TMLR Recap 6/10/25: Hicklen Homers, Magic Numbers Shrink

It was a real mixed bag in the Detroit Tigers farm system on Tuesday night. Erie and West Michigan continued their push toward the playoffs, while the other five affiliates all lost. And things were particularly ugly in rookie ball. But a key player returned in Toledo, and we’re all here to learn, right?

Toledo Mud Hens (Triple-A)

Final: Omaha 9, Toledo 8

Top Performers: 

Andy Ibanez: 2-for-5, R, RBI

Justyn-Henry Malloy: 2-for-4, BB, K, 2R

Hao-Yu Lee: 1-for-4, BB, K, R

Brewer Hicklen: 2-for-4, 2HR(4), 5RBI

Pitchers:

Lael Lockhart: 2.2IP 6H 7ER 3BB 5K

Matt Manning: IP H ER

Dylan Smith: IP H ER BB

Matt Gage: 2IP H 2K

Game Notes: Early on it appeared Toledo was going to run away with this one. They were up 1-0 just two batters into the game, thanks to an Andy Ibanez single, and the first four batters reached. The momentum seemingly died when Hao-Yu Lee, playing his first game since being hit in the face, grounded into a double play. But Brewer Hicklen blasted a 2-run homer to center, and it was 4-0 Hens in the first. Toledo made it 5-0 in the 2nd after a Jace Jung sacrifice fly. But then disaster struck.

Lael Lockhart made it through the first two innings unscathed, but he wouldn’t complete the 3rd. It was a nightmare frame that went like this: BB, K, single+error, RBI single, K, HBP, 2-run single+error, 2-run double, 2-run homer. And suddenly the Hens were down 7-5. Omaha tacked on two more with single runs against Matt Manning and Dylan Smith to make it 9-5. Toledo battled back, as they seemingly always do, with another home run from Hicklen. But that was all they could muster, and they fell 9-8.

‼️BREWER HICKLEN DOES IT AGAIN‼️

a 3-run homer this time😏 pic.twitter.com/KOl26OUSnK

— Toledo Mud Hens (@MudHens) June 11, 2025

Erie SeaWolves (Double-A)

Final: Erie 3, Altoona 0

Top Performers:

Trei Cruz: 2-for-4, 2B, BB, K

Max Anderson: 2-for-4, HR(10), BB, K

Jake Holton: 2-for-3, 2B, BB, K, 2RBI

Pitchers:

Austin Bergner: 5IP 4H 3K

Jordan Marks: 2IP K

Andrew Magno: IP

Richard Guasch: IP BB SV

Game Notes: Erie just keeps on rolling. Their pitching was stellar all night, and they needed contributions from just three hitters to secure their 39th victory of the season. It started early, with Trei Cruz walking, Max Anderson singling him to third, and Jake Holton doubling Cruz home. Their second run came when Anderson continued his stellar season with a solo blast to left center. Their final came in the 7th courtesy of a bases-loaded walk to Holton.

Austin Bergner was terrific as the starter, allowing just four hits over five scoreless frames. And the bullpen was even better, with Jordan Marks, Andrew Magno, and Richard Guasch combining to pitch four scoreless, hitless innings. The win, combined with an Akron loss in Hartford, moved Erie’s magic number into single digits, at nine.

Max Anderson hits his 10th home run of the season. 103 MPH off the bat as @erie_seawolves takes a 2-0 lead. pic.twitter.com/iZWR5nXEx1

— Tigers ML Report (@tigersMLreport) June 10, 2025

West Michigan (High-A)

Final: West Michigan 6, Lansing 2

Top Performers:

Max Clark: 1-for-5, 3K, R, RBI

Peyton Graham: 3-for-5, 2 2B, K, R, 2RBI

Andrew Jenkins: 2-for-4, 2B, K

Seth Stephenson: 1-for-4, R, RBI

Bennett Lee: 2-for-3, HR(2) BB, K, 2R

Pitchers:

Hayden Minton: 5IP 3H ER 4K

Preston Howey: 2IP

Colin Fields: 2IP 3H ER K

Game Notes: The Whitecaps, much like the SeaWolves, just keep winning (when not playing Lake County). This was a tight, well-pitched game until West Michigan finally broke it open in the 7th inning. The Caps took an earl 1-0 lead after a Peyton Graham single, a fielder’s choice, and a ground out. The Lugnuts tied it in the 2nd on a solo homer from Nate Nankil. But that was the only damage allowed West Michigan starter Hayden Minton, who was strong through five innings to pick up his first High-A win.

The score was knotted until the 5th when Bennett Lee launched his 2nd home run of the season. Then the Whitecaps staged a two-out rally in the 7th. It started when Seth Stephenson singled home Austin Murr. Then, following a walk to Lee, Max Clark brought home Stephenson with an oppo single. The big blow came off the bat of Graham, who lined a 2-run double down the right field line to make it a 6-1 game. Preston Howey and Colin Fields handled the rest, with a small rally in the 9th failing to apply much pressure. West Michigan’s magic number after the game moves to three.

3rd hit of the night for Peyton Graham on an impressive piece of hitting, going opposite field on a 95MPH double, scoring two. pic.twitter.com/v7ZSFJEZem

— Tigers ML Report (@tigersMLreport) June 11, 2025

Lakeland (Low-A)

Final: Palm Beach 3, Lakeland 0

Top Performers:

Garrett Pennington: 2-for-4, K

Carson Rucker: 0/3, BB, 2K

Cristian Santana: 0/2, BB, K

Ricardo Hurtado: 1-for-3, 2K

Pitchers:

Bailey Horn (rehab): IP 2K

Zack Lee: 5.2IP 5H 2R ER 2BB 6K

Blair Calvo (rehab): 1.1 IP H ER 2K

Game Notes: Welp, not a whole heck of a lot to talk about in this one. The Flying Tigers were absolutely dominated by Palm Beach pitching, managing just three hits and two walks, while striking out 15 times. Garrett Pennington singled with two outs in the 4th. Ricardo Hurtado singled to lead off the 6th. And Pennington singled again with one out in the 9th. That’s it for the offense.

The most noteworthy event in this game for Tigers fans was probably Bailey Horn making a rehab appearance. He was excellent, too, needing just 12 pitches to record two strikeouts in a clean first inning. He also got some help from a nice play by shortstop Franyerber Montilla. Zack Lee was very good as the de facto starter, allowing just one earned run over 5.2 innings. But you can’t win if you don’t score. Lakeland falls to 33-24 on the season, but they maintain a one-game lead over Tampa in the FSL West division.

LHP Bailey Horn starting his rehab assignment down in Palm Beach, gets a pair of strikeouts in the first. pic.twitter.com/Mq4mvqwh4L

— Tigers ML Report (@tigersMLreport) June 10, 2025

Tigers Rookie Ball Roundup

It wasn’t a pretty day in the Tigers rookie ranks, as all three teams took a loss. And things got quite ugly in the Dominican Summer League, in particular.

FCL Tigers

Final:  Blue Jays 4, Tigers 2 (7 innings)

Game Notes: We had a couple more notable rehab appearances in this one. Veteran Thomas Szapucki started and worked a clean first inning. And then in the second it was Aaron Haase taking over. He allowed one unearned run, but it was his first game action since June 4th, 2023. The Tigers tied the game in the 2nd on a Jose Dickson double play, and then they took a 2-1 lead on a 2-out single from Jude Warwick. But Eliseo Mota struggled in the 7th inning, allowing two walks, a triple, and a sac fly to produce the final score.

DSL Tigers1

Final: Angels 16, Tigers 6 (7 innings)

Game Notes: Ouch. The Tigers took a 2-0 lead in this one, but here’s how the 2nd inning went for the Angels: single, RBI double, BB, single, run-scoring wild pitch, BB, RBI BB, RBI BB, grand slam, BB, pop out. single, run-scoring wild pitch, K, BB, run-scoring wild pitch, walk, ground out. We call that a DSL special. Not a whole lot of good to say about this one. Wagnel Luna and Fabian Dorta both had two hits, and young shortstop Andy Mata picked up a double. The Tigers pitching staff allowed 12 hits and 11 walks, while recording just one strikeout. Burn the tape.

DSL Tigers2

Final: Yankees 9, Tigers 2

Game Notes: This one wasn’t much better. Cris Rodriguez continued the excellent start to his pro career with an RBI single in the 3rd inning. But the Yankees plated four runs in both the 3rd and the 4th and coasted to an easy win. The Tigers only other run came on a throwing error by the Yankees catcher. We will note that Edgar Lugo and Nelson Marin each picked up two hits, and Enny Rodriguez reached base three times.