Detroit Tigers Star Prospects Named AFL All-Stars After Red Hot Campaigns
The Arizona Fall League is a collection of the best prospects in all of baseball, so getting named a 'Fall Star' is a big honor. This season, the Detroit Tigers had two prospects named to the team, in Thayron Liranzo and Josue Briceno. The two were some of the best hitters in the AFL this year, so it is very much earned.
Liranzo was acquired in the Jack Flaherty trade at the deadline and quickly continued his great play. In 26 games after the trade, the switch hitter batted .315 with a 1.031 OPS, five home runs and seven doubles.
Although he played 100 games this season, the Tigers wanted to get him more at-bats so they sent him to Arizona to play among the best.
The catcher and first baseman has stayed hot in Arizona. In 14 games thus far, he is slashing .326/.463/.581 with a home run, six doubles and a triple.
While the 21-year-old provides above average power, his future at catcher could be in doubt. He split time between catcher and first base to get a feel for the position. Although he has a great arm, his receiving skills still leave a lot to be desired. But, he has proven his bat is strong enough to find a way to get him in the lineup regardless.
Josue Briceno has the chance to be the best hitter in the AFL on top of being named a Fall Star. In 21 games, he has hit .392 with a 1.262 OPS and an league leading eight home runs and currently sits second in RBIs with 20.
The 20-year-old missed a significant chunk of the season due to an injury and only played 40 regular season games. In his limited time, he posted a .758 OPS, but given that he is one of the Tigers top prospects, they wanted to give him more at-bats in Arizona.
That need for more at-bats has paid off and Briceno has shown it was a good idea, as he has continued to rake against top competition.
While the lefty is a catcher, he is in the same spot as Liranzo. He likely won't stick at the position, though he has more of a chance than his teammate. Detroit may be looking for a catcher of the future, and if Briceno could improve defensively, he could be that guy.
After an exciting season, the Tigers now have even more to look forward to other than their big named prospects. Both Liranzo and Briceno have proved that they can hit and will eventually force their way into the lineup.
