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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