It has been a few years since the Detroit Tigers sent a noteworthy prospect to the Arizona Fall League, but, as we know all too well, the 2015 season hasn't exactly been an ordinary one. JaCoby Jones and Michael Gerber headline a group of seven Tigers prospects that will join the Scottsdale Scorpions as part of MLB's 2015 Arizona Fall League.
Jones and Gerber are two of the three position players heading to Arizona. Jones, a versatile player who began the season with the Pittsburgh Pirates, was acquired by the Tigers at the trade deadline in exchange for reliever Joakim Soria. In 30 games since joining the Tigers, Jones is batting .265/.336/.496 with the Double-A Erie SeaWolves. Gerber is an outfielder who has earned All-Star honors for the West Michigan Whitecaps in the Single-A Midwest League. The third, first baseman Dominic Ficociello, is currently enjoying a solid season with the Erie SeaWolves after being promoted from Advanced-A Lakeland in July.
The other four prospects heading to Arizona are all right-handed pitchers. Reliever Jeff Ferrell made his major league debut this season, and allowed a 2.65 ERA in 37 1/3 minor league innings this year. He missed nearly a month of action this season with an undisclosed injury. Two of the three other pitchers, Adam Ravenelle and Montreal Robertson are also relievers, while Austin Kubitza started 25 games for Double-A Erie. The 23-year-old Kubitza had a 5.84 ERA this year, but his 3.64 FIP and .386 BABIP hint that better days could be ahead.
Ravenelle, the Tigers' fourth round pick in 2014, missed the first two months of the season with an illness. He lost 15 pounds during that span, according to Lynn Henning of the Detroit News, and did not start to find his groove until well into July. He finished the season with a flourish, allowing a 2.20 ERA and striking out 18 batters in 16 1/3 August innings. Robertson, a 25-year-old Arkansas native, allowed a 3.55 ERA and 1.45 WHIP in 63 1/3 innings this season.
The Arizona Fall League is currently scheduled to begin on Tuesday, October 13. Scottsdale will play its first game at 6:35 PST against the Salt River Rafters. The AFL All-Star Game (known as the Fall Stars Game) is on Saturday, November 7, and the AFL Championship Game is on Saturday, November 21.
The full Scottsdale Scorpions roster can be found here.