Austin Murr and Gage Workman keep up the offense output for Erie.

As September begins, the Erie SeaWolves are preparing to defend their Eastern League crown, despite an offense plagued by injuries to key players. Jake Holton, recently voted the best defensive first baseman in the Eastern League by Baseball America, is out for the season after breaking his wrist when he was hit by a pitch. Hao-Yu Lee has been sidelined with back issues that landed him on the injured list, and Trei Cruz is also out for the season.

But Gabe Alvarez continues to roll along as several players have stepped up. Austin Murr, who was recalled from West Michigan back on May 9, after a slow start, put up an August where he hit .253/.352/.573 with an OPS of .926 and a wRC+ of 152.

The number, however, that stands out is the amount of home runs. Murr has hit five home runs in the month of August and since his promotion to Double-A, his ISO numbers have jumped to a career high of .206. In his previous two seasons, his ISO numbers at West Michigan stood around .147 and .194, respectfully, which confirms that the Midwest League is one of the toughest leagues to hit home runs in. One last stat that was similar to the transitions that Wenceel Perez and Parker Meadows made was cutting back on his ground ball rate, hitting more line drives and putting the ball in the air more.

Murr has consistently demonstrated the ability to draw walks, and while his batting average isn’t where he wants it to be, he’s hitting above the league average of .237. His BABIP of .279 suggests his average could be slightly higher. (League average is .300) He has also served as a versatile utility player for Erie, covering both corner outfield spots and first base.

.@erie_seawolves 1B/OF Austin Murr before August: .214/.308/.320 with two HR & nine RBIs in 37 games.

Murr in August: .294/.402/.662 (1.064 OPS), six HR & 17 RBIs in 19 games. Homer ever 11.33 ABs.

Homers in consecutive games, including this blast last night 👇 #RepDetroit pic.twitter.com/d7PiyRIfO8

— Sam Lebowitz (@SamLebo14) August 28, 2024

Gage Workman: Walk-off champ

In year three at Erie, Gage Workman has made headlines, becoming the SeaWolves all-time steals leader and leading the Eastern League in hits with 119. While we have noted before when Workman started to heat up in Erie last season, and his toe tap mechanics in 2024, it has been working into a consistent offensive presence.  In the month of August, he hit .308/.368/.577 with a WRC+ of 161, hitting seven home runs.  He also is responsible for four walk-off hits in 2024.

Based on Gage Workman’s current stats, it’s clear that his August performance showed some promising signs, with improvements in key areas such as power and on-base percentage. However, Tigers fans should approach these developments with caution.

Despite the positive trends, Workman continues to struggle with strikeouts, which remain a significant part of his game. While his potential is evident, reducing his strikeout rate will be crucial for sustained success at higher levels. Until then, it’s important to temper expectations and watch how he adjusts moving forward.

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