The Tigers will open spring training Feb. 13, which means baseball season is coming. Here is a daily look at players with possible ties to the 2018 Mud Hens, whose home opener is set for April 12 vs. Pawtucket.
RHP Franklin Perez
History: The Tigers received Perez from Houston as part of the trade that sent Justin Verlander to the Astros. The native of Venezuela began last season at High Single-A Buies Creek in the Carolina League and posted a 4-2 record with a 2.98 ERA and 53 strikeouts in just 54⅓ innings. That earned him a promotion to Double-A Corpus Christi in the Texas League, where he went 2-1 with a 3.09 ERA in seven games before he was traded to the Tigers. In his career, Perez has struck out 214 batters in just 203 innings, working mostly as as starter.
Future: Perez, who just turned 20 years old in December, is considered the Tigers top prospect byBaseball America and MiLB.com and is one of the top prospects in baseball. Perez probably will begin this season with Double-A Erie, but if he is successful there he could easily be promoted to Toledo — or skip the Hens and go straight to the major leagues.
Click here for a full list of Mud Hens spring training bios.
Contact John Wagner at jwagner@theblade.com, 419-724-6481, or on Twitter @jwagnerblade.
First Published January 28, 2018, 6:00 p.m.
