Kevin McGonigle recorded two hard-hit extra-base hits over 105 mph, Drew Anderson delivered another strong outing, Corey Julks hits a grand slam and Detroit’s developing infield depth continued to show in a 12–3 win over Tampa Bay.
If spring training is about information gathering, the Tigers keep collecting useful data.
Detroit scored in double digits for the second straight game Saturday, beating Tampa Bay 12–3 at Charlotte Sports Park. The headline remains the same as it has for much of camp: Kevin McGonigle continues to make loud, measurable contact, and the organization’s infield depth keeps stacking quality at-bats from top to bottom.
McGonigle set the tone early. After Parker Meadows grounded out to start the game, McGonigle lined a triple to right field in the first inning, then followed with a double in the third.
He scored the first run of the game when Matt Vierling followed with an RBI single, one of two hits on the day for Vierling. Beyond the box score, Vierling looked comfortable in run-producing situations, staying short to the baseball and using the middle of the field. It’s the type of steady offensive profile the Tigers need around their younger hitters.
Detroit added to the lead in the second inning with contributions from players who continue to strengthen the upper-level roster picture. Max Anderson drove in a run with a sharp double to center, and Jace Jung followed with an RBI single. Jung later drew a walk and later doubled, while Anderson continued to show quick hands and a direct path through the zone with a 104.6 MPH double.
The early offense gave Drew Anderson room to work, and he turned in another efficient outing. The right-hander threw three scoreless innings, allowing a handful of baserunners but limiting hard contact and avoiding big innings. Anderson’s spring has been built on strike efficiency and keeping hitters from lifting the ball consistently. Saturday followed that pattern. He generated weak contact early and worked out of traffic in the second without needing high pitch counts.
For a team evaluating rotation depth and bullpen flexibility, Anderson’s ability to consistently throw strikes and work quickly has stood out.
Detroit’s lineup kept applying pressure in the fifth. McGonigle drew a walk, Vierling followed with a single, and Colt Keith drove in two runs with a line-drive base hit to center to extend the lead to 5–1. The sequence highlighted what the Tigers have done well this week — traffic on the bases followed by line-drive contact rather than waiting for one big swing.
The sixth inning turned the game into a rout, though it started with the same theme: productive at-bats from players competing for upper-level roles. Jung doubled, Thayron Liranzo drove in a run, and defensive miscues by Tampa Bay extended the frame before Corey Julks broke it open with a grand slam. Immediately after, John Peck , likely headed to Erie to open the season, added a home run to right-center.
Peck has made the most of limited opportunities this spring. The power has shown up in short bursts, and the swing decisions have been solid. For a player projected to start at Double-A, continuing to produce against upper-level spring pitching is a positive indicator.
The late innings were mostly developmental reps as both sides rotated through depth pieces. Detroit’s bullpen mixed in several arms, with Burch Smith and Tanner Rainey working clean innings before Tampa Bay scratched out two runs in the ninth.
From a roster-construction perspective, the bigger takeaway remains the collection of infield talent pushing upward. McGonigle, Jung, Anderson and Peck all contributed offensively, reinforcing the idea that Toledo could field one of the deeper Triple-A lineups in the league once assignments are finalized, provided the pitching side holds up.
And that’s where the conversation sits right now.
The Tigers aren’t just scoring runs this week. They’re showing layers of position-player depth, with multiple prospects producing quality at-bats in the same game. McGonigle’s two hard-hit extra-base hits were the loudest data points, but the broader takeaway is organizational: there are more hitters pushing upward than available spots.
Spring numbers don’t decide jobs, but the quality of contact, consistency of at-bats, and repeatable process do matter.
And right now, Kevin McGonigle is checking every box.
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