Torii Hunter agreed to a two-year, $26 million deal with the Detroit Tigers today, making the AL Central his baseball home again.
Hunter played his first nine major-league seasons with the Minnesota Twins and the past five with the Los Angeles Angels. His departure from L.A. means the Angels’ starting outfield will consist of three former Cedar Rapids Kernels players: Peter Bourjos (2007), Mike Trout (2009-10) and Mark Trumbo (2006-07).
Hunter also is a former Midwest League player. He hit .293 with 10 HR and 50 RBI in 91 games with the 1994 Fort Wayne Wizards.
On a side note, local fans of the South Bend Silver Hawks should get an opportunity to watch Hunter’s son, Torii Hunter, Jr., play college sports in their city during the 2013-14 academic year. According to Los Angeles Times Angels reporter Mike DiGiovanna, “Torii Jr., a high school football and baseball star in Texas, will enroll at Notre Dame next fall.”