Ben Verlander, younger brother of Tigers’ Ace Justin Verlander, was selected by Detroit in the 14th round of the 2013 draft. Photo/Damien Dennis
[dropcap]T[/dropcap]he West Michigan Whitecaps will open the 2014 Midwest League season on the road when they face the Dayton Dragons this evening at 7 p.m. in the first of a four-game series. Opening day for the Whitecaps at home is Tuesday, April 8 against the Wisconsin Timber Rattlers.
For those who do not know, the Whitecaps are the Single-A affiliates of the Detroit Tigers, based in the Grand Rapids area. Last season, the Whitecaps finished just below .500, posting a record of 69-70 on the year. The team remained competitive throughout the year but was knocked out of playoff contention in the last week of the regular season.
One of the bigger names to come out of the 2013 draft is Tigers’ prospect Ben Verlander. The little brother of Tigers’ ace Justin Verlander, Ben is a different sort of player, preferring to hold a bat rather than pitch.
“The biggest turning point in my career is when I became a hitter,” Verlander said. “At every level I’ve played at, I’ve done both. Every time I step up to the pitcher’s mound, I am expected to throw 100 miles per hour.”
Verlander said his brother is the best pitcher in the world, and he was just an average college pitcher himself.
“When I made the decision to become a hitter, that’s when my career really took off and I went my separate way,” he said.
The 22-year old outfielder graduated from Old Dominion University and spent last season playing for Connecticut Tigers in the New York-Penn league.
Verlander posted a .219 AVG, driving in 29 runs for the season with four home runs. He had 56 hits for the Tigers.
“Honestly, I have only been a full-time hitter for a little under two years,” Verlander said. “So when I made that transition, it allowed me to focus. I can show up to the field every day and just be a hitter.”
Verlander said that under this mindset, he can show up to practice and focus on one aspect of his game he needs to improve on instead of needing to focus on a slew of other things. He added that he becomes a little more comfortable at the plate everyday.
“I come to the ballpark knowing I am going to play every day, because as a pitcher you only get to play every five days,” Verlander said. “I just want to get on the field.”
When asked about his relationship with Justin, Verlander said that he wouldn’t be where he is today without him.
“He never took it easy on me,” he said. “Even when we’d play basketball in the back yard, I wasn’t going to score a point. I think it made me tough and made me realize that everything I come across I know how to handle it.”
Verlander said that he is happy to be with the Whitecaps but his goal is the make it to the majors, but he said he still has some work to do at the plate.
“I try to stay short to the ball and not get too big and try to hit home runs,” he said. “Obviously, a lot of people are going to come to the ballpark to see Verlander hit a home run but I can’t get caught up in that. I have to keep my game going in the right direction and take my singles when I can get my singles. If the pitcher makes mistakes, hopefully I can hit a few out of the park but that’s not my goal.”
Being a part of the Detroit Tigers’ organization, Verlander said he never passes up the chance to ask guys like Victor Martinez or Miguel Cabrera for tips on hitting.
“Whenever I get the chance to talk to Miggy, I will pick his brain for as long as he allows me,” Verlander said. “He’s great about it. He’s the best hitter in the world and he loves talking about hitting.”
