Tigers minor-league report: Farmer excelling at Toledo
Triple-A Toledo
Who’s hot …
Buck Farmer, RH starter: Still gives up hits (30 in 28 innings), but Farmer also has 27 strikeouts against seven walks, which is why his ERA after five starts is 2.51 and his WHIP is at a most presentable 1.29.
Arcenio Leon, RH reliever: He did lots right during spring camp, and he’s kept up the good times since moving to Toledo. Ten games, 1.00 ERA, 1.52 WHIP. nine innings, four hits, four strikeouts, one walk.
... and who’s not
Alex Presley, OF: Amazing, given that he killed the ball in spring training. But he’s batting just .169 in 20 games, with a .413 OPS.
Double-A Erie
Who’s hot …
Kody Eaves, 3B: .324 in his last 10 games, .304 on the year with an .807 OPS. Eaves came from the Angels in early 2016 as payment for Jefry Marte.
Erie’s Christin Stewart could slug way to Detroit
Myles Jaye, RH starter: Another guy the Tigers regard as part of their potential big-league reserve inventory, Jaye isn’t flashy, but he chews innings and in four starts has been solid: 3.32 ERA, 1.42 WHIP.
... and who’s not
Grayson Greiner, C: He’s been picking it up the last few games, but Greiner, who early in his Tigers evolutions has had alternating hot-and-cold seasons, is batting .206 for the month.
Single-A Lakeland
Who’s hot …
Zac Shepherd, 3B: Beginning to find himself at age 21, the Australian, a 6-foot-3, 185-pound, right-handed batter, is hitting .368 in his last 10 games.
Ben Verlander, OF: He has a brother Tigers fans might have heard of, and, during the past 10 games, has sought his own headlines: .278.
Beau Burrows, RH starter: Tigers won’t rush him, not at age 20, but their first-round pick in 2015 is cruising: five starts, 1.30 ERA, 1.05 WHIP, 27⅔ innings, 22 hits, 27 strikeouts, seven walks.
Jairo Labourt, LH reliever: He’s acting as if this sudden romance with the strike zone will remain torrid. Labourt has one of the higher-rpm arms in the Tigers system and has settled in nicely with the Flying Tigers: seven games, 11⅔ innings, seven hits, a whopping 19 strikeouts, and only three walks. He is 23, is 6-4, 205, and came to the Tigers in their 2015 trade that also brought Daniel Norris and Matthew Boyd in a swap for David Price.
... and who’s not
Jose Azocar, OF: Soon to turn 21, he was blazing early but has since been batting, it seems, in Antarctica: .200 in his last 10 games.
Single-A West Michigan
Who’s hot …
Jacob Robson, OF: He’ll be heading for Lakeland if this keeps it up. Robson, who bats left-handed, is hitting .330 in 22 games.
Austin Sodders, LH starter: Sodders has sparkled in four starts: 20 innings, 13 hits, 25 strikeouts, six walks. His ERA: 0.90. His WHIP: 0.95.
Gregory Soto, LH starter: He’s 22, and has shined in four starts, spanning 22 innings, minus a single run. He’s been nicked for only 10 hits, has struck out 21, and walked 10.
... and who’s not
Austin Athmann, C: You’d think a guy from the University of Minnesota could deal with cold snaps, but Athmann, at least temporarily, is swinging a chilled bat: .186 in 16 games.