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Detroit Tigers Minor League Notes

Reese Olson moved into the No. 8 slot on our revised Detroit Tigers prospect rankings after he was acquired from the Milwaukee Brewers at the trade-deadline in exchange for Daniel Norris. A 22-year-old right-hander (he celebrated a birthday on the final day of July), Olson was taken in the 13th-round of the 2018 draft out of a Gainesville, Georgia high school.

A new opportunity in front of him, Olson reported to the High-A West Michigan Whitecaps this past Tuesday. That same afternoon, I had an opportunity to sit down with the promising young pitcher and discuss his game.

Olson described himself as a guy who tries to command the strike zone, mix all of his pitches, and will typically rely on what the catcher sees, as well what he?s feeling that day. Asked if he views himself as being more power or finesse, Olson said that it?s a combination of the two. He shared that he?s confident in all three of his off-speed pitches ? a changeup, a curveball, and a slider ? as well as a four-seam fastball that sits 93-95, tops out at 96, and gets ?a lot of arm-side run.?

In a July 1 writeup, our own Eric Longenhagen expressed trepidation regarding the righty?s delivery, opining that Olson has ?more mechanical violence than is typical for a starter.? I asked the newest member of the Tigers organization if he has any such concerns.

?The only time I?ve seen that is from random people on Twitter,? replied Olson, who presumably hadn?t seen our 2021 Brewers Top Prospects list. ?I?ve never heard anything from the Brewers about how my delivery needs to be changed. Anyone can clean up his delivery a little bit, but for the most part I don?t have any worries about it.?

Olson told me that his changeup ? an offset two-seam circle that he throws in the 85-mph range ? is his best secondary pitch. He settled on the grip shortly after coming to pro ball and ?researching changeups? more than he had previously. He took to the pitch like a duck to water. Once he began focusing on it, ?it just came naturally.?

The reserved-yet-personable hurler throws his changeup more than his slider, and his slider more than his curveball. The hardest of his secondaries is relatively new. He added the slider to his arsenal last summer while rehabbing a minor elbow issue at the Brewers? Arizona complex, then began throwing it in games this season.

Olson met West Michigan pitching coach Willie Blair, and Detroit?s Director of Pitching Development and Strategies, Dan Hubbs, in the hours preceding my conversation with him. On Friday, he introduced himself to Whitecaps fans in fine fashion. Taking the mound with his new team for the first time, Olson allowed just two hits and one walk in six scoreless innings. He fanned four.

Fangraphs
 
Spencer Torkelson is slashing .267/.398/.523 with 15 home runs in 327 plate appearances between High-A West Michigan and Double-A Erie. The 21-year-old infielder was drafted first overall by the Detroit Tigers out of Arizona State University in 2020.

Fangraphs
 
Tigers: Spencer Torkelson, 3B/1B (MLB No. 2), Double-A Erie.
Torkelson got off to a slow start in August, but got back on track with two extra-base hits in Erie?s come-from-behind victory. The 21-year-old swatted his 16th homer and 20th double, driving in two runs, scoring twice and striking out twice.
Torkelson?s bat is his standout tool and it has played differently across the two levels he?s played at. At High-A, he was more contact oriented with a .312 batting average.
At Double-A, he?s seen an uptick in power with 11 homers in 45 games. Put it all together, and the top pick in the 2019 Draft has mashed his way to a .934 OPS in 332 plate appearances this season.

Tigers official site
 
https://www.milb.com/scores/detroit-tigers/2021-08-10
Tigers Minor League Scoreboard August 10, 2021.
MiLB.com

https://www.mlb.com/tigers/news/top-prospect-performers-for-august-10-2021?t=mlb-pipeline-coverage
Tuesday's top prospect performers. Riley Greene here.
MLB.com

https://www.blessyouboys.com/2021/8...ley-greene-renato-nunez-josh-lester-jose-king
Jose King?s grand slam helps carry Whitecaps.
Scores, news, and notes, from around the Detroit Tigers? farm system for Tuesday, August 10, 2021.
BYBTB
 
Last edited:
kalinecountry said:
https://www.mlb.com/tigers/news/torkelson-greene-lead-offensive-explosion?t=mlb-pipeline-coverage
Spencer Torkelson goes 7-for-7 with 3 HRs in twin bill. Riley Greene (No. 13) added two blasts of his own as Double-A Erie swept its twin bill from Altoona with wins of 15-1 and 6-0 at UPMC Park.
MLB.com
Click to expand...

That's an impressive day for any player at any level.

He had been struggling lately so hopefully this can jump start a dominating finish to the season. Tigers will need his bat if they are to take the next step toward playoff contenders in the next year or two.
 
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