Briceno and Liranzo Headline Detroit Tigers AFL Participants

The Detroit Tigers Send Eight Prospects to the Arizona Fall League

Below we’ve written a little about each Detroit Tigers participant. Also be sure to click on their names to read our scouting reports, when applicable.

Detroit Tigers AFL Position Prospects

Josue Briceño:

Pos: 1B/C
Bat/Throw: L/R
HT/WT: 6’5, 200
DOB: 9/23/04 (20)

Chris Says: Josue Briceño signed as part of the 2021 international free agent class in 2021, and he starting making waves in 2023. Just 18, Briceño hit .325 with seven home runs for the Florida Complex League Tigers. And then he added six doubles in an 11-game stint in Low-A with the Lakeland Flying Tigers. He smoked a double in the Spring Breakout game last March, and he started gaining helium as one of the more interesting young catching prospects in baseball.

Briceño got off to a strong start in 2024, but unfortunately a knee injury cost him more than three months of action. He returned to the field in mid-August, playing exclusively first base (or DH). It seems likely that he’ll stick to first base in the future, which does lessen his value. But his mix of hitting ability, patience, and power might be good enough to make it work.

Peyton Graham

Pos: SS/IF
Bat/Throw: R/R
HT/WT: 6’4, 185
DOB: 1/26/01 (23)

Chris Says: Injuries have caused Peyton Graham to miss more than 50 games in each of his two full seasons in pro baseball. And he hasn’t done much with the bat when healthy. He’s a career .228 hitter with a .675 OPS over 148 pro games. But the Tigers appear to still believe in Graham’s tools, which made him their 2nd-round pick in 2022. This assignment is a chance for Graham to make up for lost time and see more quality pitching.

Peyton Graham launches a 377-foot solo homer to left. pic.twitter.com/aUJ89DDJ4e

— Tigers ML Report (@tigersMLreport) September 8, 2024

Thayron Liranzo

Pos: C/1B
Bat/Throw: S/R
HT/WT: 6’3, 195
DOB: 7/05/03 (21)

Chris Says: Trey Sweeney’s big-league heroics notwithstanding, Thayron Liranzo was the centerpiece of Detroit’s trade return for Jack Flaherty. He’s a switch-hitter with patience, tons of raw power, and a nonzero chance to stick behind the plate. His numbers with the Great Lake Loons were pedestrian before the trade. But he exploded for a 196 wRC+ with the West Michigan Whitecaps and worked his way onto Baseball America’s top-100 prospects list. The Tigers likely view this assignment as a chance for Liranzo to catch more high-level arms before a promotion to Double-A next year.

Detroit Tigers AFL Pitching Prospects

Rayner Castillo

Pos: RHP
HT/WT: 6’3, 180
DOB: 6/30/04 (20)

Rogelio Says: Castillo started to throw a slider to go along with a heavy sinker and this will be a good opportunity to see how he measures against better competition. He just turned 20 back in June, and the leaps and bounds he took this season were noticeable. Outside of Jaden Hamm and Jackson Jobe, perhaps of his late start to the season, turned more heads than Castillo. He allowed just 20 earned runs over 49 hits in 70.1 innings of work. While the strikeout numbers may not be noticeable, Castillo is still developing his pitch mix and it showed towards the end of the season with the debut of the slider. He can throw in the upper 90’s so his development is worth watching.

Wilmer Flores

Pos: RHP
HT/WT: 6’4, 225
DOB: 2/20/01 (23)

Rogelio Says: Wilmer Flores, who not too long ago was one of the younger arms when he was here three years ago, is now the odd man out among the higher valued arms in the organizations after injuries this season has cost him innings pitch and visibility.

Here’s Wilmer Flores’ full rehab outing from this afternoon in Lakeland.
2IP | 2H | ER | 0BB | K | HR
31 pitches | 21 strikes | 3 whiffs pic.twitter.com/IgPW8Rt1Xr

— Tigers ML Report (@tigersMLreport) August 24, 2024

Jake Miller

Pos: LHP
HT/WT: 6’2, 185
DOB: 6/27/01 (23)

Rogelio Says: Miller started the season at Lakeland, where he was one of the better arms in the FSL, striking out 81 in 62.1 innings pitched before a transition period at West Michigan. He only walked three batters in 20 innings of work and got to see three games of action to end the season at Erie. The left-hander’s windup and angle gives him deception so his growth will be key for any bullpen he winds up in 2025.

Eric Silva

Pos: RHP
HT/WT: 6’1, 185
DOB: 10/03/02 (22)

Chris Says:  Eric Silva was San Francisco’s 4th-round pick in 2021 out of JSerra Catholic High School in California. He worked as a starter in his first two years of pro ball before moving to the bullpen this season. The Giants then traded him at the deadline for Mark Canha. Silva gave up four earned runs in his first inning of work for Double-A Erie, but then pitched to a 3.78 ERA the rest of the way. He shows a decent four-pitch mix and has a chance to work as a middle reliever for the Tigers in a year or two.

CJ Weins

Pos: RHP
HT/WT: 6’3, 223
DOB: 8/15/00 (24)

Chris Says: Weins spent two years in junior college, and then two years at South Carolina before finishing his amateur career at Western Kentucky. The Red Sox took him as a money saver in the 6th round in 2023, and he came to the Tigers in a trade for Trey Wingenter in July. He posted a 4.81 ERA for Low-A Salem before the trade, but he was much better after joining Detroit’s organization. He worked his way up to Double-A Erie by the end of the season, compiling a 2.19 ERA with 42 strikeouts in 24.2 innings. Weins’ pure stuff doesn’t jump off the page, put his low release height and plus extension give his fastball bat-missing ride.