Detroit Tigers observations: 'Genius' Alan Trammell teaches Colt Keith at second base

LAKELAND, Fla. — A Hall of Famer walked onto Publix Field at Joker Marchant Stadium before the Detroit Tigers' first official practice on Monday morning.

Alan Trammell, the former Tigers great, started working with Spencer Torkelson at first base.

"It's wet, so you gotta read that," Trammell said to Torkelson.

Then, Trammell moved to the middle of the field to work with Colt Keith, a top prospect who is expected to start at second base. "He really is a genius when it comes to the field," Keith said. "He's out there just helping in any way he can."

Trammell has an obscure title: He is a special assistant.

But his real job is to roam throughout the organization, coaching players all day long.

"It's crazy because now that I've been in big-league camp and on the other side (with minor leaguers), he goes here in the mornings, then goes over to the minor-league side and works with them the rest of the day," Keith said. "So he's out here all day. It just shows he loves it."

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Trammell, who turns 66 on Wednesday, has been working with Keith since he was drafted in 2020.

"I try to absorb as much as I can," Keith said. "I try to pick his brain. He's really big on just catching the baseball and making the play, and you know, that's how I like to go about my business as well."

Infield configuration

The Tigers worked on infield drills at Joker Marchant Stadium, as well as on one of the backfields. The group at the stadium featured the notable names: Torkelson at first base, Keith and Andy Ibáñez at second base, Javier Báez and Zach McKinstry at shortstop and Matt Vierling at third base.

In that group, Vierling was the only player to take reps at third base.

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On the backfields, the Tigers had Andre Lipcius and Ryan Vilade at third base, while Ryan Kreidler and Eddys Leonard held down the shortstop position. The Tigers have talked about prospect Jace Jung as the possible third baseman of the future, even moving him from second base to third base at the end of last season, but Jung was at second base with Wenceel Pérez.

Ibáñez trained with bench coach and outfield instructor George Lombard for a week in Miami during the offseason, but Hinch isn't planning to use Ibáñez in the outfield on a regular basis. In 2023, Ibáñez played 545⅔ innings at second base, 130 innings in the outfield and 84 innings at third base.

Ibáñez will primarily play third base in 2024.

"He did some work in Miami this offseason, but that wasn't a huge priority," Hinch said. "I can put him anywhere, so we may see him a little bit (in the outfield) this spring, but his primary focus is going to be at third base like everybody else in camp and occasionally second base."

Matt Vierling looks good

Vierling made the defensive play of the morning, ranging far to his right, snagging a grounder as he went into foul territory and then throwing a missile across the field to first base.

"I feel good," Vierling said. "The more I can do and the more I can keep working on things, the better it is, and every now and then try to make a couple of plays like that."

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Vierling spent the offseason in St. Louis, so he is still getting used to being back on the field.

"I definitely think it takes a little bit of time to get going and get the feels going again," he said. "I haven't been on a field, other than when I got here last week, until now. It's cold in St. Louis."

Vierling also put on a show in batting practice, hitting shots all over the field. President of baseball operations Scott Harris watched Vierling's swings from behind home plate.

"I feel good," he said.

Keston Hiura reports

The minor-league contract between the Tigers and Keston Hiura became official Monday morning, with Hiura reporting for the first day of full-squad workouts.

He was in the backfield group for infield drills and played first base. He projects as first base depth in Triple-A Toledo, but if he continues to slug and shows improved plate discipline, he could sneak onto the Opening Day roster.

"I'm open to playing everywhere now," said Hiura, who also plays second base and left field. "The more positions you play, the more value you can add to a team, and obviously, if you're swinging the bat well, that gets you in the lineup."

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Hiura played four MLB seasons with the Milwaukee Brewers, from 2019-22, but spent the entire 2023 campaign in Triple-A Nashville. He has incredible power but strikes out too often.

"This is a game of adjustments," Hiura said. "Once you get out there and have success, teams are going to up their scouting reports and find out ways to pitch to you and get you out. You have to make those adjustments. It took me a little longer to figure out what I need to do to get back to being who I am."

He already knows left-hander Tarik Skubal and right-hander Alex Faedo from offseason workouts with trainer Justin Wakefield at APEX Performance Facility in Arizona.

Hiura and Skubal have worked out together in Arizona for about three years.

"He's an animal," Hiura said.

Sawyer Gipson-Long injury

Right-hander Sawyer Gipson-Long reported a left groin discomfort after completing a bullpen session in the first week of spring training. An MRI confirmed a left groin strain.

It's unclear how long he will be out of action.

"We're going to re-evaluate him as it goes," Hinch said, "and then we'll see where his throwing is at that point, and then we've got to make an assessment on what that means. I'm glad he reported it to us early. We have to have our guys say stuff. He could have tried to get through it and make it way worse, and now you're threatening the season, or the start of the season. I'll know more once he starts throwing again."

Right-handed reliever Brendan White, another newcomer to the twice-per-week medical update, has posterior elbow discomfort and has been diagnosed with right elbow soreness. He will be shut down for a short period before re-starting his throwing program.

Contact Evan Petzold at epetzold@freepress.com or follow him @EvanPetzold. Contact Jeff Seidel: jseidel@freepress.com. Follow him @seideljeff.

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This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: Detroit Tigers observations: Alan Trammell teaches Colt Keith 2nd base