Are Tigers forming another Big 3 in Double-A Erie?

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The Tigers acquired Daniel Norris as a highly-touted prospect and traded him six years later for a prospect no one had heard of -- a failed investment. But maybe one that can be salvaged.

Because you've probably heard of that prospect by now: 22-year-old pitcher Reese Olson.

If you haven't, how does this sound? 43 strikeouts to five walks in 30 1/3 innings this season for Double-A Erie, where the Tigers might quietly be grooming another Big Three.

It doesn't boast nearly the same pedigree as the trio that rolled through Erie in 2019 on its way to Detroit. That one featured a first overall pick in Casey Mize, another top-10 pick in Matt Manning and fast-rising lefty Tarik Skubal. Nor does it boast the same upside. That rotation also featured former first-round picks Alex Faedo and Joey Wentz.

But along with Garrett Hill and Austin Bergner, Olson is mowing down hitters in the Eastern League this spring in a manner reminiscent of Mize, Manning and Skubal and headlining the best rotation, by far, in the ranks of Double-A. Hill was promoted to Triple-A Toledo Tuesday afternoon, but Wilmer Flores, the most dominant arm on the Tigers' farm this season, arrived from High-A West Michigan to fill the void.

Entering Tuesday, Erie's starting pitchers ranked first in ERA (2.78), first in batting average against (.177) and second in WHIP (1.03) across the Eastern League, Southern League and Texas League. They also ranked fourth with a strikeout rate of 11.9 K/9. These dudes are doing work.

In 2019, when Erie had five starters who have pitched this season in Detroit, its rotation finished second in ERA (3.19), second in BAA (.220) and first in WHIP (1.01).

Of course, by the end of that season, Mize, Skubal, Manning, Faedo and Wentz were all among the Tigers' top 10 prospects, per MLB Pipeline. And they've begun to show us why. Only three of the Seawolves' starters this season rank among the Tigers' top 30 prospects, and Olson is the highest at No. 17. (Flores checks in at No. 15.) Again, their collective ceiling is lower.

But let's appreciate what Olson, Hill and Bergner have done so far. (And let's see where they stand in MLB's updated prospect rankings this summer.) It says something that Olson's 3.86 ERA is the stain in Erie's rotation. Entering Tuesday, he ranked second in the 12-team Eastern League in WHIP (0.89) and eighth in BAA (.196). He also had the fifth best strikeout-to-walk ratio.

Hill, a 26-year-old righty, ranked fourth in the Eastern League with a 2.25 ERA. He also ranked third in WHIP (.907) and fifth in BAA (.167). With 50 strikeouts in 32 innings, he had the highest K/9 rate in the league. He's the Tigers' No. 26 prospect, buoyed by an array of breaking balls and a plus splitter.

Bergner, a 25-year-old righty, ranked sixth in the Eastern League with a 2.96 ERA. He also ranked second in BAA (.147) and fifth in WHIP (.915). He's the Tigers' No. 29 prospect, an imposing presence at 6'5, 210 lbs. armed with an easy mid-90's fastball.

We'll see where this goes. At the very least, Olson and Bergner are making a case to follow Hill to Triple-A, especially with the Tigers dipping deep into the rotation in Toledo amid injuries in Detroit. Wentz, Faedo and Beau Brieske have already been summoned from the Mud Hens this season.

Three years ago, we knew the Big Three was ticketed for Detroit. They were young and shiny and it was all part of the organization's plan. It's hard to say the same about any of the starters in Erie this season, even as they out-pitch their 2019 counterparts. This may be their ceiling.

But they are nudging it higher each time through the rotation, one dominant start at a time.

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