The 2024 Toledo Mud Hens roster is now official as they gear up for their season opener on Friday against Nashville. Let’s take a look at one of the best and perhaps deepest Mud Hens teams in years.
Starting Rotation:
*Projected starters (names in bold on 40-man roster)
RHP Matt Manning
RHP Keider Montero
LHP Brant Hurter
*RHP Brenan Hanifee
*RHP Mason Englert or Bryan Sammons
Manning, who was one of the last cuts in camp, will get the ball in game one. He, like several others on the pitching staff in the spring, saw a velocity increase with his fastball. That will be important as Manning looks to get back to the majors, because the harder fastball, paired up with his reworked breaking pitches, should lead to an increase his strikeouts and whiff rate and help cut down his walks.
Montero starts his second season in Toledo after moving up three levels last year. His numbers with the Mud Hens were solid (42IP, 23 ER, 14 walks and 47 strikeouts), and all four of his pitches are quality offerings.
Hurter, who impressed the organization in camp and turned heads with a strong 2023 Double-A season, enters his first full season in Toledo. Mason Englert, who was the Tigers Rule 5 pick in 2023, could see time in the rotation. Prior to joining Detroit, he was a starter in the Rangers’ minor league system.
Bullpen
RHP Drew Anderson
RHP Wilmer Flores
RHP Beau Brieske
RHP Devin Sweet
RHP Brendan White
RHP Trey Wingenter
LHP Andrew Vasquez
LHP Sean Guenther
RHP Garrett Hill (IL)
RHP Freddy Pacheco (IL)
Detroit Tigers manager A.J. Hinch recently said on Chris Castellani’s podcast that Flores will more than likely be pitching in three-inning stints. He looks to have the velocity back from 2022 that made him a Top 100 prospect. Once he figures out his command on a regular basis again, Flores, along with Brieske and White, gives Detroit depth on the 40-man roster just right down the road.
Anderson, who the Tigers signed from Japan, had a strong spring camp, with greatly increased velocity. He is a name to look out for as the season progresses.
Infield/Catchers
C: Dillon Dingler, Anthony Bemboom.
1B: Keston Hiura
2B: Buddy Kennedy, Wencell Perez
SS: Ryan Kreidler, Eddys Leonard
3B: Jace Jung
Perez will likely see more time in the outfield than the infield. If there is one theme among the infielders it’s that they can play multiple positions across the diamond. Hiura is the one exception, as the former second baseman will now mostly play first base or DH. This will be Jung’s first season at Triple-A, and Hinch has indicated he will see time between third and second.
Ryan Kreidler is now fully healthy and coming off a strong spring training performance. And Leonard has shown an impressive ability to barrel up with the ball since Detroit acquired him from the Dodgers. Toledo’s could have one of the better infields in the International League.
Outfield
Akil Baddoo
Justice Bigbie
Justyn-Henry Malloy
Bligh Madris
Ryan Vilade
Malloy returns to Toledo after a strong 2023 campaign saw him bat .277, blast 23 home runs, and pace the International League with 110 walks. He is joined by Mudville vets Baddoo and Bigbie as well as a pair of newcomers in Madris and Vilade. Madris comes over from Houston and Vilade from the Rockies organization. Both will add a veteran presence in Toledo. Bigbie had a big year in 2023 and hopes to continue to grow into a hitter who could contribute for the Tigers in 2024.
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