This story was excerpted from Jason Beck’s Tigers Beat newsletter. To read the full newsletter, click here. And subscribe to get it regularly in your inbox.

The smile is unmistakably Roberto Campos'. It’s the same smile the Cuban-born slugger has shown since the Tigers’ No. 13 prospect made his stateside debut two years ago with a home run in the Florida Complex League. It’s just hidden underneath layers of clothing, including a head covering.

“Three layers,” Campos says with a smile. “Plus the jersey.”

Welcome to April weather in west Michigan, evidenced last weekend. While the 19-year-old Campos is adjusting to High-A ball, he’s also adjusting to life away from the Tigers complex in Lakeland and a familiar support group. He’s also adjusting to the Midwestern climate.

“I think that the farthest north that he went [last year] was Daytona,” Whitecaps manager Brayan Pena said. “He’s the first one to tell you, ‘I don't need excuses,’ but this is the first time that he's playing in the cold weather. This is the first time that he's out of Lakeland. This is the first time that he had to drive. This is the first time that he had to go buy groceries by himself. This is the first time that he's living in an apartment by himself. This is the first time that he has to go to English classes and then has to be able to do early work and then do our regular daily schedule and then be ready for a 6:35 p.m. game. And then the next day he's going to be playing again, and the day after that, and the day after that.”

Fortunately, in these new surroundings, Campos has Pena, who has been there. Like Campos, Pena was born in Cuba before coming to the United States and had to learn the language on his way up the Minor Leagues. 

“It's a long process for him,” Pena said. “But at the same time, we're feeling very good about that. For him to be able to do this and continue to do the daily grind, weight rooms, nutrition, rest, early work, English classes, all that stuff, it really makes you a better player. You have to learn how to deal with all that. It's why we're very pleased, and we're very excited that we have a chance to work with him. 

“I can relate. I can understand, and I can explain to his teammates, to the press, to our coaches exactly what he's going through, and we will work to make him better.”

Campos is more than holding his own. On the field, he entered Tuesday batting 11-for-47 (.234) with three doubles, a home run, five RBIs, six walks, 13 strikeouts and a .677 OPS, while playing solidly in center field. His offseason work to shorten his swing, bringing his bat closer to upright in his stance rather than over his shoulder, has afforded him a quicker bat path and some opposite-field hits, including his aforementioned homer.

“I'm feeling very good,” he said through Pena’s translation. “I just want to hit the ball hard somewhere. My point of contact has to be in the front and good things will happen.”

Off the field, he’s getting used to life in Grand Rapids and the Midwest League. In addition to his English classes provided by the Tigers -- in person when the team is at home, online during road trips -- he picks up the language through television and music.

“Netflix is my teacher,” he joked, without translation. “Cartoons, movies, everything.”

So, was there something big Campos could do in English on his own that he might not have done before?

“Ordering food, by myself, at McDonald's,” he said.

“But,” Pena cautioned, “we don't eat McDonald's that much.”

Indeed, the Tigers have added a nutritionist at each Minor League level, providing meals and plans for each player.

“Just for practice,” smiled Campos, who said he has gained muscle while losing weight through the plans. “'Hey, can I get a McFlurry? Hey, can I get 10-piece McNuggets?’”

He hasn’t gone out much because of the recent cold weather. On the field, however, he wants to immerse himself in the cold.

“I want to be adaptable,” he said, with Pena translating. “I want to be able to experience the cold weather and get better at that, because ultimately, I want to play in Detroit. We don't worry about the summer. We'll wait for it. This is a very good experience because I want to be ready for Detroit.”