Wednesday, July 23

Not only does Michael Oliveto bring impressive numbers and athleticism for a high-school catcher to the Tigers system, the supplemental first-round Draft pick from last week also brings a great head of hair. That’s not something he’s used to having heading into the summer months. 

For much of his childhood, Oliveto shaved his head each spring for a good cause. 

“For the St. Baldrick’s Foundation,” he explained last week on a Zoom call with reporters. “For 12 years, I shaved my head and got donations from people in the community. I’d shave my head in March around St. Patrick’s Day. Did that for 12 years. 

“This year, I didn’t, but I did raise money through raffles and stuff. I set it up through my school ball team. We would have people come to the games and buy raffle tickets. We got local businesses to donate gift cards and stuff. Every home game we picked out a raffle winner, and the rest of the money we donated to St. Baldrick’s.  
  

“I’ve had some people who have had cancer that are close to me, and it’s just really cool to be able to be a part of something like that.” 

While Oliveto established himself as a high-rising, lefty-slugging catcher up Draft boards last fall with a breakout performance in a World Wood Bat Association tournament in Jupiter, Fla., his high character was established long before that. He had committed to Yale last year before his Draft stock began rising, and scored a 1460 on his SAT to go with a weighted GPA of 102 on a 100 scale. 

“I was kind of late to the game with the recruitment part and everything like that,” Oliveto said, “but I got the opportunity to commit to Yale, and I was very, very happy with that. And I’m very proud of that, because I have worked very hard in school my whole life to really get to a point where I could go to a school like that. But playing baseball has always been my dream, to be in MLB.  

“[Yale] was a really good fit, high-level baseball, high-level academics. Great fit there.” 

The academics and character made an impression on the Tigers as they compiled their Draft board. 

“We got to know Michael,” Tigers assistant general manager Rob Metzler said. “I would applaud the job that the staff did since identifying him in Jupiter last fall and getting to know him so well. Makeup is crucial in every position on the field, but certainly I think his intelligence, his makeup is going to help him in particular as a catching prospect who’s going to be responsible both for progressing offensively but also for working with a pitching staff and all the responsibility that the position entails. I think we really like the attributes for him to develop there.” 

Which hitter holds the Tigers’ record for strikeouts in a season? 

A. Rob Deer 

B. Cecil Fielder 

C. Austin Jackson 

D. J.D. Martinez 

• Triple-A Toledo: The Mud Hens are in Indianapolis this week after losing two of three to Memphis coming out of the All-Star break. Tigers No. 10 prospect Troy Melton -- who will start for the Tigers in his MLB debut on Wednesday afternoon in Pittsburgh -- struck out eight Redbirds over four scoreless innings of five-hit ball in a piggyback start with rehabbing Sawyer Gipson-Long. Melton has 101 strikeouts over 75 1/3 innings this season between Toledo and Erie. 

• Double-A Erie: The SeaWolves became the Moon Mammoths on Saturday, but lost two of three to Orioles-affiliated Chesapeake over the weekend. They’ll stay at home this week to host Yankees-affiliated Somerset. Top prospect Kevin McGonigle went 5-for-11 with three doubles and three RBIs over the weekend, including a two-run double in the ninth inning on Saturday. Garrett Burhenn tossed five scoreless innings on two hits with a walk and four strikeouts in Sunday’s win, improving his record to 10-2. 

• High-A West Michigan: The Whitecaps came out hot from the All-Star break, sweeping a three-game series in Lansing over the weekend. Infielder John Peck went 4-for-9 for the series with two homers, three RBIs and six runs scored, raising his average to .311 for the season. Izaac Pacheco hit a two-run homer in Friday’s 5-2 win. 

• Single-A Lakeland: The Flying Tigers carry a six-game winning streak into a home-and-home series against Fort Myers beginning Tuesday night at Joker Marchant Stadium. Outfielder Jackson Strong went 7-for-11 with two walks, two doubles and four RBIs in a three-game series sweep of Clearwater. 

The Tigers return home Thursday night for a seven-game homestand, including a big four-game weekend series against the AL East-leading Blue Jays. The first 15,000 fans through the gates for Saturday’s 6:10 game will receive a Hawaiian shirt and shorts set. Former Tigers Cy Young winner Max Scherzer could be on track to pitch Sunday’s series finale for Toronto. 

B. Fielder

Fielder struck out 182 times during his 51-homer season in 1990. Jackson came close to matching it in 2011, when he fanned 181 times.

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