Ruffin one of seven Tigers to go to AFL IN 2010

Ruffin one of seven Tigers to go to AFL


By Jason Beck / MLB.com

08/31/10 10:09 PM ET

MINNEAPOLIS -- Chance Ruffin's first professional pitches will come in the Arizona Fall League. The 48th overall pick in June's First-Year Player Draft was named as one of seven Tigers to the AFL rosters.

Joining him will be fellow pitchers Matt Hoffman, Brendan Wise and Brooks Brown, slugging prospect Ryan Strieby, shortstop prospect Cale Iorg and Class A infielder Francisco Martinez.

Ruffin was the Tigers' second pick in the first round, a compensation pick Detroit received for losing reliever Brandon Lyon to Houston in free agency. He'll be following in the footsteps of Andy Oliver, a first-rounder last year who went to the AFL and used it as a springboard to Double-A Erie this spring and eventually to Detroit's rotation in June.

Like Oliver, the Tigers decided Ruffin was advanced enough as a prospect to warrant the call. Unlike Oliver, Ruffin is a reliever, having been tested in the bullpen at the University of Texas.

"The thing is, he has to be advanced enough to pitch at that level," said Tigers assistant general manager Al Avila.

Strieby was on track to take his bat to the AFL last year before a season-ending wrist injury kept him out. Another injury to left hand cut short his season at Triple-A Toledo this year, too, but he's expected to be ready by the time league play begins Oct. 12. He batted .245 for the Mud Hens this year, with 15 doubles, 10 home runs and 49 RBIs -- a sharp drop from his .303 average, 19 homers and 58 RBIs a year ago at Double-A Erie.

Iorg got back to Arizona for a second year on the strength of a late-season surge that had him batting .295 in 11 games for Triple-A Toledo with four doubles, one homer and eight RBIs. A strong fall campaign could get him the 40-man roster spot and Spring Training invite he needs to compete with Danny Worth for the future at shortstop in Detroit.