Tigers Minor League Recap – 4/30

Toledo Mud Hens (Triple-A)

Final: Columbus 3 – Toledo 8

Top Performer(s):

Eduardo Valencia, C — 4-for-4, 2 2B, 2 R, 2 RBI, BB
Corey Julks, RF — 2-for-5, HR, R, 2 RBI, BB
Cal Stevenson, LF — 1-for-4, HR, 2 R, RBI, BB

Ricky Vanasco — 2.0 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 0 BB, 5 K. Ricky continues to have a dominating start to his season. He’s up to 15 IP and has yet to give up a run and now has a 48.2% K%, which would be top 10 in all of the minor leagues. Tonight was primarily his changeup and curveball, getting a 40% Whiff% between the 2 and 40% CSW%.

Game notes:

Bats rolled early and kept adding runs. They’d get a 2-run HR in the 2nd, 3rd, and 5th innings from Corey Julks, Cal Stevenson, and Tyler Gentry. Eduardo Valencia would have a terrific day getting on base 5 times in 5 PA, including 2 doubles. Scoring 2 runs and driving in 2 others, he would have a part in half of the runs scored tonight. His OPS is up from .487 after the game on 4/11 to .675 after today’s game. Gage Workman’s hot start continues as he gets on base 3 times and has 3 hard hit balls.

Eduardo Valencia sneaks a double down the line and Max Clark (BB) scores to put Toledo up 8-3. Valencia is 4-for-4 with 2 doubles and a walk tonight. pic.twitter.com/au2BIeL7Sj

— Tigers ML Report (@tigersMLreport) May 1, 2026

It was a bullpen game today. The pitching staff would give up 3 runs, but only 1 of them was earned. All 3 runs went to Yoniel Curret, who made his 2026 debut, walking 3 and striking out 1.

Ricky Vanasco keeps on dominating AAA hitters this year. On top of the above notes, he had just 2 batted balls against him — one with 64.5 MPH EV and the second with a 80.4 MPH EV and a 75% first pitch strikes.

A note that could be filed under “that’s not good” — Konnor Pilkington saw a 6.0 MPH drop in his 4-Seam velocity and a 5.8 MPH drop in his changeup velocity. It will be something to keep an eye on.

Tomorrow’s projected starters:

Sawyer Gipson-Long (1-2, 4.86 ERA) vs Pedro Avila (1-2, 8.20 ERA)

Erie SeaWolves (Double-A)

Final: Chesapeake 1 – Erie 5

Top Performer(s):

John Peck, 2B — 2-for-4, HR, R, 4 RBI
Andrew Jenkins, 1B — 2-for-4, HR, 2B, 2 R, RBI
Seth Stephenson, CF — 1-for-4, R, BB, 2 SB

Yosber Sanchez — 1.2 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 0 BB, 2 K. Yosber dropped his ERA to 3.86 after this outing. He started out strong coming in for Lael Lockhart in the 6th getting a double play and then following it up with back-to-back Ks before giving up the loan base runner he allowed. He ended the inning with a ground out.

Game Notes:

All of Erie’s runs tonight would come via home runs. It would start with an Andrew Jenkins solo shot in the 3rd inning of of Chesapeake’s starter Sebastian Gongora. Then in the 5th inning, Andrew Jenkins would double, Seth Stephenson would walk, and Thayron Liranzo would work a full count and hit a ground ball to the SS. The attempt together a double play would fail and they Seawolves would load the bases. Tyson Neighbors would replace the starter. He would get Brett Callahan out on strikes and get John Peck into a full count before he sends the 7th pitch of the AB out for a grand slam.

The ice cream hats have had an effect on the SeaWolves as John Peck aka “PECKS” goes yard for a grand slam. @BurgessLuke03 on the call. pic.twitter.com/7NtvgfNAPw

— Tigers ML Report (@tigersMLreport) April 30, 2026

Pitching wise saw the Seawolves start Lael Lockhart, Yosber Sanchez, and Moises Rodriguez. Combined they’d give up 5 hits and 5 walks with 2 of the hits and all 5 walks going to Lockhart. He would also strike out 6 in 5.1 IP giving up no runs.

Tomorrow’s projected starters:

Sean Hunley (0-2, 7.84 ERA) vs TBD

West Michigan Whitecaps (High-A)

Final: Cedar Rapids 7  – West Michigan 5

Top Performer(s):

Ricardo Hurtado, C — 1-for-3, RBI, BB
Nolan McCarthy, RF — 2-for-3, SB
Clayton Campbell, DH — 1-for-4, HR, R, 2 RBI

Lucas Elissalt — 3.2 IP, 6 H, 3 R, 3 ER, 3 BB, 6 K. Lucas doesn’t make it out of the 4th inning today, but he does set a season high with 6 Ks. 65.4% of his 78 pitches went for strikes, but he continues to get hit hard.

Game Notes:

Junior Tillen was the only start to not get a hit today. Andrew Sojka, Clayton Campbell, and Juan Hernandez were the only ones to hit any XBH today for the Whitecaps, but they’d still score 5 runs. Juan Hernandez’s lead off double would get the offense started. Bryce Rainer would get him home on a single and Clayton Campbell would follow that up with a 2-run shot to give them the early 3-0 lead. Then Cristian Santana and Ricardo Hurtado singles would drive in the final 2 runs in the 2nd inning making it a 5-0 game.

Ricardo Hurtado smokes an RBI single to left and West Michigan takes a 5-0 lead in the 2nd. pic.twitter.com/i4BoVXck3l

— Tigers ML Report (@tigersMLreport) April 30, 2026

Unfortunately that wouldn’t be enough to get the Whitecaps a win. Lucas Elissalt couldn’t make it out of the 4th and the bullpen couldn’t keep the lead. Thomas Bruss would take the loss, but before him Logan Berrier would give up a few runs to let the Kernels tie up the game. They’d score one more for good measure in the 7th and put the game out of reach.

Of note: Nolan McCarthy would leave the game in the 6th with an apparent injury running out an infield single. It’ll be something to watch. If he goes on the DL, I wonder if the Whitecaps will get to see Zach MacDonald.

Tomorrow’s projected starters:

Rayner Castillo (0-2, 5.28 ERA) vs Michael Ross (1-1, 5.73 ERA)

Lakeland Flying Tigers (Single-A)

Final: Bradenton 13  – Lakeland 6

Top Performer(s):

Max Anderson, DH — 2-for-3, 2 HR, 2 R, 3 RBI
Jude Warwick, 2B — 1-for-5, 2 RBI
Jordan Yost, SS — 0-for-2, 2 BB, R

Malachi Witherspoon — 4.0 IP, 7 H, 3 R, 3 ER, 1 BB, 4 K. Malachi was by far the most productive pitcher for the Flying Tigers today. His Sinker didn’t get a ton of whiffs, but his cutter and curveball combined to get 6 whiffs on 10 swings. He was also 13 for 20 with first pitch strikes.

Game Notes:

This would see a few guys on rehab assignments today. Zach McKinstry would play 3B and go 0-for-3 and Max Anderson would announce his comeback playing DH and going 2-for-3 with 2 HRs, on at 98.5 MPH and the second 99.4 MPH. The rest of the offense had a bunch of singles and a few walks, but nothing spectacular. Still, you’d think that scoring 6 runs would get the win.

Max Anderson mashes his 2nd home run of the game to put Lakeland up 4-3. Not a bad rehab outing for him. pic.twitter.com/Fygb3dol9u

— Tigers ML Report (@tigersMLreport) April 30, 2026

But the pitching had other ideas. Malachi had a decent start before Pedro Garcia would come in and give up 4 runs in 1.2 IP (season 9.82 ERA) and Jatnk Diaz (season 10.32 ERA) would give up 6 runs in 1.0 IP. Andrew Pogue would come in to complete the 7th inning getting 2 walks and 1 K on 15 pitches. Sergio Tapia would finish up the game going 1 IP and having zeros everywhere else.

Tomorrow’s projected starters: TBD vs Seth Hernandez (2-0, 0.53 ERA)

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