Meet the prospects Detroit Tigers landed in Ian Kinsler trade

The Detroit Tigers shaved $11 million off their 2017 payroll by trading Ian Kinsler  to the L.A. Angels for two prospects on Wednesday.

Time will tell if the trade pays off for the Tigers, but early returns frame this as a salary dump without much upside expected from the players acquired in the trade — right-handed pitcher Wilkel Hernandez and outfielder Troy Montgomery. 

The trade did give the Tigers an extra spot on the 40-man roster entering Thursday's Rule 5 draft. Nonetheless, here’s a look at the prospects the Tigers received in the trade:

RHP Wilkel Hernandez

Age/vitals: 18 years old; 6-foot-3, 160 pounds.

Ranked: No. 24 prospect in Angels system by MLB.com

2017 stats: 4-1, 2.64 ERA, 12 games (7 starts), 44.1 IP, 44 Ks, 1.06 WHIP. 

Overview: International signing out of Venezuela for $125,000. Has low-90s fastball, but hasn’t pitched beyond rookie ball. Also throws change-up and curve.  Maybe he’ll pan out, but it’s going to be a number of years before Hernandez ever pitches for the Tigers – if he ever does.

Tigers general manager Al Avila's comment: "The pitcher is very young.  So there's still upside there. He throws in the mid-90s. He's  topped out at 96. The younger the guys are the farther away they are. But you like the upside. He's definitely a prospect, a legit prospect."

OF Troy Montgomery

Age/vitals: 23;  5-10, 185

Ranked: No. 20 prospect in Angels system by MLB.com

2017 stats: Hit .271, 13 doubles, eight triples, eight home runs and  62 runs scored in 100 games.  

Overview: Left-handed hitter. Considered a good defensive outfielder with plus speed. Drafted in eighth round out of Ohio  State in 2016. Moved up  three levels this season, hitting .282 in 65 games at High-A and .235 in 20 games at Double-A. It’ll be interesting to see if the Tigers keep him in center field. He can probably be an above-average defender at any outfield spot, but may end up a corner outfielder. He could move through the system quickly.  He reminds the Tigers of another prospect in their system, outfielder Jake Robson, who split time between Low-A West Michigan and High-A Lakeland.  

Avila's comment: "High-energy guy. He's got tools. The probability is he'll start in Double-A. Also what we have at Triple-A, that might determine that."  

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