Last week Prospects Live hit the road to sit on the final four games of the Dodgers and Tigers High-A matchup in Comstock Park, MI. Both rosters were pretty stacked: the Loons featured six pitchers and five position players from our Dodgers board while West Michigan’s roster boasted seven position players and four pitchers from our Tigers board.
In the first breakdown, Jake Boes and James Chipman offer their thoughts on some of West Michigan’s position players.
3B/1B Spencer Torkelson
The Tigers selected Spencer Torkelson with the first overall pick in the 2020 Draft. His $8.4M signing bonus is the largest given to a drafted player since Major League Baseball implemented the bonus pool system in 2012.
Early returns haven’t been great, he’s batting just .180 with 18 strikeouts over his first 14 games. Over the four games we recently sat on, Torkelson went 2-for-16 with four walks and six strikeouts. He hit a single last Thursday and drove in the game winning run Saturday evening when he dumped a base hit into CF. Beyond that there was a bevy of weak pop-outs, visible struggles with spin and issues barreling the ball. We were treated to an overabundance of called strikes and his walks were fairly easy takes.
Unfortunately my live looks during MiLB Spring Training were underwhelming and extremely passive as well. Development takes time and I care very little about MiLB statistics, especially with this small of a sample. That being said, there’s reason to be a little concerned about Torkelson’s sluggish start.
Torkelson was touted by many as the best college hitter in the last decade. From what I’ve observed, I’m skeptical. I see potential but far more of a project than a sure thing. Fans should adjust their expectations and expect lots of peaks and valleys from Torkelson. I see a streaky hitter that has the potential to go on a tear and carry his team for a week or two, grinding out at-bats and punishing baseballs. Subsequently he’ll also be prone to long slumps where he will disappear in the lineup for lengthy stretches.
Part of the reason why I’m so bearish is that I don’t believe Torkelson is a natural hitter. He does have many positive traits in the batter's box. There is above-average bat speed and he’s shown good feel for the barrel in the past. Torkelson also has solid pitch recognition and discipline. Unfortunately he’s looked extremely passive, not patient as a pro. He works counts and grinds out at-bats but noticeably looks to walk and slap instead of driving the ball with the intent to do damage.
Batting practice has also been surprisingly uninspiring; lacking the highly touted double-plus raw. He has looked overmatched the few times I’ve seen him matched up against above-average or better velocity and secondary pitches. His pull-side heavy approach has been met with a heavy dose of secondary pitches early in counts. He’s often pounded inside and eliminated on the outer third of the zone. To his credit, he’s already walked 14 times this season but the amount of called strikes and meatballs he’s not crushing are concerning to me. This level of passivity will be exploited as he climbs the ladder in the minors.
This A-ball assignment is by no means aggressive. I fully expected Torkelson to be challenged by higher impact arms like Grayson Rodriguez (who I saw him matchup against in MiLB ST), but it’s concerning to me when org soldiers with fringy arsenals are eating his lunch. You hate to be too reactionary but without an overhauled approach I think Torkelson’s bat plays closer to a fringe-average tool, that’s padded by his ability to draw walks at such a high clip.
Defensively he’s seeing time at both infield corners; the lion’s share of the platoon at 3B. In the field he looks frustrated and uncertain at third-base; those emotions compound and noticeably carry into the batter’s box. He’s a below-average defender at 3B. There’s some athleticism and enough natural instincts to play there in a pinch but it’s not optimal long term. The game noticeably speeds up on him and while there’s solid average arm strength, the overall grade plays down a tick due to accuracy issues. He booted a couple routine balls and threw a few balls away over my live looks.
Most of these concerns are moot however when he’s likely pushed back to 1B full-time, where the defense appears closer to average. Regardless, it’s worth noting that his defense is far from an attribute. The secondary skills are not an asset. There will be a ton of pressure on the bat to carry Tork’s profile. One thing is certain the passive approach at the plate needs to end.
While I don’t think he’s necessarily as bad as the early results have shown, I do think Torkelson is closer to a potential role 50 everyday regular than the 60 OFP impact player, perennial All-Star profile he was said to have on draft day. —James Chipman
INF Andre Lipcius
A 2019 third-rounder out of the University of Tennessee, Andre Lipcius enters his first full season of professional baseball with the same team he began it with in Grand Rapids, MI—although this time a level higher since the minor league shuffle that happened this past offseason.
Lipcius has taken kindly to the assignment, especially defensively. In my live looks, he made several slick defensive plays both at second and third base for the Whitecaps. At second, he showed comfort up-the-middle and made a fine over-the-shoulder grab into shallow right field to rob a hit. At third, he made several routine plays as well as cut off a hard-hit ball down the line that likely saved a base.
He’s been no slouch with the stick, either, posting a .270 average thus far with a clean .869 OPS. I was impressed by his prowess at the plate; a patient approach with the ability to hit for power to all-fields, including a home run that hit the right field foul pole in one of my looks.
His arm is solid-average, but his accuracy should allow him to play at either spot long term. Lipcius does have collegiate experience at every spot in the dirt, but for me he profiles best at second base, where his arm and offensive output match best.
We got some suspiciously slow home-to-first times in the 4.5-4.7 range—this may have to do with his ability to get out of the box more than his overall running ability. I watched a tag-up from second to third that looked more toward average and his legs do not seem to negatively impact the rest of his game—he may just lose out on the occasional infield hit.
Andre is getting a bit seasoned for High-A ball considering his age and SEC experience, but his performance is nevertheless encouraging and I feel more confident about his utility role coming to fruition at the highest levels. —Jake Boes
C Dillon Dingler
A broken hamate bone in 2019 and the pandemic-shortened 2020 season may have been the reasoning behind Dillon Dingler’s slide to the second round on draft day. The Tigers pounced, signing the Ohio State backstop for $1.95M with the top pick in the second round of the 2020 Draft.
Dingler was one of the more impressive prospects I observed during my small handful of live looks during MiLB Spring Training. The athleticism stands out. His work behind the dish exceeded my lofty expectations. The bat is raw but his approach at the plate was far more advanced than I anticipated. The in-game power showed louder than I expected. His unique, potential impact profile makes Dingler one of Detroit’s more interesting prospects.
Unfortunately Dingler played just two games during our four game visit to Grand Rapids. Dingler went 3-for-8 with three strikeouts, a walk, an opposite-field tank and a back-pick that Motor City Bengals’ Chris Brown clocked at an elite 1.82 seconds. His run-saving tag at the plate late in Friday’s game showcased impressive instincts and athleticism. Surprisingly, it wasn’t the opposite-field homer that impressed me most. He’s shown me that plus raw power before: Dingler went deep RCF off Kyle Bradish in MiLB ST and launched bombs to all fields in BP.
What impressed me most was his ability to consistently drive the ball. The majority of his balls in play were well barreled shots. Hell, even the outs were loud. He also handled Dodgers’ impact arm Clayton Beeter well, driving the ball to RF for a base hit when everyone else looked completely over-matched. Yes, he’s patient, not passive, but he’s also clearly aggressive and raw. His 20 strikeouts over 46 at-bats is a blemish worth monitoring. He has enough bat speed to handle velo and enough feel to hit for average. It’s far from a finished product at the plate, the ingredients of a potential average hitter with above-average power are present though.
Behind the dish the tools are loud enough to potentially yield a plus defender. Dingler is fundamentally sound and polished. He presents a large quiet target, moves well laterally, frames adequately and blocks well. Dingler handles his staff well and his leadership is evident. His arm is an impact double-plus tool with lightning fast transfers and routine accurate lasers. Snap throws behind aggressive runners are common and the running game is damn near eliminated when Dingler is behind the dish.
Athletic catchers that hit for power and provide impact value behind the dish don’t grow on trees. It’s early, but Dingler is showing signs of evolving from a prospect with second-division regular upside to a potential impact profile DUDE. —James Chipman
OF Parker Meadows
Parker Meadows, 2018 second round selection and brother of Rays outfielder Austin, has never quite lived up to lofty expectations since being selected out of Grayson High School in Loganville, GA.
He’ll play as a 21 year-old through all of 2021, but much of what has plagued him through his pro career thus far has continued to be problematic for him; mainly his hit tool.
While unafraid to work counts and even take walks, his approach does not compliment the rest of his offensive profile when considering his contact issues and ability to recognize spin. There were a plethora of foul balls in my looks with many at-bats ending in strikeouts or weak contact.
His two hits in my four games came in the form of a hustle double on a grounder through the right side and a bunt single. His legs and defense continue to shine, with fine routes in center and long, giraffe-like strides in the grass and down base paths.
He’s going to get every chance considering his deft defense at a premium position, but his offense has continued to hinder his potential at the highest levels. An up-and-down emergency depth profile is likely a safe floor here assuming health, but I am becoming skeptical that his everyday upside will ultimately come to fruition. —Jake Boes
C Eliezer Alfonzo
Detroit landed catcher Eliezer Alfonzo out of Venezuela during the 2016 J2 international signing period. Eliezer has deep bloodlines as his father played in MLB for six seasons and dad’s second-cousin Edgardo was a highly regarded 12-year MLB veteran.
Alfonzo’s list of 5’ 10” 155 pounds is downright criminal. His short boxy build has to be close to, if not slightly over 200 pounds.
At the plate Alfonzo went 1-for-7 with two walks over two games. To his credit there's an advanced feel for hitting and impressive bat-ball skills. He’s patient enough not to expand the zone much. He’s hit for a high average at every stop thus far, and this season is no exception. Unfortunately it’s near bottom-of-the-scale power. Alfonzo’s linear bat path lacks the strength, bat speed and leverage necessary to effectively drive and lift the ball. We are talking about a guy that has just two home-runs in well over 500 pro at-bats. His lack of power limits his potential to play a corner defensively, subsequently limiting the overall value of the profile.
Behind the plate, the defense remains inconsistent and sushi raw. While Alfonzo did pick off Miguel Vargas at first-base Thursday evening, he also airmailed a couple throws intended for second-base into the outfield. Sunday’s showing was even worse defensively as a failed back-pick at third-base allowed a run and two additional throws to second-base found their way into the outfield again. He handles the staff well, his hands are okay in the zone but he tends to stab at balls on the corners and below the zone. His blocking and framing also appear below-average. It works in a pinch, but it’s by no means a sound defensive profile.
Overall it’s a rough profile. Alfonzo’s advanced feel for hitting is greatly overshadowed by his deficiencies behind the plate and near-bottom of the scale power. These shortcomings are why he’s been lower on our board than the rest of the industry over the years. A potential role 30 guy that’s realistically a role 20 org depth piece, Alfonzo will be Rule V Draft eligible for a second time this December. —James Chipman
OF Daniel Cabrera
Cabrera was drafted by the Detroit Tigers out of LSU as a corner outfielder and left-handed bat. In a system that’s begging for some thump in the box, the pick was lauded among draft analysts as a third-round steal in 2020.
Ironically, I was more satisfied with Cabrera’s defense than his offensive output in my looks at West Michigan. He took fine routes and thought he had exceptional jumps to run down would-be gappers. He doesn’t have the wheels to warrant a plus grade, but his solid instincts and glove work will play in either corner.
Offensively, he was somewhat pedestrian. The Loons pitching staff pounded him outside with heat and spin both; and while he was able to make contact, he did struggle to make quality contact until he was able to flick his hands for an opposite-field triple on sunday.
I was anticipating some more finesse with his bat and felt that while he may never crack 20 home runs, his feel for the barrel from the left side could potentially help him to squeeze in a lineup daily. More likely for him, I see a limited upside fourth outfield profile from Cabrera. Still a nice commodity but not necessarily what draft experts sold upon the pick. — Jake Boes
OF Bryant Packard
Bryant Packard quickly became a fan-favorite among those who follow the Detroit Tigers system in 2019 after getting selected in the fifth round out of East Carolina. His ability to handle the bat and hit for power are skills that have proven scarce across a Tiger farm that has pitching at its epicenter.
Packard will play all of 2021 as a 23 year-old, a smidge ripe for High-A ball. Provided he continues to hit, it is likely he’ll be on the move in short order—especially considering the empty outfield in Erie outside of uber-prospect Riley Greene.
Physically, I was surprised at his fitness and had to pay attention not to mistake him for teammate Parker Meadows. Packard had lost some weight to adapt to a possible infield role, however the first base move has never come to pass as he played left and DH during my live looks.
In the box, Packard did show knowledge of the zone but got fooled a few different times on offspeed that induced swings and misses or, more often, foul balls and weak contact in play. He got better as the series went on, however, and finished out Sunday with a missle beyond the right center field wall.
I maintain that he’s limited defensively due to his below average arm and running ability, but his routes and glove work should prevent him from being a true liability in left field.
The series more or less confirmed my previous thoughts on Packard. Due to his defensive limitations, a reserve role remains most likely with high risk considering the pressure on his bat to deliver—as most reserve players make rosters due to defensive prowess. — Jake Boes