Roberto Campos has made no secret of his desire to hit for more power. It has been the focus of his work at the plate the last couple years. “I’ve just been working on hitting the ball hard, hitting line drives,” Campos said in Spring Training. “I know when I hit line drives, I know that ball is going to fly. I’ve just been working on that with my swing.” Through just under two weeks at Double-A Erie, the solid contact for Campos – the Tigers’ No. 22 prospect – is there, even if the power numbers are not. And as the 21-year-old Cuban slugger adjusts to a new level after two years at High-A West Michigan, he doesn’t show signs of being overwhelmed. As the SeaWolves open a six-game homestand Tuesday night against another prospect-loaded roster with Guardians-affiliated Akron, Campos is 9-for-25 (.360) with four RBIs and six runs scored. None of Campos’ hits have gone for extra bases, but with four walks, he has reached base safely in 13 of 29 plate appearances while striking out just five times. Campos has hit safely in all six of his games since an 0-for-4 Opening Day against Harrisburg. He went 7-for-17 with five runs against the Orioles-affiliated Chesapeake BaySox, including a three-hit game last Wednesday and a two-hit, three-walk doubleheader on Saturday. |
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Campos’ start so far has been better than his opening months the last two seasons at West Michigan, when he hit .247 and .250 in April with two home runs combined. Those two years suggest his power emerges as the weather warms and the at-bats accumulate. With UPMC Park’s friendly dimensions for right-handed power hitters, Campos’ progression should be fun to watch. It was among the reasons his promotion came with intrigue going into the season. “I think the one thing with Campos is he’s done a really good job, and he’s got to get the ball in the air more. He knows that,” Tigers assistant general manager Ryan Garko said at last month’s Spring Breakout game. “He hits the ball really hard and he continues to get better and better. He’s still young but he also hasn’t played a lot, just given his background. He just needs reps. “The talent I think is undeniable. The guy just needs a ton of reps. He’s getting a better handle on breaking balls and getting the ball in the air more. We’re excited to see him in probably a little more offensive environment.” Much of Campos’ contact so far has been on the ground; his 57.9 percent ground-ball rate in a small sample size would be a career high according to Fangraphs, while his 15.8 percent line-drive rate would be a career low. However, he’s still pulling the ball at a solid rate of 40 percent, slightly under his career numbers. It's a pragmatic approach for a slugger nearly two years below the weighted average age for the Eastern League. All but three of his plate appearances have come against pitchers older than him. |
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MLB MORNING LINEUP PODCAST |
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Zach McKinstry entered Monday tied for the American League lead with two triples this season. Who was the last Tiger to hit 10 or more triples in a season? A. Nick Castellanos B. Rajai Davis C. Curtis Granderson D. Austin Jackson |
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TIGERS TO CELEBRATE JACKIE ROBINSON DAY |
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The Tigers are on the road for Jackie Robinson Day on Tuesday, but when they return home on Thursday, they’ll host 42 local high-school athletes for a “Breaking Barriers” panel featuring a diverse group of Detroit sports professionals from the Tigers, Red Wings, Lions, Pistons and Motor City Cruise. In the spirit of educating youth on Jackie Robinson’s nine values – courage, determination, commitment, persistence, integrity, justice, teamwork, citizenship and excellence – panelists will discuss their careers, their paths to success and the influence Jackie Robinson’s career had on their professional and personal development. |
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WINDBREAKER GIVEAWAY SATURDAY |
The Tigers are throwing it back to the 1990s for their next giveaway, a retro windbreaker for the first 15,000 fans through the gates for Saturday’s 1:10 p.m. ET matchup against the Royals. Cheer on the Tigers against Bobby Witt Jr. with the kind of windbreaker that first became the style when Bobby Witt Sr. was playing! Go to tigers.com/tickets for more information or to get your seat. |
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A. Castellanos hit an AL-high 10 triples for Detroit in 2017. Surprised? He hasn’t hit more than six in any other season. |
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