Casey Crosby to Make MLB Debut for Tigers Against New York Yankees

The Detroit Tigers have announced that 23-year-old left-handed pitcher Casey Crosby will make his MLB debut on June 1 against the New York Yankees. 

Due to a lingering left side strain, the Tigers had to place pitcher Doug Fister on the 15-day DL, which has opened the door for Crosby. 

Now Tigers fans get to see one of the highest-rated prospects in the organization. With the Yankees coming to Comerica Park, all eyes will be on Crosby in his first appearance in the big leagues.

At 6'5", 225 lbs, he won't be hard to miss. Crosby is a young power pitcher with a growing menu of pitches. At this point, he can touch the mid-90s with his fastball, is developing a nice 12-to-6 curveball and has a jaw-dropping changeup. Realistically, the Tigers would like to see five strong innings against the Yankees in his debut. 

After having Tommy John surgery in late 2007, Crosby was named the Tigers' minor league pitcher of the year in 2009. This season in Triple-A Toledo he's 4-2 with a modest 4.26 ERA. Crosby is said to be a ground-ball pitcher that has plenty of room to grow, but the Tigers have decided that his time is now. 

With Crosby being the No. 5 prospect in the organization, Tigers GM Dave Dombrowski may be hoping to get a couple of quality starts out of the lefty so he can use him as trade bait. It's clear that the Tigers need some reliable pitching if they're to make anything of themselves in 2012. While Crosby has promise, there's no way he'll be the difference between pretender and contender this season. 

With the Chicago White Sox suddenly catching fire, the Tigers need not fall any further behind in the AL Central. With June on the horizon, the trade deadline is just two months away and the Tigers will be forced to make more than just a few moves.

Every game that goes by without meeting expectations means that the Tigers become bigger buyers at the deadline. 

When Crosby takes the hill for the first time on June 1, it's an unfortunate must-win situation for the Tigers. His mental toughness will be tested when he faces the Yankees, as he'll have to shake his nerves early in order to establish himself.

There's nothing like getting the chance to show the world what you're all about against some larger-than-life competition. Crosby looks to do just that. 

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