Lakeland, Fla. — A group of reporters encircled Tigers prospect Parker Meadows at his locker stall Friday.
“How cool is it going to be for you and your brother, starting your first game together on Saturday?” he was asked.
The stunned look on his face told the tale. He was getting this news for the first time. Until that moment, he hadn’t been told that he and his brother Austin would be starting the Tigers’ Grapefruit League opener against the Phillies at Joker Marchant Stadium.
The surprise was blown.
“Act surprised when they tell you,” a reporter said.
“Yeah, I will,” Parker Meadows said, laughing.
The plan, as manager AJ Hinch said, is for younger brother, Parker, to start in center field and Austin to start in right. The brothers, who are four-and-a-half years apart, have never played on the same team before.
“It’s going to be a fun experience,” Parker said. “I wish mom and dad were here to see it. Maybe they can watch it on TV.”
Parker Meadows is in his first big-league camp. He was put on the Tigers’ 40-man roster after a breakout season in Double-A last year. His brother, Austin, has been in the big leagues for five seasons and is trying to bounce back after an injury-ruined season a year ago.
“I’m still kind of just following him around like a puppy dog,” Parker said. “I’m just trying to learn from not only him, but from everybody else, the other big-leaguers that have been here. I’m just trying to soak up everything while I can.”
This isn’t the first time Parker has leaned on his big brother. Austin was his sounding board during his rough initiation into professional baseball. A second-round pick in 2018, Parker scuffled in low-A ball and initially in High-A before finally advancing last season.
“He told me to just trust the process,” Parker said. “Everyone who knows this game knows the minor leagues can be up and down. And I kind of knew that, too. But, just having Austin, he went through the minor leagues. He went through struggles. He gave me advice mentally. Just to always be positive. Just try to look at the positives in every outcome.”
The Tigers will be facing a Phillies split-squad team Saturday. Most of their regulars will be competing in a game against the Yankees in Clearwater. So, while it’s unlikely former Tigers players Nick Castellanos and closer Gregory Soto will make the trek to Lakeland, it’s possible former utility man Kody Clemens will.
Hinch said that former Phillies Nick Maton and Matt Vierling will not be playing on Saturday.
“We will hold off on their revenge tour for a bit,” Hinch joked.
Garrett Hill will start for the Tigers and go no more than two innings. Others scheduled to pitch include lefties Zach Logue and Adam Wolf, and right-handers Miguel Diaz, Angel De Jesus and Rule 5 draftee Mason Englert.
A jolt from Colt
Prospect Colt Keith was the highlight of the live batting practice sessions on Friday. He had two impressive at-bats against starter Matt Manning.
In the first, he laid off a couple of tough pitches just out of the strike zone and then knocked a hanging breaking ball over the fence. He laced another breaking ball, pulling it hard to right field, in his second at-bat.
“He can really hit,” Hinch said.
Hinch met with Keith before the workout Friday morning, essentially telling him he wasn’t going to break camp with the big-league team but that he’d get him as much work this spring as he could ahead of what could be a pivotal season for him.
“We emphasized that his (hitting) approach currently works,” Hinch said. “So now, it’s about experience and facing better pitchers as he goes across the minor leagues and just continue to chip away at whatever different positions he can play.”
Keith, 21, has looked impressive at third base this spring. He’s moving much more fluidly, having dropped 15 pounds, down to 230. Hinch said the organization wants him to focus on third base primarily, but he could also see action this season at second base.
“We know the one place he’s going to be comfortable in his first big-league camp is going to be the batter’s box,” Hinch said.
Reese Olson ready
Every pitcher in camp has faced hitters in live batting practice by now except one — right-hander Reese Olson.
Every pitcher in camp has faced hitters in live batting practice by now except one – right-hander Reese Olson.
But, his day is coming, on March 1 to be exact.
“I’m just a little behind,” said Olson, who posted 168 strikeouts with a 35% whiff rate at Double-A Erie last season. “I’m just slowly building up.”
Olson said he was dealing with some elbow soreness.
“Everything is solid,” he said. “We’ve just been slow-playing it just to make sure I’m ready. I will be ready to go soon. They told me March 1 will be my first live BP. I’m excited about that.”
Zack Short dominates
The Tigers held their annual team golf outing Thursday at Grasslands Golf and Country Club and, to nobody’s surprise, shortstop Zack Short’s team dominated.
“Shorty was the best,” Hinch said. “He won longest drive, closest to the pin. Nobody had a chance with Short in the field. Must be how it was when Tiger Woods was at his peak.”
Short played with utility man Brendon Davis and a couple of club players. The team shot an incredible 49 for 18 holes in the scramble format. They eagled all the par-5 holes.
“Those (club) guys were really good; they didn’t miss a fairway,” said Short, the son of a golf pro. “If me or Brendon didn’t hit the fairway, those guys were always 250 yards down the middle. And if you had a set lineup for putting, our last guy would never have a chance to putt. We never got to the last guy.
“It was something I’ve never seen before.”
Short, though an infielder by trade, is expected to get his first game action of the spring in the outfield Saturday.
Around the horn
… Reliever Jose Cisnero had treatment this week for a muscle spasm in the neck area. He missed some activity but remains on his throwing program. He also took part in pitchers’ fielding drills Friday.
… Adapting to the pitch clock remains a work in progress early in spring. Reliever Alex Lange ran afoul of it in live batting practice Friday. As Hinch explained, he and catcher Donny Sands couldn’t get on the same page on a pitch call. It was a 3-2 count on Parker Meadows and the clock expired. “That’s ball four,” said Hinch, who got on both Lange and Sands. “It was just a reminder,” he said. “I wasn’t coming down on them. They just need to get it together.”
Twitter: @cmccosky