Inside the Article:
The Meadows brothers are making noise at spring training camp for the Detroit Tigers, with Parker impressing the team’s management with his progress. Though he was optioned to AAA earlier today, Parker’s performances in training have caught the attention of many, including manager A.J. Hinch. Meanwhile, his older brother Austin has returned to the Tigers after missing most of his first season due to injuries and a mental health break. The siblings, playing side-by-side in the outfield, combined to go 5-7 with seven RBI in the Tigers’ 16-7 win over the Braves.
Why It Matters:
- Parker Meadows has been making significant progress at spring training camp, catching the attention of Tigers management, especially A.J. Hinch.
- Austin Meadows has returned to the Tigers after missing most of his first season due to various injuries and a mental health break.
- This spring the brothers were in camp together for the first time in their professional careers.
- With the Tigers’ outfield having an opening, with no one securing at minimum the fourth outfield spot, Parker could be in Detroit sooner rather than later.
Rolling those two guys out next to each other, I’ve hit them back-to-back a couple times honestly just for fun and to get them to interact a little bit on a major league field. We love the progress Parker has made, we love the return of Austin and it’s not hard to visualize them playing together at some point this season.”
Manager A.J. Hinch on the Meadows brothers
The Meadows brothers by the numbers:
- Parker Meadows has performed exceptionally well in spring training with a batting average of .300, an OPS of 1.131, and four home runs. He also leads the team in hits.
- Parker hit 16 homers and had an .820 OPS with Double-A Erie last season, and stole 17 bases.
- Austin Meadows is currently hitting .214/.281/.250 with six hits, three walks, and four strikeouts in 28 at-bats.
- Austin ZiPS projection for 2023: .266/.346/.472, 18 HR, 66 RBI, 10% BB rate, 18.3% K rate, .353 wOBA, 134 wRC+, and 2.7 WAR
The Bottom Line:
Though Parker is not on the Opening Day roster, his spring training performance, especially the recent victory over the Braves, has been impressive. Hinch has praised Parker’s progress, and though he will start the season in Toledo, there is potential for him to join the Tigers in the future, reunited with his brother Austin. With Austin returning to the Tigers after injuries and a mental health break, the brothers’ performances at the training camp are creating quite a stir and will eventually be really fun to watch.
