The Tigers could benefit from two family pairs on the roster . . . eventually.
Ben Verlander, a 6-foot-4 righty, is interviewed in the video below from Fox Sports Detroit.
The team drafted young prospects with familiar last names Saturday, as Matthew B. Mowery describes in The Oakland Press:
The Tigers tabbed a player with the last name “Verlander” in the 14th round, then added one named “Hunter” 22 rounds later.
The Tigers grabbed ace pitcher Justin Verlander’s younger brother, Ben, for the second time in three years, then added outfielder Torii Hunter’s son, two-sport prep star Torii Jr., in the 36th round.
Detroit also picked up home region hurler Nick Deeg of Lake Orion High School, Mowery adds.
The reporter quotes this reaction from Verlander the elder, who's nine years ahead of his 21-year-old sibling:
"Super excited for him. He’s worked extremely hard. I’m excited for him, I’m excited to see what he does to start his career.”
Back in 2010, when Detroit drafted Ben Verlander in the 46th round while he was at Old Dominion University in Norfolk, Va., "that was more of a favor to the family," as Mowery puts it. Here's a two-minute interview from last summer with John Keating of Fox Detroit Sports:
