COMSTOCK PARK, Mich. -- Mike Rabelo stared away as his starting pitcher loaded the bases with one out in the sixth inning. And he wanted his pitcher to notice.
The pitcher was Matt Manning, the Tigers' No. 2 prospect according to MLBPipeline.com and their top pick from the 2016 Draft, one of the more gifted teenage arms in baseball. But at that point on Aug. 26, the only part of his identity that mattered was ownership of the jam on the basepaths at Fifth Third Ballpark in a 0-0 game. This was Rabelo's chance to give Manning a push.