Tigers Minor League Recap – 5/21

Toledo Mud Hens (Triple-A)

Final: Indianapolis 2 – Toledo 5

Top Performer(s):

Max Clark, CF — 2-for-5, 2B, R, RBI
Ben Malgeri, LF — 1-for-4, 2B
Eduardo Valencia, C — 1-for-4

Matt Seelinger — 3.0 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 2 BB, 4 K. Matt would get the early call tonight and get the first 3 IP. He was able to get a 31% Whiff% and 26% CSW to go with his 4 Ks

Game notes:

The game did not look like it was going to go the way the Mud Hens would have liked when Bryan Sammons left after facing just 2 batters due to slipping, falling, and getting injured. That would force the early pitching swap where Matt Seelinger came in and covered the first 3 innings.

Toledo starter Bryan Sammons falls down while delivering a pitch and appears to suffer a lower body injury. He left the game after just one batter. pic.twitter.com/NDLfcJajy6

— Tigers ML Report (@tigersMLreport) May 21, 2026

Luckily, the offense came in to help them out scoring 4 runs in the first 2 innings, including the 3 1st inning runs all with 2 outs. Indianapolis wouldn’t score their first run until the 6th and the Mud Hens would answer back in the bottom of the inning for their 5th and final run. Indianapolis would score run more in the 7th, but that would be all they could muster.

Max Clark lines a 2-out RBI double to right. pic.twitter.com/oYAfzyyUzX

— Tigers ML Report (@tigersMLreport) May 22, 2026

Despite being just 1-for-4, Ben Malgeri had 3 hard hit balls tonight. If you haven’t seen it yet, make sure you read this article from Rog about calling Ben up!

The Mud Hens needed 8 pitchers today highlighted by Matt Seelinger. Beau Brieske would get 0.2 IP, Tanner Rainey would get 1.1 IP, and Drew Sommers/Ricky Vanasco/Woo-Suk Go/Yoniel Curet would all get 1 IP a piece. Sommers and Vanasco would be the pitchers who were charged with the runs scored by Indianapolis.

Tomorrow’s projected starters:

Troy Watson (1-0, 3.12 ERA) vs Antwone Kelly (2-4, 5.68 ERA)

Erie SeaWolves (Double-A)

Final/10: Altoona 7 – Erie 6

Top Performer(s):

Thayron Liranzo, C — 3-for-4, HR, 2B, 3 R, 2 RBI, BB
Peyton Graham, SS — 1-for-5, HR, R, RBI
Justice Bigbie, RF — 1-for-4, HR, R, 2 RBI

Johan Simon — 2.0 IP, 3 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 1 BB, 3 K. Simon was the only one to not allow a run tonight for the Seawolves. The 3 Ks would tie his season high as he does his part to keep the Seawolves lead intact.

Game Notes:

This was a bit of a heartbreaker for the Seawolves. The offense did everything they needed to by scoring 5 runs in regulation including a HR in 3 straight innings. Peyton Graham solo shot in the 3rd, Justice Bigbie 2-run HR in the 4th, Liranzo’s massive shot in the 5th. By the end the 5th, they had a comfortable 5-2 lead. Things would seem to be going their way.

That is until the 8th came around and the offense faltered. They would have the bases loaded and just 1 out, in prime position to put the game fully out of reach. But back-to-back Ks of E.J. Exposito and Aaron Antonini would end the threat and prove the be costly. The Curve would face Moises Rodriguez, who had the call for a second inning of work, and get 3 of their first four batters on via a HBP, throwing error from Peyton Graham, and a single to load the bases with 1 out. A check swing hit by P.J. Hilson would see the ball hit right to Rodriguez who would throw it to home to get the first out and then the throw from Liranzo would bounce to and then past Chris Meyers would allow advancements from all runners and a run to score, making it a 5-3 game. From there, Luke Taggart would come in and need to get just 1 out to finish the inning but instead gives up a double that would score 2 more runs and make it a tie game.

Thayron Liranzo detonates this ball for a 449-foot solo homer onto the roller coaster in right. Left his bat at 108 MPH. pic.twitter.com/azzbcAut3F

— Tigers ML Report (@tigersMLreport) May 21, 2026

Eventually making it to extras, Thayron would hit a single that would score the runner on 2nd, John Peck, to give them the lead once more. The Seawolves would again get the bases loaded and just 1 out, the second time in 3 innings, and once again they could not take advantage and again, it would prove to be costly.

2nd batter in the bottom of the 10th, Javier Rivas, would hit a single to tie the game once more. Then a catchers interference and 2 walks would end the game, giving the Curve the come from behind victory.

Tomorrow’s projected starters:

Kenny Serwa (104, 7.31 ERA) vs Peyton Stumbo (0-2, 4.73 ERA)

West Michigan Whitecaps (High-A)

Final: South Bend 7 – West Michigan 1

Top Performer(s):

Garrett Pennington, LF — 1-for-4, RBI
Andrew Sojka, PH-LF — 1-for-2, R, BB, SB
Bryce Rainer, SS — 1-for-4, 2B

CJ Weins — 2.0 IP, 2 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 0 BB, 2 K. Weins would need to come in and hold the South Bend Cubs to 0 as the guys ahead of him would give up a combined 7 runs in their 6.0 IP. And he did just that.

Game Notes:

There wasn’t a ton of positive in today’s game. Garrett Pennington would drive in Andrew Sojka in the bottom of the first to score their one and only run. That would then be followed up by Lucas Elissalt giving up 2 runs in the 3rd after giving up a double and then a single to score the first run. A wild pitch would move that runner to 2nd and the score on another single. The Cubs would take a 3-1 lead on a solo home run from Matt Halbach in the 4th. Back-to-back walks in the 5th would end Lucas’ night and his replacement, Carlos Lequerica, would give up a double that would score both of those runs bringing Lucas’ ER number to 5 on the night. However, the Cubs would drive in 2 more runs on a single and a wild pitch to make it 4 in the inning and give them the 7-1 lead, which is how the game would end.

The rough season for the Whitecaps just gets more rough.

Bryce Rainer lines a double into the gap in left center. pic.twitter.com/XrIbmTFTAt

— Tigers ML Report (@tigersMLreport) May 22, 2026

Tomorrow’s projected starters:

Carlos Marcano (0-1, 2.75 ERA) vs Cole Reynolds (1-1, 5.87 ERA)

Lakeland Flying Tigers (Single-A)

Final: Bradenton 8 – Lakeland 7

Top Performer(s):

Javier Osorio, 1B — 1-for-4, HR, R, RBI, BB
Hunter Dobbins, C — 2-for-5, HR, 2 R, 2 RBI
Anibal Salas, RF — 0-for-2, 2 R, 3 BB

Donye Evans — 2.0 IP, 2 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 0 BB, 1 K. Donye continues his scoreless streak to start the season making it now 13.2 IP. He would get 3 whiffs on 11 swings and allow just the 2 base runners to reach base.

Game Notes:

Like the Seawolves, the Flying Tigers would have a bit of a heart breaker too. But theirs would be a little bit different. Malachi Witherspoon would have a rough start to the game allowing 7 base runners and 5 ER in his 3.0 IP, which would see the Flying Tigers down 5-1 early on. But they would keep on battling and outscore Bradenton 6-1 in innings 5-7, making it a 7-6 lead for the Flying Tigers, which included the 2-run HR from Hunter Dobbins. They’d go to the 8th and both teams would be held scoreless.

Then the top of the 9, Jan Caraballo would come in to get the save. He would get the first batter out on a line drive and then walk the next batter. Then Josh Tate would hit his 2nd HR of the season to give Bradenton the 8-7 lead. The Flying Tigers would get one more chance to tie or take the lead back and would go down 1-2-3, taking the loss.

Javier Osorio hits an absolutely monstrous home run to left. It left his bat at 107 MPH and went 430 feet. @AaronArnstein on the call. pic.twitter.com/tm1oZ0gtmd

— Tigers ML Report (@tigersMLreport) May 21, 2026

Tomorrow’s projected starters: Kelvis Salcedo (0-1, 5.40 ERA) vs Yonleg Gaetano (0-0, 2.60 ERA)

FCL Tigers (Rookie)

Final: FCL Yankees 5  – FCL Tigers 13

Top Performer(s):

Angel De Los Santos, SS — 3-for-5, HR, 2 R, 3 RBI, SB
Cris Rodriguez, CF — 2-for-5, 2 2B, R, 3 RBI
Danandres Colon, LF — 3-for-3, 2B, 4 R, 2 SB

Yoan Valdez — 2.0 IP, 2 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 1 BB, 5 K. Yoan did a great job today. Gave up just the 2 hits, but one just happened to be a home run. His 5 Ks would be the 2nd most in an outing in his career.

Game Notes:

The offense came alive tonight. The guys you’ve maybe heard of, Angel De Los Santos and Cris Rodriguez, had really good days. After a very slow start where he went 2-for-20 with 5 Ks in his first 5 games, Angel De Los Santos has been crushing it. With his game today, he’s got a 1.117 OPS in his last 9 games and the HR today has allowed him to triple his output from last year in 58 PA vs 99 PA last year. The 18 year old is looking to get moved up this year. Cris Rodriguez is in the same boat as his 1.070 OPS in his last 7 games tops the .401 OPS he had in his first 7. Meanwhile, Danandres Colon had more hits today than (3) than he did his previous 7 games (2), he’s scored more runs (4) than he had in the season (3), matched his SB total, and got his first XBH.

Tomorrow’s projected starters: TBD vs TBD

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