TOLEDO MUD HENS

Former Chicago Cubs hitting coach Anthony Iapoce will be manager of the Triple-A Toledo Mud Hens, the Detroit Tigers’ top minor-league affiliate in 2023. Matt Malott will be the bench coach after previously serving as a player development coach. New hitting coach Francisco Contreras has filled a variety of roles in the Tigers’ system over the last several years. Pitching coach Dean Stiles and hitting coach CJ Wamsley both served on the staff at West Michigan in 2022. Pitching coach Gabe Luckert, hitting coach Nick Bredeson and bench coach Salvador Paniagua round out the staff.

Catcher Ali Sanchez, designated for assignment by the Detroit Tigers four days ago, has been claimed off waivers by the Pittsburgh Pirates, according to Tuesday’s MLB transactions log. Sanchez spent most of the summer with the Triple-A Toledo Mud Hens after being claimed off waivers from the St. Louis Cardinals. The Tigers put him back on waivers last week after claiming catcher Michael Papierski from the Cincinnati Reds. The Tigers could also add another veteran catcher through trade or free agency. TIGERS’ 40-MAN ROSTER (40)Left-handed pitchers (6): Tyler Alexander, Andrew Chafin, Daniel Norris, Eduardo Rodriguez, Gregory Soto, Joey Wentz.

DETROIT -- For the second time in as many days, the Cincinnati Reds have called up a player who spent of this season with the Toledo Mud Hens, the Detroit Tigers’ Triple-A affiliate. The Reds selected the contract of veteran reliever Derek Law on Tuesday, one day after selecting veteran starting pitcher Chase Anderson. Law signed a minor-league deal with the Tigers this spring and has put up impressive numbers while serving as closer for the Triple-A Toledo Mud Hens. In 39 innings, Law has struck out 44 and walked 10 while posting a 3.23 ERA. On Tuesday, he reunited with Anderson, his longtime Mud Hens teammate, in Cincinnati.

The Tigers have sent their struggling rookie first baseman Spencer Torkelson down to the minors.

Austin Meadows’ rehab assignment with the Triple-A Toledo Mud Hens is being put on hold. The Detroit Tigers had originally hoped that Meadows would be ready to rejoin the big-league club on Monday. Meadows, a 27-year-old outfielder acquired by the Tigers from the Tampa Bay Rays in April, has endured a frustrating, injury-filled first season in Detroit. July 11: Meadows’ rehab assignment is ended prematurely after he experienced continued soreness. Outfielders (8): Akil Baddoo, Daz Cameron, Willi Castro, Riley Greene, Robbie Grossman, Derek Hill, Austin Meadows*, Victor Reyes.

DETROIT -- Outfielder Kerry Carpenter has been promoted to the Triple-A Toledo Mud Hens. It’s because Carpenter is a 19th round draft pick who, until recently, really wasn’t considered a prospect. “To Kerry’s credit, he worked really hard in the offseason and made some swing changes. He brought them to spring training and worked with our hitting guys,” Garko said. “Kerry is dominating all the power numbers that teams value.”

When the Detroit Tigers picked up Ali Sanchez off waivers from the St. Louis Cardinals, it gave the Triple-A Toledo Mud Hens four catchers on their roster. Hinch said organizations can never have enough catching depth, the Mud Hens decided that three would be more than sufficient. The Tigers dealt Ryan Lavarnway to the Miami Marlins for a nominal cash amount on Tuesday, reuniting the veteran catcher with one of his many former organizations. The Tigers now have three catchers in Toledo: Sanchez, Dustin Garneau and Brady Policelli. Only Sanchez is on the 40-man roster, although Garneau began the season on the Major League roster when the Tigers were using three catchers at the big-league level.

DETROIT -- The Toledo Mud Hens have been stocked with once and future Detroit Tigers over the last several days, foreshadowing more moves to come this weekend. Elvin Rodriguez is slated to pitch Friday night when the Tigers open a three-game series against the Toronto Blue Jays at Comerica Park. Meanwhile, it looks like Robbie Grossman will be latest of the Tigers’ injured outfielders to return, perhaps as early as Friday. TIGERS’ 40-MAN ROSTER (40)Left-handed pitchers (7): Tyler Alexander*, Andrew Chafin, Sam Howard, Eduardo Rodriguez*, Tarik Skubal, Gregory Soto, Joey Wentz. Catcher Jake Rogers (right elbow sprain); and right-handed pitchers Jose Cisnero (right shoulder sprain), Kyle Funkhouser (right shoulder strain), Casey Mize (right elbow sprain) and Spencer Turnbull (right elbow sprain) are on the 60-day injured list, which removes them from the 40-man roster.

Detroit Tigers minor-league prospect Garrett Hill has been promoted from the Double-A Erie Seawolves to the Triple-A Toledo Mud Hens. The right-handed starting pitcher started seven games for the Seawolves this season going 2-0 with a 2.25 ERA. He spent part of 2021 with the West Michigan Whitecaps before being promoted to Erie, going 3-0 with a 2.57 ERA in 13 games. The Tigers drafted Hill in the 26th round of the 2018 draft out of San Diego State. He was named one of the Rising Stars of the Arizona Fall League in 2021 and was a non-roster invitee to spring training with the Tigers in Lakeland this spring.

Pitcher Casey Mize retired just two batters in a rehab start for the Toledo Mud Hens on Thursday against Nashville. Mize allowed a three-run home run to Jake Bauers, one of four hits he allowed before being pulled with two outs in the first. Toledo rallied to win 6-4. The Tigers placed Mize on the 10-day Injured List on April 15 with a right elbow sprain. He has a 5.40 ERA over two major-league starts this season.

The Detroit Tigers are having some trouble with the starting rotation at the major league level, but in the minors, many of their top prospects are off to strong starts this season.

The Toledo Mud Hens, the Tigers’ Triple-A affiliate, reminded fans Tuesday that their opener on April 5 was unaffected by the MLB announcement. “We can’t wait to welcome all of you back to the ballpark for the 20th season of baseball at Fifth Third Field,” the Mud Hens wrote. There will also be baseball in Grand Rapids (Tigers), Lansing (Oakland Athletics) and Midland (Los Angeles Dodgers). If the lockout ends while the Mud Hens are in the middle of the series, do all those vets just jump ship and head to Lakeland? But one thing is certain: There will be baseball in some capacity in Toledo, Grand Rapids, Lansing and Midland.

Lloyd McClendon, a longtime Detroit Tigers coach under Jim Leyland and Ron Gardenhire, is returning to the organization as manager of the Triple-A Toledo Mud Hens.

On Thursday Jones was named manager of the Toledo Mud Hens, the club’s Triple-A affiliate. Jones, 61, will work closely with Hinch, who is beginning his second season as manager of the big-league club. Jones replaces Tom Prince, who was not retained after going 74-56 and leading the Mud Hens to the Triple-A East Midwest Division title in 2021. Jones, a native of Henderson, Texas, has been manager of Triple-A Lehigh Valley in the Philadelphia Phillies organization since 2018. HinchBench coach: George LombardPitching coach: Chris FetterAssistant pitching coach: Juan NievesHitting coach: Scott CoolbaughAssistant hitting coach: Mike HessmanThird base coach: Ramon SantiagoFirst base coach: Kimera BarteeQuality control: Josh Paul

He’s one of 19 minor-league free agents in the Detroit Tigers organization who are now free to sign with any club. The full list of minor-league free agents for all 30 MLB teams was published by Baseball America on Tuesday. The Tigers typically re-sign a handful of their free agents. They also added right-handed pitcher Elvin Rodriguez to the 40-man roster on Sunday to preempt his impending free agency. Some of the players have been in the Tigers’ organization since signing as teenagers; others were veterans signed to minor-league deals last winter.

We’re giving away four tickets to the Toledo Mud Hens game on Oct. 1, in Toledo at Fifth Third Field.

SMCC graduate Bryce Windham is hitting .400 in August for the South Bend Cubs.

The Detroit Tigers have promoted top prospects Spencer Torkelson and Riley Greene to Triple-A after both enjoyed a monster series over the weekend.

A lot has gone right for the Detroit Tigers over the past three months, but the same can’t be said for struggling infielder Willi Castro.

The Detroit Tigers have claimed a young pitcher with great minor league numbers off waivers from the Houston Astros.

Jesse Gerweck’s 82-yard touchdown run completed the scoring in a 48-8 victory over the Lansing Crusaders at Navarre Field Saturday night.

The Detroit Tigers are calling up outfielder Derek Hill for Wednesday’s doubleheader, but there’s no reason he should be sent back down afterward in favor of Nomar Mazara.

Joey Wiemer (Bedford

When the Toledo Mud Hens open their season on May 4, it may open up some more options for the Detroit Tigers. With the league’s worst offense, the league’s worst bullpen and many players pressing at the plate, the Detroit Tigers seem ripe for reinforcements. In a normal season, the Tigers could seek out a hot bat in Triple-A Toledo. Hinch said after the Tigers’ 10-0 loss to the Yankees on Friday night dropped their record to 8-19. The Tigers will use either Michael Fulmer, a “bullpen day” or some other combination of arms to pitch in Boyd’s spot on Tuesday.

Tork is going to West Michigan. Most of the Detroit Tigers minor-league affiliates released their Opening Day rosters on Thursday, including the Class A (advanced) West Michigan Whitecaps, the Double-A Erie SeaWolves and the Triple-A Toledo Mud Hens. Some players assigned the Tigers’ alternate site have spent April in Toledo; the rest have been going through a “minor-league spring training” in Lakeland. A number of veterans will be in Toledo, including pitchers Wily Peralta, Erasmo Ramirez and Ian Krol and infielder Renato Nunez. Right-handed pitcher Franklin Perez, once the organization’s top prospect, will also be in West Michigan as he attempts to restart his career after battling injuries.

DETROIT -- The Toledo Mud Hens don’t start until May, but there will still be baseball games in Toledo. The Detroit Tigers will use Toledo as their “alternate” site in April, using the same system that was employed in the shortened 2020 season. If the Tigers need reinforcements, they can dip into the pool of players staying in shape in Toledo. Most but not all of the players who participated in Major League spring training last month in Lakeland will be coming to Toledo. The Tigers released a roster of 142 players for the minor-league phase of spring training.

Major League Baseball informed teams Tuesday that the Triple-A season would be pushed back about four weeks. There had been some concern about Triple-A players taking commercial airlines and then being called up to the big leagues, where they would be mixed with players who had been under stricter quarantine requirements. Could the Tigers leave him in Lakeland to stay warm -- literally and figuratively -- and await a call to Detroit? Or would the Tigers have to keep him in the alternate site in Toledo for him to be eligible for a call-up prior to the start of the Triple-A season in May? Jose Urena will make his first start for the Tigers on Sunday in Lakeland.

DETROIT – The Detroit Tigers have signed veteran starting pitcher Julio Teheran to a minor league deal with an invite to spring training, according to multiple reports. Teheran opted for an NRI deal with the Tigers over a guaranteed deal elsewhere because he got a base of $3M plus $1M in games started incentives. The guaranteed deal was a low base with minimal upside. Teheran is banking on his ability to make the team out of spring training and stick in the rotation. Detroit’s pitchers and catchers reported to spring training in Lakeland earlier this week as they look forward to their first season under manager A.J.

DETROIT The Detroit Tigers sent 19 players to their alternate training site in Toledo on Monday, leaving 37 players to battle for 30 Opening Day roster spots. READ: How will the Tigers fill their final rotation spots after the Jordan Zimmermann injury? Haase and Rogers were fighting for what figured to be two or three catcher spots on the roster. That means seven of these 13 players will also be sent to Toledo or the taxi squad, while six make the roster. Lets assume its 11, leaving four bullpen spots and two reserve spots open.