Jack Bushell was a two-way player as a teenager in Australia who had just committed to pitching full-time barely two years ago. He couldn’t have imagined being on the mound two months ago at the Tokyo Dome, facing some of the best young hitters Japan had to offer.

Bushell had just finished pitching for Team Australia in the U18 World Cup last fall. Suddenly, the 18-year-old was the youngest player at the Asia Professional Baseball Championship, a tournament featuring the top young players from pro leagues in Japan, Australia, Korea and China. Bushell started against the host team.

He took the loss in the 10-0 defeat, allowing a run on two hits in two innings, but his two strikeouts included an inning-ending whiff from Teruaki Sato, one of the more imposing young sluggers in Nippon Professional Baseball.

Bushell’s next challenge will be baseball in the Minor Leagues. The right-hander was part of the crop of deals the Tigers announced this week as part of the international signing period.

“I had the opportunity, and if I didn’t take it, I couldn’t live with myself,” Bushell told baseball.com.au. “I had to take it. It’s been my dream for a while now.”

Bushell is the only Far East signing in the Tigers’ international crop this year, but he’s the latest Aussie pitcher to come into the system. Warwick Saupold signed with the Tigers in 2012 after two seasons in the Australian Baseball League and made it to Detroit in '16, pitching in 82 games over a three-year tenure. Lefty Jack O’Loughlin signed as a teenager in '16 and topped out at Triple-A Toledo last year before signing with the A’s as a Spring Training non-roster invite this offseason. Lefty Matt Beattie pitched in two seasons in the Tigers' system, topping out at Class A Lakeland in '21, and Zac Shepherd converted to pitching in the Tigers' organization after signing as an infielder in 2012.

All were scouted by Kevin Hooker, the Tigers’ Pacific Rim coordinator who lives in Australia.

“We liked [Bushell] as an athlete,” Tigers international operations director Tom Moore said, “and we just gravitated towards the fact when he started pitching that he’s got some skill that we thought would really do well when he gets into professional baseball.”

• Taking a look at Detroit's recent international signings

Bushell has baseball in his bloodlines. His dad played in the ABL, and his mom was on the Australian softball team that won a bronze medal at the 2000 Olympics.

“So obviously, there’s some athleticism in the family,” Moore said.

Bushell became a star in Little League in Australia. The Tigers scouted him for at least a year, when he made an impression at Australia’s U18 national tournament. He enhanced his standing by leading the national team this past fall at the 2023 U18 World Cup in Taiwan, where he made a ridiculous play off the mound.

Bushell made his ABL debut this winter, pitching on the same Adelaide squad as O’Loughlin. Bushell reportedly has a 92-93 mph fastball and a quality changeup.

Saturday marks the 46th birthday for former Detroit reliever Chris Mears, who shared the lead in saves on the 119-loss 2003 Tigers with five in what turned out to be his only Major League season. Who was the other Tiger with five saves that year?

A. Matt Anderson
B. Steve Avery
C. Franklyn German
D. Fernando Rodney

The Tigers have followed Nestor Miranda since before the COVID pandemic, when he was barely a teenager in the Dominican Republic. He was big even then, and his bat speed and power attracted attention. So why did they wait until this week -- a month before his 18th birthday -- to sign him, when he was technically eligible to sign during last year’s signing period?

The reasons go beyond baseball.

“One of the things about him [is] that he and his family [are] really intent on education,” Moore said. “Really important in his life, and they wanted to make sure he graduated [from high school] before he started his professional path. Certainly admirable for him, and we’re excited to have him aboard.”

• Signing tracker | Top 50 Prospects | Complete prospect coverage

The Tigers are confident that Miranda -- No. 45 on MLB Pipeline’s Top International Prospects list -- is worth the wait with his combination of power and plate discipline.

“A lot of times a player that has power, especially that young, there’s some swing-and-miss there,” Moore said. “And certainly, Nestor will swing and miss, but he does have an advanced idea of the strike zone. He does make adjustments really well. And that was, for us, icing on the cake with someone that brings up that much power, that he does have an ability to control the zone.”

The Tigers’ international signing crop included the usual Venezuelan contingent with seven players, led by athletic outfielder Jesus Pinto. Half of the other six Venezuelan signings are catchers, including Armando Lao. According to Venezuelan journalist Marcos Grunfeld, Lao is believed to be the first Chinese-Venezuelan to sign with a Major League organization. He comes from an academy run by former Major League shortstops César and Maicer Izturis, where the Tigers have found other talent in recent years.

“[Lao's] maturity at 16 years old, very mature, something that is very good for his position,” Tigers Latin American operations director Miguel Garcia said. “His makeup is outstanding. Not only can he catch and throw, but he can also run really good for his position. He’s an above-average runner. And this kid is capable to hit the ball to the opposite field with authority.”

Lao has had to grow up quickly. He lost his father two months ago in a fire at the family-owned hardware store.

C. German

Acquired from Oakland in the Jeff Weaver trade in 2002, German saved five of the 2003 Tigers’ 43 victories. He recorded seven saves over a six-year MLB career, including four years with Detroit.

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