Tigers prospects on League Top 20 lists

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Tigers prospects on League Top 20 lists

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Short Season Leagues

NWL

2. Martin Perez, lhp, Spokane (Rangers)

It took Perez 14 tries to earn his first pro victory this summer, but his season couldn't be considered anything but a success. After all, he was the youngest player in the Northwest League at age 17 and was making his pro debut after signing out of Venezuela in 2007. He finished seventh in ERA (3.65) and allowed just three homers in 62 innings.

Small and wiry at 6 feet and 165 pounds, Perez nevertheless has two plus pitches. He consistently works from 89-92 and touches 94 mph with his fastball, and his power breaking ball may be the best curve in a Rangers system loaded with arms. Perez shows some feel for a changeup, a third potential plus pitch, but it's still a work in progress. He maintains good arm speed and gets good action on it, though it can be too firm.

6. Wilfredo Boscan, rhp, Spokane (Rangers)

Another teenage pitching standout for Spokane, Boscan led the NWL in wins (nine) while finishing fourth in ERA (3.12) and strikeouts (70 in 69 innings). For an 18-year-old, he showed uncanny fastball command and mound presence. He was fearless, working the inside corner and throwing any pitch in any count.

Boscan's fastball ranges from 88-92 mph and it tends to sink down and away from righthanders. He changes speeds on his over-the-top curveball, and he gets good late movement on his plus changeup. His 70-11 K-BB ratio ranked second in the league to Loree, who's three years older.

NYP

10. P.J. Dean, rhp, Vermont (Nationals)

Like Barnese, Dean is a 19-year-old righthander who dominated older competition, allowing no more than one earned run in eight of his 10 starts. After he worked in the 88-91 mph range with his fastball last year in his pro debut, his velocity jumped in his first full season, sitting at 91-92 and touching 93-94. The life on his fastball makes it an above-average offering, and he could add more velocity as he fills out his 6-foot-3, 175-pound frame.

Dean complements his fastball with a pair of average secondary pitches: a hard curveball, and an improved changeup with good fade that he uses against both lefthanders and righthanders. He has a very good feel for pitching but needs to improve his fastball command, as he has a tendency to leave it up in the zone. He's a quality athlete who fields his position well.

Appy

10. Kelvin Herrera, rhp, Burlington Royals

Though he stands just 5-foot-10, Herrera looks much bigger because of the plane he creates on his pitches. His sinking, boring fastball sits at 89-91 mph and runs to 94 mph, leading to awkward swings, especially by righthanders. Herrera's command and feel for the pitch was so advanced, and his maturity so pronounced, that the Royals pushed him to low Class A in mid-August.

When it's on, Herrera's slurvy breaking ball can be an above-average pitch. He shows plus spin on the pitch at times, and it's especially effective when he's working ahead of batters and controlling both sides of the plate with his fastball.

AZL

9. Jose Casilla, rhp, Giants

Casilla pitched only six games because he came down with forearm tightness at midseason. But those who saw him proclaimed him one of the most intriguing pitching prospects in the league. Built like his brother Santiago, who pitches for the A's, Jose already has a 90-95 mph fastball with late sink.

He may one day approach his brother's triple-digit velocity, and Jose already has better control. He pitches down in the strike zone from a low-three-quarters arm angle that gives righthanded hitters problems. Besides his fastball, he also has a hard, late-breaking slider and an improving changeup.

All of our short season players are pitchers and did make the top tens in their leagues.
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