Kody Clemens goes up I-75, Kerry Carpenter earns an award and West Michigan gets some strong pitching in this week’s weekly Detroit Tigers Minor League Recap.

The phrase that is often chanted on social media these days for Detroit Tigers minor league prospects who are doing well is “call him up”. For weeks, that phrase was often said after a Kody Clemens clip or after he would have a good week. Detroit Tigers fans were rewarded when he was called up on May 30th for the end of the home stand against the Minnesota Twins. 

The next name that keeps coming up to move to another level is Kerry Carpenter, who was recently named the Eastern League Player of the Month after putting together an impressive month of May. Carpenter led the league in hits, runs, HR, RBI, batting average, total bases, on-base percentage, slugging percentage and OPS. 

Congratulations to Kerry Carpenter who has been named Eastern League Player of the Month for May!

Kerry led the league in hits (37), runs (27), RBI (29), home runs (13), average (.411), total bases (83), on-base percentage (.471), slugging percentage (.922) and OPS (1.393). pic.twitter.com/5uKRlC3Dlu

— Erie SeaWolves (@erie_seawolves) June 3, 2022

But he wasn’t the only name on the SeaWolves roster who had a big week. Let’s recap the players who stood out at each level this week. 

Toledo Mud Hens 

OF Trayce Thompson 5G 10-for-22 .455/.500/.955 3 HR 7 RBI 2BB 4SO

INF Jamie Westbrook 5G  6-for-19 .316/.435/.684 2 HR 5 RBI 4BB 4SO 

3B Brendon Davis      5G 9-for-23 .391/.417/.565 1HR 2 RBI 1BB 5SO

All three players were minor league free agents, the Detroit Tigers signed for depth and all three had good weeks on the road against Columbus. Davis, who was the LA Angels Minor League Player of the Year last year, played all over the diamond last season. However, so far in Toledo, he has seen a vast majority of his playing time in right field since putting on a Mud Hens uniform. But he played third base in three games last week, which of all the positions he has played in the minors, he has seen the most action at. 

Brendon Davis shows some impressive oppo pop here. It’s his 1st home run with the Mud Hens, and 7th overall this season. pic.twitter.com/CZc68gVEyY

— Tigers ML Report (@tigersMLreport) June 3, 2022

Riley Greene went 5-for-21 over five games for Toledo, including this three-run shot.

https://twitter.com/tigersMLreport/status/1532516088218632192?s=20&t=pR_POen76z2ww5bLrKwaCQ

The Mud Hens resume action this evening as they take on the Iowa Cubs. 

Erie SeaWolves

1B Quincy Nieporte 6G 7-for-19 2 2B 4BB 3SO 2HR 4RBI .368/.520/.789 

SS Gage Workman 6G 8-for-21 2 2B 1 3B 2BB 8SO 1HR 4RBI .381/.435/.714 

OF Dane Myers 6G 6-for-20 3 2B 1 HR 4 RBI 2BB 6SO .300/.391/.600

RHP Chance Kirby 6IP 4H 2ER 1BB 5SO

 Austin Bergner 6IP 4H 1ER 6SO

RHP Wilmer Flores 2GS 8IP 9H 2ER 1BB 8SO

Nieporte was signed out of the Frontier League, and continues to settle in nicely for the SeaWolves, who went 5-1 last week against Harrisburg. He’s second on the team in home runs with 12 and over his last two weeks, he has hit .351 (13-for-37 over 12 games) and draws more walks than he strikes out. With Kerry Carpenter getting all the attention, Nieporte continues to quietly have a good season.

Workman had a rough April and mid-May but over the last two weeks, is starting to find a mini groove. He is hitting .366/.395/.707 over his last 11 games (15-for-41) with 3 home runs and 3 doubles. 

Gage Workman clobbers this pitch for a 2-run homer. It’s his 6th home run of the year, and his second 4-RBI game of the series. @adamcohenajc calls this one. pic.twitter.com/dzxXi6XpEN

— Tigers ML Report (@tigersMLreport) June 5, 2022

Pitching wise, Erie SeaWolves broadcaster Greg Gania wanted us to mention Chance Kirby, who has been solid all year in the SeaWolves rotation. The 25th round draft pick out in 2018 out of the University of Texas at San Antonio, on the year is 5-1 with an ERA of 1.59. Along with Austin Bergner, both had good starts last week. Bergner picked up where he left off. He had five straight starts in which he gave up three runs or fewer until May 29th against Bowie.  

Next up for the SeaWolves is a trip to Virginia to take on the Richmond Flying Squirrels, who are just two games behind Erie for the division lead. 

West Michigan Whitecaps

RHP Ty Madden 6IP 3H 1ER 1HR 7SO

SS Corey Joyce 5G  6-for-17 .353/.560/.765 7BB 6SO 

OF Daniel Cabrera 4G 8-for-17 .471/.500/.706.

3B Colt Keith 5G 6-for-19 .316/.435/.737

Ty Madden had one of his best starts in his pro career as he struck out a career high seven as the Whitecaps were down in Lake County (thus the lack of video). Cabrera, who was sent down from Erie, hit over .400 and posted an OPS over 1.000. This week, West Michigan hosts the Lansing Lugnuts. 

Lakeland Flying Tigers

OF Esney Chacon 9-for-17 .529/.529/.588 

INF Izaac Pacheco 8-for-22 .364/.375/.409 

LHP Carlos Pena 5IP 1ER 3BB 9SO

I headed downed to Lakeland for the first time this season and sat in for two games on Wednesday and Thursday before tropical storms canceled Friday’s game and I had to head back. But what I saw was encouraging. Pacheco started at short on Thursday and showed improvement in handling the position, showing a strong arm and a bit quicker on his feet while throwing on the run.  He also went 4-for-5 batting lead off with two hits at 104.1 MPH and 105.1 MPH. 

Campos, even on the outs he had, once he figures out how to hit the ball with more loft, has the potential to show off his raw power. He also had a few loud outs and a few hits with high exit velocities. Defensively, Campos fielded his position well.  

Roberto Campos smokes it to right center for a double. pic.twitter.com/lzlXgbRalu

— Tigers ML Report (@tigersMLreport) June 3, 2022

The one player I haven’t seen or heard much about was Chacon. He had a single and stole a base on Wednesday. He made solid contact and showed a good speed tool. 

(picture courtesy of Terri A Nummer)

Lakeland Flying Tigers left-fielder Esney Chacon went 3-for-4 with an RBI in last night's 9-4 win. Here's his first single, then he steals second and would later score. pic.twitter.com/394OD6uwqk

— Tigers ML Report (@tigersMLreport) June 3, 2022

Right hander Garrett Burhenn generated 17 swings and misses in his start on Wednesday. He was able to settle in after a shaky first inning.  This week, Lakeland travels to Dunedin this week.