The Detroit Tigers, planning to prioritize opportunities for young players in the major leagues, added to their pool of prospects at the upper-levels of the organization in an under-the-radar way at the winter meetings.
The big-ticket signings of Trea Turner, Aaron Judge, Willson Contreras and Xander Bogaerts stole the headlines, and rightfully so, from Dec. 4-7 in San Diego. The Tigers, meanwhile, dipped into a different category of free agents by signing 23-year-old outfielder Diego Rincones to a minor-league contract.
And Rincones — a former prospect in the San Francisco Giants’ farm system — is tearing up the Venezuelan Winter League.
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Through 50 games, Rincones is batting .329 with eight home runs, 41 RBIs, 12 walks and 12 strikeouts for Bravos de Margarita. The right-handed hitter also has a .407 on-base percentage and a .914 on-base-plus-slugging percentage, with his 41 RBIs tied atop the Venezuelan Winter League.
He appears on track to start the 2023 season at Triple-A Toledo.
Rincones, a power-hitting outfielder, signed with the Giants in July 2015 as an international free agent from Venezuela. He played six seasons in the minor leagues, spanning 458 games, and became a free agent in November 2022.
Scott Harris, the Tigers’ president of baseball operations, worked as the Giants’ general manager from 2020-22.
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In 2022, Rincones suffered a wrist injury early in the season and played 91 games for Double-A Richmond. He hit .258 with 10 homers, 16 walks and 48 strikeouts, with a .306 OBP and .689 OPS. His performance was somewhat underwhelming, considering his breakthrough in the previous season, but still highlighted his strengths at the plate.
He has bat-to-ball skills, plate discipline and raw power.
During the 2021 season, Rincones hit .294 with 15 homers, 26 walks and 56 strikeouts over 77 games for High-A Eugene (25 games) and Double-A Richmond (52 games), chipping in a .377 OBP and an .891 OPS. He looked like one of the Giants’ best hitting prospects.
Defensively, he is limited to the corner outfield positions.
Rincones showcased his raw power in late November in the Venezuelan Winter League Home Run Derby. He finished runner-up to Atlanta Braves outfielder Ronald Acuña Jr., a three-time All-Star and the 2018 National League Rookie of the Year.
José Cisnero debuts in winter ball
Right-handed reliever José Cisnero has started pitching for Gigantes del Cibao in the Dominican Winter League, tossing three innings of one-run ball with zero walks and three strikeouts in three games.
His first outing was Dec. 10.
Cisnero, who turns 34 in April, is the most established Tigers player competing in Latin America this offseason. He primarily pitched in the eighth inning last season and posted a 1.08 ERA with 19 walks and 23 strikeouts in 25 innings across 28 relief appearances.
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The six-year MLB veteran, in his third and final year of arbitration eligibility this offseason, struggled with command and fastball velocity in 2022.
Two injuries derailed his consistency.
Cisnero suffered a right shoulder strain in spring training (and a subsequent Achilles issue during his rehabilitation) and didn’t pitch in the majors until late July. His fastball averaged 95.5 mph, compared to 96.7 mph in 2021, and his walk rate increased from 11.7% in 2021 to 18.1% in 2022.
He becomes a free agent after the 2023 season.
Another Cruz in Puerto Rican Winter League
Infielder Trei Cruz, a third-round pick in the 2020 draft from Rice, completed his offseason assignment with Leones de Ponce in the Puerto Rican Winter League.
The 24-year-old switch-hitter played in 29 games, batting .271 with seven extra-base hits (zero home runs), 16 walks and 24 walks. Cruz served as the starting shortstop for Leones de Ponce and received some reps at second base.
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Cruz struggled in the 2021 season, his first year as a professional, but bounced back in 2022. He hit .233 with eight home runs, 76 walks and 111 strikeouts in 109 games for High-A West Michigan. He then joined Double-A Erie for eight games to end the season, batting .200 with five walks and seven strikeouts.
He is the son of José Cruz Jr. and the grandson of José Cruz, both former MLB players. They also starred for Leones de Ponce during their playing careers. The youngest Cruz appeared Dec. 11 in the Puerto Rican Winter League All-Star Game.
More notes from winter ball
• Julio E. Rodriguez, a 25-year-old catcher, is batting .214 with one home run, two walks and 12 strikeouts over 16 games for Águilas Cibaeñas in the Dominican Winter League. The Tigers signed him to a minor-league contract in early December, just before adding Rincones to the organization. Rodriguez spent his first six seasons with the St. Louis Cardinals and reached Double-A Springfield in 2022. He hit .252 with 11 homers, 47 walks and 64 strikeouts in 68 games.
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• Utility player Jermaine Palacios, claimed off waivers from the Minnesota Twins on Oct. 11, is hitting .407 with four home runs, 15 walks and 16 strikeouts over 29 games for Cardenales de Lara in the Venezuelan Winter League. In his past three games, the 26-year-old has a .571 batting average (8-for-14) with one double and three RBIs. Palacios isn’t a member of the Tigers’ 40-man roster but remains in the organization. He will be slated for Triple-A Toledo in 2023.
• Outfielder Bligh Madris, claimed off waivers from the Tampa Bay Rays on Nov. 18, hit .216 with five walks and 12 strikeouts across 13 games for Sultanes de Monterrey in the Mexican Pacific Winter League. His offseason assignment ended Nov. 9 due to general fatigue. Madris, a left-handed hitter, also plays first base and is currently on the Tigers’ 40-man roster.
Contact Evan Petzold at epetzold@freepress.com or follow him on Twitter @EvanPetzold.