LAKELAND, Fla. -- The numbers said it wasn’t Roberto Campos’ first Spring Training game with the Tigers. The bloody scrapes up and down the Cuban slugger’s forearm said it didn’t matter. 

Playing right field for the final inning against the Blue Jays on Feb. 27, Campos went all-out after a foul ball along the line, eventually sliding along the dirt warning track in front of the fence. He came up short, but he was proud of the effort, his face beaming as he showed off the wound. 

“Really great,” Campos said when asked how he feels. “I was waiting for this. I was working hard. It feels good to be back again with all the guys, all the big leaguers, and I feel really good.” 

Campos’ enthusiasm is infectious; that hasn’t changed on his way up Detroit's farm system. Now he wants his game to go viral, something that could begin with the Tigers' Spring Breakout prospect game against the Phillies on Saturday at 1:05 p.m. ET at Joker Marchant Stadium. 

“Twenty home runs. That’s my goal this year,” Campos said. “That’s really important for me this year, because I can hit base hits, doubles, but I need to hit more homers.” 

While the Breakout game will feature plenty of up-and-coming Tigers prospects like Max Clark, the club’s No. 1 prospect per MLB Pipeline, it’ll include some others who have fallen under the radar recently. Campos fits into the latter category. He made headlines when he signed as a teenager in 2018 -- three years after defecting during an international tournament -- for a $2.85 million bonus, a team record at the time for an international prospect. He homered in his first Minor League at-bat three years ago, then created more buzz in Spring Training two years ago, when he hit a go-ahead homer in his first career Grapefruit League at-bat.  

Campos’ two seasons since then have been more gradual progress, posting nearly identical numbers at Single-A Lakeland (a .258 average, 5 HR, 50 RBIs and a .711 OPS) in 2022 and at High-A West Michigan (a .257 average, 5 HR, 53 RBIs and a .708 OPS) last year. His 2023 numbers came in 24 fewer games and 64 fewer at-bats. He raised his fly-ball rate and lowered his ground-ball rate from 2022 to ‘23, according to FanGraphs, but also dropped his line-drive percentage.  

Campos did all this while adjusting to life outside the Tigertown campus, especially off the field. His English has improved to the point where he did most of his interview without translation, something he couldn’t have done a year ago. 

“Being in West Michigan helped me a lot,” he said, this time with help from Tigers Spanish communications and broadcasting manager Carlos Guillen, “because no matter what, I had to speak in English. If I wanted to eat, I had to speak in English. If I wanted to do whatever I wanted to do, I had to speak in English. That helped me a lot, and I’m grateful for that. I improved my English that way.” 

The big ballpark did not help his power numbers, but Campos has a plan to fix that. His sculpted 6-foot-3, 200-pound frame suggests he can do that. 

“Part of the plan has been consistent with last year: Stay back on the ball, so I can put the ball more in the air,” Campos said. “That’s my plan for this year as well.” 

Does that mean pulling more balls for the right-handed hitter? 

“All parts of the field,” he said. “That’s my goal. Not just left field. Oppo taco.” 

The Tigers have a long history of Cuban-born players, including current Tiger Andy Ibañez. Campos wants to be next. It’s a longer road than he might have wanted, but the long path of other recent Tigers prospects like Parker Meadows shows the value of patience. Campos doesn’t turn 21 until June. Once a top-10 prospect in the system, the Tigers’ No. 25 prospect is motivated to get moving. 

“I want to stay healthy the entire season,” Campos said. “I want to do the best that I can do, and help my team to win. I want to be in the postseason. I want to get a ring. I have to work hard to do this.”

The Tigers’ Spring Breakout roster will include three former Big 12 Conference rivals in Jace Jung, Peyton Graham and Ty Madden. Which of these schools did not produce any of the three? 

A. Baylor 
B. Oklahoma 
C. Texas 
D. Texas Tech

• Standing room tickets remain available for the Tigers’ home opener April 5 against the A’s, according to the team. Great seats are also available for the rest of opening weekend at Comerica Park on April 6 and 7. The first 15,000 fans through the gates on April 6 will get a Tigers hockey jersey.

• The Tigers arguably received a boost for Opening Day when the White Sox decided this week to trade ace Dylan Cease to the Padres. Cease, who was on track to start for Chicago against the Tigers to open the season, is 10-1 with a 2.07 ERA in 15 career starts against Detroit. 

• Ryan Kreidler won’t unseat Javier Baez at shortstop, but Kreidler continues to impress with his defense at the position. He could compile a highlight reel of plays from this spring alone.

A. The Tigers have selected five Baylor Bears in the MLB Draft, but none since Josh Turley in 2012. Jung played at Texas Tech, Madden at Texas and Graham at Oklahoma. 

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