading the team with 11 doubles. He would move to shortstop as a sophomore and improve on nearly all his batting metrics, including jumping from one to seven home runs, and improving his average from .275 to .315. In 2018, he played collegiate summer baseball with the Harwich Mariners of the Cape Cod Baseball League, and was named a league all-star.[54] He would finish his career as a junior, starting all 61 games for the Volunteers at third base, and leading the team with 17 home runs to go with 58 RBIs, a .306 average, and a team-leading 72 hits.[55]

Lipcius would be drafted in the third round, 83rd overall, in the 2019 MLB Draft by the Detroit Tigers. Lipcius was assigned to the Single-A West Michigan Whitecaps to start his career, and he had a strong first professional campaign. The rookie would hit .273 over 253 at bats, with an OBP of .344. The COVID-19 pandemic meant that Lipcius would not be able to play in the minor leagues of the MLB in 2020, however Lipcius would play with the Peninsula Pilots in the college summer league, the Coastal Plain League.[56]

In 2021, Lipcius would start the season once again in West Michigan, albeit, now at the High-A level due to the shake-up in affiliates in the Detroit Tigers organization. On June 1, Lipcius would receive a call-up to the Double-A Erie SeaWolves. At the time of his call-up, Lipcius led the Whitecaps in batting average at .277, had three home runs and 13 RBIs, and had 12 walks to 16 strikeouts, helping him to an OBP of .357 and an OPS of .839.[57]

• Career statistics and player information from Baseball Reference (Minors)

Parker Meadows (born November 2, 1999) is an American professional baseball outfielder in the Detroit Tigers organization.

Meadows attended Grayson High School in Loganville, Georgia, the same school as his brother, fellow professional baseball player Austin Meadows. Meadows would get drafted in the second round, 44th overall, by the Tigers in the 2018 MLB Draft. Meadows signed with the Tigers organization and received a $2.5 million signing bonus, nearly a full $1 million above the slot value for the 44th overall pick.[58] Meadows began his professional career in rookie ball with where he hit .284 with an OBP of .376, to go with four home runs in just 22 games. He would get called up to the Connecticut Tigers to finish the rest of the 2018 campaign where he continued the strong start to his professional career, going six-for-19 (.316 average) in his six games at that level. In the lead-up to, and following, the 2019 season, he would be listed within the top twelve Tigers prospects in the organization by various outlets, including a rating as high as ninth.[59][60][61]

In that 2019 season, Meadows spent the entire year with the Single-A West Michigan Whitecaps. Meadows saw a dip in productivity, falling to a .221 batting average and .296 OBP, however he also hit seven home runs and drove in 40 RBIs while stealing 14 bases. He also walked 47 times over the course of the season, though he struck out 113 times as well. Meadows was not selected to be part of the Tigers alternate training squad for the shortened 2020 MLB season, however, with the cancellation of the 2020 minor league season, Meadows would continue to work out at his parents' residence in Loganville and Grayson High School.[62] On September 3, Meadows was among four Tigers minor league players called up for the Tigers' alternate training site in Toledo.[63]

• Career statistics and player information from Baseball Reference (Minors)

Reese Olson (born July 31, 1999) is an American baseball pitcher in the Detroit Tigers organization.

Olson was born in Gainesville, Georgia and attended North Hall High School. He was drafted by the Milwaukee Brewers in the 13th round of the 2018 MLB draft. In 2019, Olson started 14 games for High-A Wisconsin Timber Rattlers, posting a 4–7 record with a 4.66 ERA and 84 strikeouts over 94 innings. He did not play a minor league game in 2020 due to the cancellation of the minor league season caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. In 2021, Olson started 14 games for High-A Wisconsin Timber Rattlers, posting a 5–4 record with a 4.30 ERA and 79 strikeouts over 69 innings.[64] On July 31, 2021, Olson was traded to the Detroit Tigers in exchange for Daniel Norris. He was assigned to the West Michigan Whitecaps. He was ranked the organization's thirteenth best prospect in MLB.com's mid-season 2021 update.[65]

• Career statistics and player information from Baseball Reference (Minors)

Izaac Pacheco (born November 18, 2002) is an American baseball shortstop in the Detroit Tigers organization.

Pacheco grew up in Friendswood, Texas and attended Friendswood High School. He was named the 24-6A Newcomer of the Year after he hit .296 with 14 extra-base hits in his freshman season.[66] Pacheco was named the District 22-5A Offensive Most Valuable Player as a sophomore after he hit for a .442 average with five home runs, 15 RBIs, 25 runs scored, and 16 stolen bases.[67] As a senior, Pacheco as the District 22-5A MVP after batting .543 with six home runs, 12 doubles, 45 RBIs, and 41 runs scored.[68][69]

Pacheco was selected 39th overall in the 2021 Major League Baseball draft by the Detroit Tigers.[70] Pacheco signed with the team on July 23, 2021, and received a $2.75 million signing bonus.[71] Pacheco was assigned to the Rookie-level Florida Complex League Tigers after signing, where he batted .226 with four doubles, three triples, one home run, and seven RBIs.[72]

• Career statistics and player information from Baseball Reference (Minors)

Bryant Thomas Packard (born October 6, 1997) is an American professional baseball outfielder in the Detroit Tigers organization.

Packard attended East Carolina University from 2017 to 2019. After featuring in a supporting role as a freshman, he had a breakout sophomore year batting .406 with a .462 OBP. He hit 14 home runs with 50 RBIs and was named to seven All-American teams, including five as a first-team selection. He was the AAC Conference Player of the Year and a unanimous selection to the All-AAC First Team. He was named on the preseason Golden Spikes Award watchlist entering his junior year. He would hit .358 as a junior with a .444 OBP, aided by walking nine times more as a junior than a sophomore. He would hit seven home runs, a career-high 19 doubles, and finished with 40 RBIs.[73] In 2018, he played collegiate summer baseball with the Wareham Gatemen of the Cape Cod Baseball League, where he was named a league all-star.[74][75]

Packard was taken in the fifth round of the 2019 MLB Draft. He would start his career in the Detroit Tigers system with A-Short Season Connecticut Tigers.[76] Over 11 games, he would hit .351 with a .432 OBP, walking six times compared to just nine strikeouts. He would then join the Single-A West Michigan Whitecaps where he would continue his ascent. After hitting .309 with a .404 OBP, along with three home runs and 12 RBIs, in 23 games, he would end his 2019 season with the A-Advanced Lakeland Flying Tigers. Packard spent five games with Lakeland ending with a pair of hits and a pair of RBIs. Ahead of the 2020 season, which was set to be his first full professional campaign, he was named the Tigers' #17 prospect according to MLB.com[77] He did not play a minor league game in 2020 due to the cancellation of the minor league season caused by the COVID-19 pandemic.

• Career statistics and player information from Baseball Reference (Minors)

Wenceel Xavier Perez (born October 30, 1999) is a Dominican professional baseball shortstop in the Detroit Tigers organization.

Perez signed with the Tigers as an international free agent in July 2016, and would be assigned to the DSL Tigers as his first professional stop a year later in 2017. Over his first 61 games, he would hit .314 with a .387 OBP, while walking 27 times compared to 21 strikeouts. He would also steal sixteen bases and earn a call-up to the GCL Tigers in 2018. Perez quickly earned a jump up to the short season single-A Connecticut Tigers after hitting .383 with a .462 OBP in his twenty games, and he would be called up to the West Michigan Whitecaps after just a month in Connecticut.

Perez made an impact in his debut in West Michigan with a four-for-four night including two runs scored. He would hit .309 with West Michigan over sixteen games, and would begin his 2019 season with the Whitecaps. He was named to the Detroit Tigers' Top 30 Prospects List by MLB.com ahead of the 2019 season at #12.[78] He spent the full 2019 season with West Michigan. Over 124 games, Perez batted .233 with an OBP of .299. He hit three home runs, 16 doubles, six triples, and finished with 30 RBIs while stealing 21 bases.

• Career statistics and player information from Baseball Reference (Minors)

Paul Douglas Richan (born March 26, 1997) is an American professional baseball pitcher in the Detroit Tigers organization.

Richan attended Hart High School in Santa Clarita, California.[79] In 2015, his senior year, he went 5–2 with a 1.65 ERA and 71 strikeouts. Undrafted in the 2015 Major League Baseball draft, he enrolled at the University of San Diego (USD) where he played college baseball.

In 2016, as a freshman at USD, Richan appeared in 13 games (making one start), pitching to a 1–1 record with an 8.88 ERA with twenty strikeouts over 24 innings.[80] As a sophomore in 2017, he pitched in 18 games (11 starts), going 5–2 with a 3.05 ERA,[81][82] earning All-West Coast Conference Honorable Mention.[83] In 2018, his junior season, Richan transitioned into a full-time starter, pitching to a 4–6 record with a 4.62 ERA across 13 starts, striking out 101 in 89+2⁄3 innings.[84]

After his junior year at USD, Richan was selected by the Chicago Cubs in the second round (78th overall) of the 2018 Major League Baseball draft.[85][86] Richan signed with the Cubs and made his professional debut with the Eugene Emeralds. Over ten games (nine starts), he went 0–2 with a 2.12 ERA, striking out 31 and walking only five across 29+2⁄3 innings.[87][88] In 2019, he began the year with the Myrtle Beach Pelicans with whom he was named a Florida State League All-Star.[89]

On July 31, 2019, Richan was traded along with Alex Lange to the Detroit Tigers in exchange for Nicholas Castellanos.[90] He was assigned to the Lakeland Flying Tigers, and finished the season there. Over 22 starts between Myrtle Beach and Lakeland, Richan pitched to a 12–7 record and a 4.00 ERA, striking out 115 over 123+2⁄3 innings. He did not play a minor league game in 2020 due to the cancellation of the minor league season caused by the COVID-19 pandemic.[91] To begin the 2021 season, he was assigned to the Erie SeaWolves.[92] In late June, he was placed on the injured list and missed the rest of the season.[93] Over eight starts, he compiled a 3.72 ERA and 26 strikeouts over 29 innings.[94]

• Career statistics and player information from Baseball Reference (Minors)

Dylan Smith (born May 28, 2000) is an American professional baseball pitcher in the Detroit Tigers organization.

Smith grew up in Stafford, Texas and attended Stafford High School. He was selected in 18th round by the San Diego Padres in 2018 Major League Baseball draft, but opted not to sign with the team.[95]

Smith played college baseball at Alabama for three seasons. He appeared in 13 games as a freshman and had an ERA of 6.48.[96] Smith pitched 6+1⁄3 innings over four appearances with one start before the season ended prematurely due to the coronavirus pandemic.[97] He became a starter prior to his junior season and went 2-8 with a 3.84 ERA with 113 strikeouts 20 walks in 98+1⁄3 innings pitched across 16 starts.[98]

Smith was selected in the 3rd round of the 2021 MLB draft by the Detroit Tigers.[99] Smith signed with the team on July 26, 2021, and received a $1,115,000 signing bonus.[100]

• Alabama Crimson Tide bio

• Career statistics and player information from Baseball Reference (Minors)

Gage Workman
Workman with Arizona State in 2019
Detroit Tigers
Third baseman
Born: (1999-10-24) October 24, 1999 Chandler, Arizona
Bats: Switch Throws: Right

Gage Tater Workman (born October 24, 1999) is an American professional baseball third baseman in the Detroit Tigers organization.

Workman attended Basha High School in Chandler, Arizona, where he played baseball.[101] He was originally set to graduate in 2018, but reclassified to the class of 2017.[102] In 2017, he batted .396.[103][104] Following the season, he was selected by the Milwaukee Brewers in the 14th round of the 2017 Major League Baseball draft, but did not sign, and instead chose to honor his commitment to play college baseball at Arizona State University.[105][106]

In 2018, Workman's freshman season, he appeared in fifty games (making 48 starts) in which he batted .276 with three home runs and 25 RBIs.[107] That summer, he played in the Cape Cod Baseball League for the Brewster Whitecaps.[108][109] As a sophomore in 2019, he slashed .330/.413/.528 with eight home runs, 42 RBIs, and nine stolen bases over 57 games.[110][111] He earned honorable mention for both the All-Pac-12 team and the All-Pac-12 defensive team.[112] He returned to play in the Cape Cod League for Brewster, and was named a league all-star.[113][114] Over 17 games as a junior in 2020, he compiled three home runs and 14 RBIs before the college baseball season was cut short due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Workman was selected by the Detroit Tigers in the fourth round as the 102nd overall pick in the 2020 Major League Baseball draft, and signed.[115][116] He did not play a minor league game in 2020 due to the cancellation of the minor league season caused by the pandemic.[117] To begin the 2021 season, he was assigned to the Lakeland Flying Tigers of the Low-A Southeast.[118] After slashing .256/.357/.426 with three home runs, 19 RBIs, 16 doubles, and 22 stolen bases over 51 games, he was promoted to the West Michigan Whitecaps of the High-A Central in early July.[119] Over 67 games with the Whitecaps, Workman batted .237/.302/.440 with nine home runs and 39 RBIs.[120] He was assigned to the Erie SeaWolves of the Double-A Eastern League to begin the 2022 season.[121]

Workman's father, Widd, also played baseball at Arizona State and spent four seasons in the minor leagues with the San Diego Padres.[122] Workman is a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, and chose to skip his mission trip in order to continue playing college baseball without missing a season.[123] He and his wife, Alexa, married in November 2020.[124]

• Career statistics and player information from Baseball Reference (Minors)
• Arizona State Sun Devils bio