West Michigan Whitecaps' Max Anderson (22) throws to first base against the Wisconsin Timber Rattlers Tuesday, July 9, 2024, at Neuroscience Group Field at Fox Cities Stadium in Grand Chute, Wisconsin. The Timber Rattlers won 4-0. Dan Powers/USA TODAY NETWORK-Wisconsin / USA TODAY NETWORK

Tigers Minor League Team On Track To Achieve Impressive Record-Breaking Feat

Originally posted on Detroit Tigers on SI | By JD Andress | Last updated Sep 8, 2025 11:00 AM ET

Much of the attention has been on the Detroit Tigers' MLB team, which has been one of the best American League teams this season, and rightfully so. However, they might not even be the best team, record-wise, in the organization.

The West Michigan Whitecaps, the Tigers' high-A affiliate, finished the season with a 92-39 record and a .702 winning percentage. That mark is the best winning percentage by a full-season affiliate in Minor League Baseball since the 1997 Whitecaps.

They tied the record for the winningest season in franchise history, after a 5-0 shutout of the Fort Wayne TinCaps 5-0, in front of 7,000 faithful fans.

Tying Franchise Record

The Whitecaps were the definition of consistent, finishing 48-18 in the second half, after going 44-21 in the first half of the year. They led the Midwest League in hitting, pitching, and fielding, while posting the best run differential of any team in pro baseball at +294.

John Peck led the Midwest League in batting average with a .307, notching 115 hits across 374 at-bats on the season. He finished with 32 walks to 104 strikeouts, ten homeruns, and 59 RBI's.

Third baseman Izaac Pacheco led the league in home runs with 17 across 341 at-bats, and was fifth in the league with 74 walks while only striking out 123 times.

Andrew Sears led the team in strikeouts, with 94 punch outs over 82.1 innings, and held a 7-4 record with a 2.95 ERA. He held opponents to a .208 average while only surrendering eight home runs on the mound.

Joe Miller led the team in 105 innings pitched and was the only pitcher on the roster to log triple-digit innings. He held a 2.91 ERA and a 7-3 record on the season.

As a team, they ranked first in home runs (127), runs (760), hits (1175), doubles (244), triples (32), average (.264), and OPS (.780). They had 99 more runs than the next closest team, and their slugging percentage was the only one in the Midwest League to be in the 400s.

Calling their 2025 season dominant would be underselling it, as they achieved something not done by anyone but themselves since 1997, before nearly every player on the roster was even born.

However, the work isn't done yet, and now they will begin the playoffs, where they will take on the Lake County Captains on Sept. 8 in game one of the Midwest League Eastern Division.

This article first appeared on Detroit Tigers on SI and was syndicated with permission.

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