Tigers' Team Preview: Star Power

1. Justin Verlander
2. Doug Fister
3. Max Scherzer
4. Anibal Sanchez
5. Rick Porcello/Drew Smyly

Who closes out games in Detroit?

Early indications are Rondon will get first look at the closer's job in spring training. He has handled the role well in the minors, and his triple-digit heat is legit. As long as he shows decent control and the mental fortitude to handle the job at the major league level, it's Rondon's job to lose. If Rondon ends up needing more time to develop, the Tigers will likely look in-house with Benoit, Dotel, Coke, Alburquerque and Villarreal all being options. Benoit would get top consideration, but Dotel has experience closing and Coke showed during the 2012 playoffs that he can be effective closing out games.

Who platoons in left field with Andy Dirks?

Despite slashing .322/.370/.487 with eight home runs and 35 RBI in 314 at-bats, Detroit still doesn't view Dirks as an everyday outfielder. His split stats show he wasn't horrible against lefties (.274/.354/.397), but the Tigers would still prefer to have a right-handed hitter be a part of the platoon in left field. The Tigers are hesitant to plug in a young player like Garcia or top prospect Nick Castellanos in a part-time role, leaving the job battle up in the air.

Who wins the final spot in the rotation?

Re-signing Anibal Sanchez created a logjam at the bottom of the Tigers rotation. Assuming a trade isn't made before spring training, Porcello and Smyly will battle for the fifth and final spot. Porcello, a former first-round pick, is just 24 and has shown upside in the past, but his pitch-to-contact ways don't mesh well with Detroit's lackluster defense. Meanwhile, Smyly performed well last season and would give Detroit a much-needed southpaw in their rotation. The Tigers front office continues to say Porcello is the frontrunner, but those comments could just as easily be considered leverage in trade talks. The situation will likely be cleared up by a trade or injury before spring training wraps up.
 
Strengths

Star power remains the Tigers biggest strength. Verlander and Cabrera are Hall-of-Fame level talents, with Fielder, Martinez, Hunter, Jackson and Scherzer rounding out one of the better cores in the major leagues.

Weaknesses

Like last season, Detroit remains sketchy on defense and the base paths. Hunter will help shore up the outfield defense, but their infield will still allow plenty of ground balls to find holes. Jackson and Infante both have the ability to swipe a bag, but Jim Leyland managed squads are routinely near the bottom of the league in steals. Base-running consultant Jeff Cox was brought in to make improvements on the base paths, so hopefully we see improvements in that area.

Sleepers

Rising: Austin Jackson -- Jackson was the Tiger that made the biggest leap in fantasy value last season. He finished his breakout season with career-highs in batting average (.300), home runs (16), runs (103) and RBI (66). The strikeout prone outfielder also improved his plate discipline significantly thanks in part to an altered stance, which included a reduced leg kick. As a result of his tweaks at the plate, Jackson was able to lower his strikeout percentage (27.1 to 21.7 percent) while also taking more free passes, which led to a career-high .377 OBP. And while his .374 BABIP appears unsustainable, it's actually only a notch above his career mark of .372, so a huge drop in batting average should not necessarily be expected unless Jackson reverts back to his huge strikeout totals from previous seasons. The only disappointment from Jackson in 2012 was a drop in steals from 22 the previous season to 12 last year. He was caught stealing nine times after converting 82 percent of his attempts over his first two seasons, so expect him to bounce back on the basepaths. There might be regression in some areas with Jackson, but at just 26, he's just entering his prime and should be a solid fantasy option for years to come.

Declining: Jhonny Peralta -- After putting together one of the best campaigns of his career in 2011, Peralta took a huge step back last year. The 30-year-old shortstop hit just .239/.305/.384 in 531 at-bats. His contact rate (80 percent) and walk rate (eight percent) hovered right around his career marks, but Peralta didn't have any luck finding holes in the defense as his .276 BABIP was the lowest of his career. Peralta's power also took a significant dip, as he hit just 13 homers after smashing 21 the previous season. The drop in homers can be attributed to Peralta posting a HR/FB ratio under 10 percent (8.3%) for just the second time in the past five seasons. The Tigers have contemplated making moves to improve their infield defense, which could eventually lead to the team bringing in a shortstop with better range. In that scenario, Peralta would likely be traded, but he should end up with a full-time gig as a shortstop or third baseman if moved. While a bounce back to his 2011 form should not be expected, Peralta is still considered to be in his power prime and corrections in his BABIP and HR/FB ratio should make for a better season than he had in 2012.

Sleeper: Bruce Rondon - The Tigers had very little turnover from their 2012 squad, but the one gaping hole they do have to fill is at closer. Most fantasy owners with go with the known entity at closer, which should mean Rondon can be had in the endgame. He has an absolute cannon and could be dominate upon his arrival. There's a chance he isn't named the Opening Day closer or loses the gig early, but given his current ADP of 224, the risk is worth the reward.

Super Sleeper: Avisail Garcia -- While Garcia has always been highly regarded by the Tigers' brass, he did not really make much of a splash in the prospect scene until last season. After hitting .299/.333/.455 with 14 homers and 23 steals in 481 at-bats split between High-A Lakeland and Double-A Erie, Garcia received a surprise promotion at the end of August. He quickly worked his way into the lineup, seeing significant action against left-handed pitchers throughout September and the postseason. The 21-year-old outfielder finished his first cup of coffee in the majors with a slash line of .319/.373/.319 in 47 at-bats. Given the lack of plate discipline (79:451 BB:K) Garcia showcased throughout the minors and his unsustainable BABIP (.405) during his September promotion, struggles with batting average should be expected. That said, Garcia is considered a legitimate five-tool prospect by many scouts and has an alluring mix of power and speed potential. Garcia is expected to be in the mix for a platoon spot in left field to open the 2013 campaign, splitting time with left-handed hitter Andy Dirks if he nabs an Opening Day roster spot.

Top Prospects:

Nick Castellanos, OF/3B - Castellanos, the Tigers' 2010 sandwich pick rocketed up the prospect rankings last season. He started off the season with High-A Lakeland, where he slashed his way to a .405/.461/.553 line in 215 at-bats before getting bumped up a level. At Double-A Erie, Castellanos saw his line drop to .264/.296/.382 in 322 at-bats. His production in Erie was obviously a step back, but it's still solid production for a 20-year-old seeing his first action in the higher levels of the minor leagues. One big boost in value that came from his promotion was a position change from third base to the outfield. At the hot corner, Castellanos was blocked by Miguel Cabrera for years to come, but a move to the outfield has sped up his clock. Now, Castellanos could factor into the roster mix for the Tigers as soon as this season. With just 17 homers in 1,068 at-bats in the minors, Castellanos has not fully flashed his power stroke yet, but his large frame (6-foot-4, 210 pounds) and extra-base power (32 and 36 doubles the past two seasons) hint at power that will develop down the line. He might not make much of a fantasy impact this season, but Castellanos' potential should have dynasty owners salivating at his potential a few years from now.

Avisail Garcia, OF - (see above)

Bruce Rondon, RP - (see above)

Jake Thompson, SP - The Tigers selected Thompson with the 91st overall selection of the 2012 MLB First-Year Draft. He's a big (6-4, 235) right-handed pitcher with a mid-90s fastball and solid secondary pitches. At 19, he has a lot to prove in the minors over the next couple of seasons, but we could be looking at the heir apparent to previous Tigers pitching prospects Rick Porcello and Jacob Turner. 

Austin Schotts, OF - Schotts was selected by the Tigers with the 121st overall pick of the 2012 MLB First-Year Draft. He was an infielder in high school, but Detroit deployed him solely as an outfielder last season. The 19-year-old possesses excellent speed while also being able to hit for high average. He slashed an impressive .310/.360/.452 with 15 extra-base hits and 15 steals in 155 at-bats for Detroit's Rookie League team last year. Already worth monitoring in keeper leagues, Schotts could see his stock his considerably this year when he sees his first full-time shot in the minors.