Selected by the Tigers last year out of Pepperdine in the 2nd round of the annual June draft, Danny Worth (Dans 05')was assigned to high Single-A Lakeland where he started at shortstop. He made his Double-A debut with the Erie SeaWolves late in the season and helped the club win it's first Eastern League Southern Division championship since 2001.
"I was intimidated on the flight to Erie," Worth said. "I was nervous going to Double-A my 1st summer. No pressure, right? But when I got there, the guys were great and Matt Walbeck (former manager) was a great manager who made me fit in." Worth did not disappoint. He went 6-for-14 with four RBIs in Erie's last five regular-season games and played in all for of the first-round plyaoff games against Akron.
Baseball America rates Worth, who is 6 feet 1 inch and 80 pounds, No. 8 on its pre-season list of the Tiegers' top 30 prospects. Worth is known as a smooth, solid, though not flashy, infielder. He has an above-average arm and above-average range, but the strengths of his defense are outstanding footwork and a quick release. During the offseason, Worth played in the Hawaii Winter Baseball league where he hit .292.
Worth spent three weeks this spring with the Tigers in their major league camp. "There are expecations on everyone, not just the top guys," Worth said in an interview with reporter, Ron Leonardi. "Everyone still has to work hard and try to get to the next level and beat the one they're currently at."
