Baseball is a funny game, especially when it comes to predicting a roster coming out of Spring Training. (Or in this case, Spring Training 2.0 or Summer Camp)
Just when you think you have a handle on which players will go north with the big club (or in this case, stay north), there always seems to be a surprise.
That may be the case with the Detroit Tigers in 2020 as manager Ron Gardenhire revealed on Tuesday that there is a dark horse candidate who could end up cracking the 30-man roster out of camp.
That player is relief pitcher Nolan Blackwood, who was acquired via a trade with the Oakland Athletics in August of 2018. At the time, he was the No. 30 prospect in the Athletics organization.
Gardenhire said Blackwood is in the mix to claim a bullpen spot.
“This guy’s put himself in a good position,” Gardenhire said. “He’s in a battle for our bullpen.”
Gardenhire likes unconventional relievers, and he likes what he sees from sidearming prospect Nolan Blackwood.
"This guy's put himself in a good position," Gardenhire said. "He's in a battle for our bullpen."
— Jason Beck (@beckjason) July 7, 2020
Blackwood, who is 25, was 6-4 with a 1.76 ERA in 41 games (0 starts) with Double-A Erie in 2019.
