Miggy says Tigers 'need' top draft pick Greene in big leagues
The Detroit Tigers selected high school outfielder Riley Greene with the fifth overall pick of the 2019 MLB Draft earlier this week and Miguel Cabrera thinks he's ready to make the jump to the big leagues already.
The 18-year-old met the Detroit media on Friday where he officially signed his entry-level deal.
Signed, sealed, delivered, he's ours. ✍️#RoadToDetroit pic.twitter.com/6LermDC74z
— Detroit Tigers (@tigers) June 7, 2019
Afterward, Greene took the field for batting practice where he impressed Miggy by hitting a rocket into the right-field concourse in a section known as the Pepsi Porch. The Tigers first baseman not only praised the mechanics of his swing, but was blown away by the results, imploring the team to add him to the active roster immediately.
Riley Greene just put one onto the PepsiPorch. Miggy, watching, said, ‘He’s 18, for real? Leave him here. We need him.’
— Chris McCosky (@cmccosky) June 7, 2019
Riley Greene meets Miguel Cabrera for the first time pic.twitter.com/kXYx1wPWgY
— Jeff Riger (@riger1984) June 7, 2019
In his final high school season for Hagerty High School in Florida, Greene authored a 1.443 OPS with six home runs in 60 at-bats.
Meanwhile, the Tigers have the worst offense in baseball, according to FanGraphs WAR, and only rank ahead of the San Francisco Giants by wRC+.
The Tigers currently sit in fourth place in the AL Central, ahead of the Kansas City Royals. However, by run differential, Detroit's minus-102 runs are dead last in the division and only ahead of the Baltimore Orioles in all of baseball.