Tigers top prospect Kevin McGonigle getting tested by big-league pitching

Dunedin, Fla. — Tigers top prospect Kevin McGonigle drew two walks Saturday and made a couple of superb defensive plays at third base against the Toronto Blue Jays. But he’s also getting a live lesson in how Major League pitchers will exploit a perceived weakness.

He’s seen very few fastballs over the last week or so, and almost none for strikes. Instead, pitchers are feeding him a steady diet of spin and off-speed. Jays starter and former Tiger Max Scherzer punched him out on three pitches in the first inning, the last two were nasty curveballs.

“It’s getting close to the in-season style where there’s not a lot of free pitches,” Tigers manager AJ Hinch said. “Starters are going five and six innings. Scouting reports are starting to be paved. Young hitters are going to see a complete change.

“When you homer on the big stage in the Dominican against Luis Severino, I’m sure pitchers in the Grapefruit League are watching.”

McGonigle has one hit in his last 13 at-bats. But give him some grace for the Scherzer at-bat.

“Kevin was 4 when Max broke in,” Hinch said. “That puts it in perspective. His whole life of watching baseball, Scherzer has been at the highest level and dominating and paving his way to Cooperstown.”

Matt Vierling, who is 29, has a lot more skin in the game than McGonigle right now and he punched out twice and took some awful swings against Scherzer, too.

But Vierling recovered, swatting a pair of doubles and knocking in two runs.

Chris.McCosky@detroitnews.com

@cmccosky