Tuesday, September 16

TOLEDO, Ohio -- The late innings of Spring Training games can be a grind, but stick around to the last out, and you might see a play from a prospect getting a late at-bat that becomes a glimpse into the future.

For Max Anderson, that moment came against the Pirates on March 14 in Bradenton, Fla., where he got a slider from veteran reliever Ryan Borucki and crushed it 418 feet to center field. It was a ninth-inning solo homer that salvaged a tie game for the Tigers. It was also a sneak preview for Anderson’s season to come.

Anderson has been an offensive-minded prospect ever since the Tigers drafted him in the second round in 2023, right after the team's No. 2 prospect Max Clark and their top prospect Kevin McGonigle. One big question with Anderson, an All-Big Ten player at Nebraska, was whether his sudden power surge in his Draft year would translate.

Two years later, Anderson has slugged his way to Detroit’s doorstep. With a .296 average, 29 doubles, 18 homers, 82 RBIs and an .830 OPS between Double-A Erie and Triple-A Toledo, the 23-year-old has climbed the Tigers’ prospect rankings, currently at No. 9. He has also earned a spot in the Arizona Fall League alongside McGonigle, fellow infielder Jack Penney and pitching prospects Jake Miller (No. 19), Dariel Fregio, Carlos Lequerica and Kenny Serwa.

Anderson’s AFL assignment is in part about defense, helping the second and third baseman find a defensive spot. But his bat has been the biggest consideration in prompting Detroit to find him a role. In a Tigers farm system awash in infield prospects, from McGonigle to Hao-Yu Lee (No. 6) to Jace Jung to Colt Keith in Detroit, the fact that the Tigers held onto Anderson at the Trade Deadline reflects a belief that he can help them.

Anderson has long eclipsed the 11-homer, 22-double season he posted last year between Erie and High-A West Michigan. Beyond ballparks, part of that jump reflects a change in approach.

“Just kind of a mental change in just trying to get the ball in the air a little more. Just focus on lifting [the ball], just focusing on not hitting ground balls and getting the ball in the air,” Anderson said. “But swing-wise, I kind of have the same swing that I’ve always had.”

Anderson has raised his fly-ball rate from 27.2 percent last year to 32.7 percent this season, according to Fangraphs. His ground-ball rate, in turn, has dropped from 50.4 to 45.7 percent. He’s pulling the ball at a career-best 39.2 percent rate, including 44.3 percent since his August promotion to Triple-A, after getting beat inside on pitches at High-A West Michigan last year.

“He’s a confident hitter. And he’s not just up there swinging,” Mud Hens manager Gabe Alvarez said. “He’s a guy with a plan and an approach, and when he stays within himself and with his approach, he’s dangerous.”

Said Anderson: “The goal is always just to hit the ball as hard as you can, and whatever happens, happens after it leaves your bat. But it’s nice knowing that when you do your job and you have a successful plan, that you’re going to get rewarded for hitting the ball hard.”

Defensively, Anderson made strides at second base this year after working on his first step and on reading swings. The extra reps in the AFL should help.

“The best defensive guys are just way more consistent,” he said. “I think that’s the biggest thing that separates guys from staying at their level and then moving up, just being consistent and making the plays you’re supposed to, and making some of the extraordinary plays but really locking in on not making mental mistakes and doing what you’re supposed to.”

Aníbal Sánchez, being honored by the Tigers this coming weekend as part of the annual Fiesta Tigres celebration, holds the team’s single-game strikeout record with 17, set over eight scoreless innings against the Braves on April 26, 2013. Whose single-game record did Sánchez break?

A. Mickey Lolich
B. Nate Robertson
C. Max Scherzer

D. Justin Verlander

• Triple-A Toledo: The Mud Hens are in Iowa to face the Cubs for the final six games of the regular season, five games out of the final playoff spot after splitting a six-game homestand against Louisville. Jung batted 8-for-22 for the series with three doubles, a home run and eight RBIs, including a four-hit game Friday.

• Double-A Erie: The SeaWolves open their best-of-three Eastern League Division Series in Altoona against the Pirates affiliate on Tuesday night, with Games 2 and 3 (if necessary) set for Thursday and Friday at UPMC Park. Erie took five of six from Altoona to wrap up the regular season last week. McGonigle batted 6-for-18 with two doubles, two home runs and five RBIs, finishing his regular season with a .305 average, 31 doubles, 19 home runs, 80 RBIs, 10 stolen bases and a .991 OPS across three levels.

• High-A West Michigan: The Whitecaps are a win away from winning the Midwest League Championship Series, their first championship banner since 2015, after winning Game 1 against the Twins-affiliated Cedar Rapids Kernels on Sunday. Austin Murr went 2-for-3 with a double and a triple, while Peyton Graham had two hits and two stolen bases. Carlos Marcano tossed 4 2/3 scoreless innings of relief with seven strikeouts. They’ll hit the road for Game 2 on Tuesday night, with a potential Game 3 scheduled for Wednesday.

• Single-A Lakeland: The Flying Tigers are also a win away from a championship after winning Game 1 of the Florida State League championship series at Daytona on Sunday. No. 28 prospect Kelvis Salcedo tossed five perfect innings before hitting a batter and giving up a single, finishing with five-plus innings of one-run ball and the win. Teenage outfield prospect Jesus Pinto helped spark the offense with a two-run triple. They’ll try to clinch on home ground Tuesday with Game 2 set for 6:30 p.m. at Joker Marchant Stadium. If necessary, Game 3 would be there on Wednesday at 6:30.

The Tigers will celebrate their 20th annual Fiesta Tigres this weekend, with former Tigers pitcher Sánchez being honored in a pregame ceremony on Saturday. The Tigers will give away a Vamos Tigres rope hat to fans through the gates for Saturday’s 1:10 p.m. ET game against the Braves. Click here for more information or for tickets.

A. Lolich 

Lolich had two 16-strikeout performances in 1969: May 23 against the Angels and June 9 against the Seattle Pilots.

To subscribe to Tigers Beat, visit this page and mark "Tigers Beat" from our newsletter list. Make sure you're following the Tigers or that they're checked as your favorite team.

View Online

© 2025 MLB Advanced Media, L.P. MLB trademarks and copyrights are used with permission of Major League Baseball. Visit MLB.com. Any other marks used herein are trademarks of their respective owners.

Please review our Privacy Policy.

You (mlb-newsletters@mlb.com) received this message because you registered to receive commercial email messages or purchased a ticket from MLB. 

Please add info@marketing.mlbemail.com to your address book to ensure our messages reach your inbox. If you no longer wish to receive commercial email messages from MLB.com, please unsubscribe or log in and manage your email subscriptions.

Postal Address: MLB.com, c/o MLB Advanced Media, L.P., 1271 Avenue of the Americas, New York, NY 10020.