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With the first month of Fall and Winter League play in the books, the list of representatives from the Detroit Tigers has now been expanded to a total of 31 players dispersed into 12 clubs within six leagues around the world. Coming into the month of November, several prospects are continuing to meet the challenge of playing in a new atmosphere, while others have grown surprisingly quiet.
The city of Caracas in Venezuela seems to agree with Dixon Machado as the young infielder has showed no signs of losing steam since joining the team in October. Machado tied his 2015 Triple-A season-high four home runs in just 17 games, a total he reached in 127 games with the Mud Hens. Currently hitting .361/.471/.625, Machado is leading the second place Leones with a team-high in runs (18), home runs (4) and RBI (13).
Machado added his fourth home run as half of a back to back jack evening for the Leones.
Not far behind, Wynton Bernard has jumped alongside the hits leaders for Caracas, giving just one more reason why he led the Erie SeaWolves in hits during the 2015 season. In his last three outings, Bernard has strung together five hits for a three-game streak, adding to his top three team hits total of 20. Continuing to lead the Leones in stolen bases with six, Bernard is hitting .294/.333/.426 with five doubles, two triples and nine runs scored.
Arizona Fall League
The 2015 season solidified Mike Gerber as a force to be reckoned with and his transition to Scottsdale has been no exception. The 23-year-old outfielder is leading the Scorpions in runs scored (10), triples (2) and also RBI (10), added to by a grand slam knocked earlier on in October. Gerber is hitting .308/.378/.564 with a .942 OPS.
JaCoby Jones appears to have simmered, as the normally dangerous hitter has gone 2-for-13 in his last three contests, including an 0-5 performance on October 30. Jones remains with a team-second in home runs with two. Jones is currently hitting .310/.356/.452 with 13 hits and four RBI.
Following an 0-for-8 skid by Dominic Ficociello, the 6'4" switch hitter has strung together five hits in his last two outings with the Scorpions, showing there is still plenty of pop to his bat. Ficociello is hitting .257/.316/.429 with nine hits, a pair of doubles and triples and seven RBI for Scottsdale.
From the hill, both Jeff Ferrell and Montreal Robertson have been restoring hope in the future of the Tigers pitching staff. Currently leading Scottsdale in wins on the year with two, Robertson (2-1, 2.70 ERA) has struck out four through 6 2/3 innings in his three appearances for the Scorpions.
Meanwhile, Jeff Ferrell has carried his relief consistency with him to Arizona. In three games with the Scorpions, Ferrell has limited the opposition to four innings of scoreless ball, allowing just one hit and striking out five.
Austin Kubitza (0-1, 3.09 ERA) has continued his ability to toss strikeouts, but the amount of contact from opposing clubs has caused his numbers to struggle with Scottsdale. In 11 2/3 innings of work, Kubitza has allowed eight runs off 14 hits, while striking out seven for the Scorpions.
Australian Baseball League
Extra inning appearances are becoming the norm for Calvin Drummond (1-0, 0.00 ERA), who was called upon back to back days to work relief in a pair of free baseball battles between the third place Blue Sox (4-4) and the Perth Heat (5-3). Drummond has worked a total of one inning in each of the four games he has entered, allowing just one hit and striking out five, while securing a save in his first save opportunity with Sydney.
Sound familiar? @CalvinDrummnd22 back on the hill for @SydneyBlueSox in the 10th, tied at 3 w/ Perth. #MiLB pic.twitter.com/1yGI4eJktW
— Emily Waldon (@wefoundwaldo2) November 1, 2015
Toros del Este - Dominican League
The impact expected to carry over to the Dominican from the regular season for Jefry Marte and Steven Moya has been slower to arrive than many would have first anticipated. In eight games with the Toros, Moya is 9-for-30 at the plate with eight strikeouts. Moya has also posted three doubles and four RBI, while hitting .300/.323/.400.
Although Jefry Marte has seen less time in the field than his Tigers teammate, his offensive production isn't rattling many cages. Through four games, Marte is 2-for-10 with two runs scored and a single RBI. Marte is hitting .200/.467/.200 with the Toros.