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Two Detroit Tigers Prospects Named Player of the Week

Originally posted on Inside The Diamonds
By Chris Lavallee | Last updated 5/14/24

The Detroit Tigers minor league affiliates last week combined to go 18-6 and combined to outscore their opponents 123-80. Their Triple-A affiliate the Toledo Mud Hens went 3-3 and were outscored 25-24. The Double-A affiliate won all six games and outscored their opponent 37-6. The High-A affiliate the West Michigan White Caps went 4-2 and outscored their opponents 28-22 and finally, their Single-A affiliate the Lakeland Flying Tigers went 5-1 and outscored their opponent 34-27. Two prospects had great weeks which earned them Player of the Week honors, one-hitter, and one pitcher. The first one was infielder/outfielder Carlos Mendonza who won Hitter of the Week in the Eastern League for the Erie SeaWolves, he played in five games at Double-A before being called up to Triple-A and playing there on Sunday. With Erie in those five games, he went 9-16 with a double, a triple, six RBI, four runs scored, four walks, and three stolen bases. This season he has played at High-A West Michigan, Double-A Erie, and Triple-A Toledo now, he is hitting .284 with a .823 OPS; he has one home run, 10 RBI, and ten runs scored. The other is LHP Andrew Sears who pitched at Single-A Lakeland and won Pitcher of the Week honors in the Florida State League. Sears got the start on Saturday picking up a win going five shutout innings giving up one hit; he walked one and struck out nine. This season he has made six appearances with five of those coming as starts going 1-1 with a 3.10 ERA, a 1.38 WHIP, and 22 strikeouts in 20.1 innings.

INF/OF Carlos Mendoza Career

Mendoza was signed by the Tigers on March 6, 2019. He played his first season for the Tigers Dominican Summer League team hitting .296 with a .807 OPS; he had six doubles, seven triples, 21 RBI, 55 runs scored, 25 stolen bases, and 46 walks. The 2020 season was canceled. In 2021 he played for the Tigers rookie league team, Single-A Lakeland, and Double-A Erie playing in 49 games hitting .343 with a .936 OPS; he had six doubles, two triples, one home run, 15 RBI, 42 runs scored, 15 stolen bases, and 40 walks. In 2021-22 he played in the Venezuelan Winter League playing for Caribes de Anzoategui, in 14 games he hit .174 with a .557 OPS; he had two doubles, five runs scored, a stolen base, and four walks. In 2022 he played for High-A West Michigan and Single-A Lakeland playing in 99 games, he hit .266 with a .769 OPS; he had 12 doubles, three triples, two home runs, 34 RBI, 59 runs scored, 12 stolen bases, and 78 walks. In the Winter he was back with Caribes playing in 11 games hitting .250 with a .572 OPS; he had one double, two RBI, three runs scored, and one walk. In 2023 he was back with Lakeland and West Michigan playing in 69 games hitting .251 with a .705 OPS; he had seven doubles, one triple, one home run, 22 RBI, 37 runs scored, eight stolen bases, and 48 walks.

LHP Andrew Sears Career

Sears was drafted in the tenth round of the 2023 MLB Draft out of the University of Connecticut. He finished his college career making 34 appearances with 31 of those as starts going 14-4 with a 4.05 ERA, a 1.21 WHIP, and 228 strikeouts in 173.1 innings. He started his Tigers tenure with their rookie league team appearing in one game going one shutout inning, he didn’t allow a hit; he walked two and struck out one.