DETROIT – The Detroit Tigers are calling up their best minor league pitcher from last season to make his MLB debut this weekend.
Beau Brieske, who was named the Minor League Pitcher of the Year for the Tigers at the end of the 2021 season, will start Saturday against the Colorado Rockies at Comerica Park, the team announced.
Recommended Videos
Next stop: Detroit!
— Detroit Tigers (@tigers) April 21, 2022
Beau Brieske is slotted to start on Saturday vs. Colorado, marking his Major League debut. pic.twitter.com/Ng7Hw1T1LC
Brieske, 24, is the No. 19 prospect in the Tigers’ organization, according to Baseball America. MLB Pipeline ranks him 22nd. The Tigers drafted him in the 27th round of the 2019 draft out of Colorado State.
He was promoted to Triple-A at the beginning of this season and has made two starts -- a five-run loss on April 9 and a five-inning shutout on April 15. Overall, he’s allowed five runs on nine hits and three walks across 10 innings, while striking out nine batters.
Brieske tossed 106.2 innings across High-A West Michigan and Double-A Erie last year. He posted a 3.12 ERA and a 1.013 WHIP while striking out 116 batters and walking just 23. The elite 5:1 strikeout-to-walk ratio is what allowed Brieske to be so successful.
Opposing batters swung and missed at 15% of Brieske’s pitches a year ago. Almost two-third of the balls put in play against him were in the air.
The Tigers are calling upon Brieske after both Casey Mize and Matt Manning hit the 10-day injured list following their second starts of the season. The length of their absences is still uncertain, but the Tigers need arms behind Eduardo Rodriguez and Tarik Skubal.
Tyler Alexander is trying to hold onto a rotation spot, and Michael Pineda made his Tigers’ debut Thursday by firing five shutout innings against the New York Yankees. Wily Peralta could also pitch in, if needed. He got eight outs as a reliever during the Yankees series.
