Which unheralded Tigers prospect is on the verge of 20-20 season?
Jason Beck
@beckjasonGiven the influx of athleticism into the Tigers' system over the past couple years, it probably should be no surprise that Detroit has a prospect on the verge of a 20-homer, 20-steal season. It might be a surprise which prospect it is.
But then, a lot of what Andrew Navigato has done this season has gone under the radar amidst a Triple-A Toledo roster loaded with higher-ranked prospects and guys either on their way to Detroit or having just returned.
When Navigato hit a pair of solo homers on Aug. 16, it put him at 18 for the season, matching his pro career high from 2022 at Double-A Erie. When he swiped four bases in a three-game stretch that same week, it put him at 19 steals, breaking his previous career high.
Parker Meadows had a 20-20 season last year between Toledo and Detroit after falling three steals shy of the mark in 2022 between Erie and High-A West Michigan. But while Meadows was a ranked prospect and former 44th overall selection in the 2018 Draft, Navigato was a 2019 20th-round Draft pick out of Oklahoma State who got his chance at Toledo primarily thanks to injuries.
“He’s a gamer,” Mud Hens manager Tim Federowicz said earlier this summer. “He knows how to play the game. He’s a great ballplayer. He’s not going to do anything spectacular, but he’ll get the job done when you need him to, and that’s been the biggest thing. He’s been one of our most clutch hitters. You know you’re going to get a good at-bat out of him.”
Navigato began the season in Erie, his fourth straight year with a stop at UPMC Park. He had the makings of a potential 20-20 season with the SeaWolves before injuries stopped him at midseason. A return to the defending Eastern League champions was supposed to give him a chance to settle back into that form. Then injuries to Ryan Kreidler and Eddys Leonard created a chasm in Toledo’s middle infield.
Up came Navigato after just two games for Erie. The way he has performed not only has he ended any thought of going back, he has created a case for consideration for the Majors – if not for Detroit, maybe somewhere else.
“Triple-A has been amazing,” Navigato said earlier this summer. “This clubhouse has been unbelievable. This group of guys welcomed me in right away. It just helps a lot having guys that always have your back, so that has helped me keep moving along.”
Navigato entered Tuesday batting .285/.371/.524 for the Mud Hens, with 24 doubles, four triples, 18 home runs and 19 stolen bases. His 69 RBIs lead the club along with his homer total. Only Akil Baddoo (23) has more stolen bases. Navigato boasts a 130 wRC+.
“He knows how to take a little bit off when guys are in scoring position, throw a single out there, and he knows when he needs to do damage,” Federowicz said. “It’s a tough comparison, but I kind of compare his approach to [Jose] Altuve, where he’s ready to hit from pitch one. He’s going up there and getting his best swing off, and I think that’s why he’s having the success that he is. If he misses, he doesn’t really care. He just gets right back in there and he’s ready to do it again.”
To look at Navigato's ratios, there’s no real difference from 2023 to this year. It’s his ability to maintain his consistent approach against a different level of pitching. The right-handed hitter has batted .311 off lefties, but he's hit for more damage off righties, including 17 of his homers.
“I think they’re more consistently in the zone,” Navigato said of Triple-A arms. “I think that you get a lot of pitches that are hittable or in the zone. In Double-A, you’re more selective. Coming up here, I feel like I’ve made a plan where I’m succeeding, just staying in my approach.”
Navigato has done all of this while playing everywhere but first base and catcher for the Hens, a godsend on a roster that has been in flux for most of the year. While his defense might not fit as an everyday shortstop in the Majors, his versatility could be his appeal in the big leagues. The 26-year-old is Rule 5 Draft eligible this winter.