When rosters were announced, Detroit was set to send one of the most loaded position-player groups to the Arizona Fall League. Since then, Riley Greene was left out due to concussion protocols, Spencer Torkelson departed with a right ankle sprain and Ryan Kreidler exited with a calf injury.

That leaves outfielder Eric De La Rosa, who found out he was replacing Greene on the Salt River roster the weekend before AFL play began, as the only Detroit hitter on the showcase circuit. That could mean a lot more attention for the 24-year-old in the midst of an up-and-down -- or in this case, down-and-up -- career. But that’s not what De La Rosa is after.

“I’m here to be me,” he said. “If I try to put what people are thinking about me into my head, then I’m not going to be myself. … I’m just out here trying to have fun every day. Have fun. Be Eric De La Rosa. Be the guy I’ve been all year, smiling, coming here to ready to learn and get better. Whatever happens, happens.”

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It has certainly been a whirlwind of a year to this point for the right-handed hitter. De La Rosa climbed three levels this summer from Low-A Lakeland to Double-A Erie, and he finished with a .273/.367/.440 line and eight homers in 104 games. His 34 steals in 43 attempts led all Detroit Minor Leaguers.

Compare that to 2019, when he hit just .148/.250/.185 in 46 games at Class A Short Season Connecticut -- a disappointing campaign for anyone but especially for a seventh-round pick who was a junior-college standout in 2018. De La Rosa admitted he made adjustments too quickly during that time in the New York-Penn League, trying to be like Christian Yelich one night and Vladimir Guerrero Jr. the next if he went 0-for. He spent the lost 2020 season and 2020-21 offseason honing in on a more consistent approach -- one that makes the most of his speed and tries to put balls in gaps rather than over fences.

“I kind of lost myself in 2019 because I never failed,” said the 6-foot-3, 186-pound outfielder. “Me learning the player I am, me getting that confidence, it took that whole 2019-2020 offseason, 2020 not playing, and I came to Spring Training in 2021 ready. … While a lot of people were just sitting on their couch not working, I was getting ready the whole time, and I showed it in Spring Training. I started off in Low-A and I proved that I didn't belong there.”

De La Rosa was a slightly above-average hitter with a wRC+ above 100 at all three of his stops in 2021, but he’ll face his toughest test yet in the Fall League. Entering Wednesday, he has held his own by going 5-for-20 (.250) with a pair of homers in his first six games. (One on Oct. 22 traveled 421 feet and came off the bat at 105.7 mph.) True to form, he’s been successful on both of his steal attempts as well.

The Tigers were impressed enough with De La Rosa’s 2021 to pull him out of instructs in Lakeland, Fla., and send him three time zones over to Arizona. At a time when Detroit’s next contender could be right around the corner, the speedster has a chance to carve out a spot for himself, whether he wants the spotlight or not.

“Every arm that comes out of the 'pen is a dude,” De La Rosa said. “So for me to be here to show that I am a dude too and I can compete with these guys, that’s just given me more confidence. It’s going to get me ready for the big leagues, where I want to be.”

Tigers pitchers in the AFL

Chavez Fernander, RHP: The Bahamas native was an effective reliever at High-A and Double-A during the regular season with a 3.68 ERA, a 1.24 WHIP and 56 strikeouts in 58 2/3 innings. His fastball has sat in the 93- to 95-mph range to this point in the Fall League, and his slider has been his go-to secondary, though he does mix in the occasional changeup.

Wilmer Flores, RHP: Let’s get this out of the way. Flores is the brother of the Giants infielder of the same name. The Tigers like the ceiling of the younger Flores as a reliever with a lightning arm. He’s touched as high as 97.9 mph on the gun with his fastball early on in the AFL and showcases a pair of breaking pitches in a cutter/slider and a curve. Signed out of an Arizona junior college last July, the 20-year-old right-hander sported a 3.68 ERA and a 1.30 WHIP in 66 innings at the complex and Low-A levels. He fanned 90 in that span and led Tigers Minor Leaguers with a 32.0 percent K rate (minimum 60 innings).

Zack Hess, RHP: There was some hope that the 2019 seventh-rounder could be a quick mover after seeing time at last year’s alternate site and Major League camp in the spring. Instead, he spent 2021 primarily at High-A West Michigan, where he had a 3.62 ERA while striking out 66 and walking 34 in 49 2/3 innings. Hess has thrown 93-95 with his fastball and in the mid-80s with his slider while showing plus potential with both offerings. Controlling that package could be the difference-maker in his ability to be a good reliever at the top level.

Garrett Hill, RHP: The 2018 26th-rounder had one of the best statistical seasons by a Detroit Minor League pitcher this summer, thanks to a 2.74 ERA, a 1.19 WHIP and 99 K’s in 75 2/3 innings at High-A and Double-A. He has shown good velocity earlier in his AFL starts, topping out at 95.4 mph, but he can lose gas as he goes along with some heaters sitting at 90 mph. A low-80s changeup is his primary offspeed offering and he has mixed in some mid-70s curveballs as well.