DETROIT – The Detroit Tigers are 10 games into their spring training schedule, and a half-dozen hitters are already standing out -- for both the right and wrong reasons.
Andy Ibanez
- Stats: 5-for-17 with 3 home runs, 1 double, 1 walk, and four strikeouts.
Ibanez is carrying the Tigers in the power department so far. He’s the only player with multiple home runs this spring, mashing his third off of Yankees starter Nestor Cortez on Sunday.
With Colt Keith likely starting at second base, we don’t know exactly what Ibanez’s playing time will look like to start the season. But between his strong finish last year and this spring power surge, he’s making sure A.J. Hinch will find ways to get him in the lineup.
Javier Baez
- Stats: 0-11 with 0 walks and 5 strikeouts.
It’s typically pointless to pay attention to spring training stats for veteran players like Baez, but considering how his first two seasons in Detroit have gone, it would be nice to see some signs of life.
So far, that has not been the case. There’s no indication that all those swing changes we’ve heard about are doing much good.
Baez is hitless in 11 at-bats so far, flailing at pitches out of the strike zone and striking out nearly half the time (five). On Sunday, he swung at nine of the 11 pitches he saw in three at-bats, including six swings out of the strike zone and seven whiffs.
The Tigers are hoping to get something out of their highest-paid player this season, and 11 exhibition plate appearances isn’t enough to press the panic button. But he’s not inspiring a lot of confidence.
Zach McKinstry
- Stats: 2-6 with 1 homer, 1 double, 8 walks, and 0 strikeouts.
Eight walks and no strikeouts -- that’s the most ridiculous stat of the spring so far.
McKinstry is sporting a hefty .714 on-base percentage through his first 14 plate appearances, and when he does swing the bat, he’s showing off some power with a pair of extra-base hits.
There was a period early in 2023 when McKinstry was getting on base so reliably that Hinch made him the primary leadoff hitter. I don’t think that’s on the table this year, but it’s encouraging that he’s seeing the ball so well to start the spring.
Ryan Kreidler
- Stats: 3-9 with 1 homer, 5 walks, and 2 strikeouts.
Speaking of walks, the only other Tigers hitter with more than three is Kreidler, who’s carrying a .571 OBP of his own.
Kreidler is considered one of the best defensive infielders in the organization, so if he ever finds a way to be even average at the plate, he’ll have a spot on the roster.
There have been a few positive stretches during his minor-league career, but mostly Kreidler has struggled to maintain any consistency as a hitter.
Right now, there’s not much room for Kreidler on the 26-man roster, with Ibanez, McKinstry, and Matt Vierling all likely locked into bench spots. But if he keeps getting on base and flashing some of that home run power, he’ll be on the radar for a promotion.
Eddys Leonard
- Stats: 5-13 with 1 homer, 2 doubles, 1 walk, and 0 strikeouts.
I wrote in depth about Leonard as this spring’s early breakout player last week, and then he went out and hit his first homer against the Phillies. Leonard remains the hottest hitter in camp, tied with Ibanez in hits despite four fewer at-bats.
What’s most impressive about Leonard is his ability to make consistently hard contact without striking out. He’s already gone 14 plate appearances without a strikeout this spring. I’m definitely keeping an eye on this 23-year-old righty.
Wenceel Perez
- Stats: 3-10 with 1 homer, 3 walks, and 2 strikeouts.
It’s been an up-and-down start to spring for Perez, who’s already been removed from the infield equation because of his defense.
Perez made a pair of errors early in spring training, and the Tigers have played him exclusively in the outfield since. Defense was an issue in the minors, too, so this must have been the last straw.
But Perez continues to perform at the plate. He’s an on-base guy with some pop in the minors, and that’s what he’s showing right now. Perez has a .462 OBP, a homer, and more walks than strikeouts.
