▁also ▁draft ed ▁by ▁the ▁NFL ' s ▁Den ver ▁Bron cos ▁in ▁the ▁ 1 9 7 9 ▁NFL ▁D raft , ▁but ▁opt ed ▁for ▁a ▁career ▁in ▁baseball . ▁ ▁He ▁signed ▁with ▁the ▁Tig ers ▁in ▁June ▁ 1 9 7 9 ▁and ▁received ▁a ▁$ 1 5 0 , 0 0 0 ▁signing ▁bonus . ▁ ▁Le ach ▁spent ▁the ▁ 1 9 7 9 ▁season ▁playing ▁for ▁the ▁Tig ers ' ▁Class ▁A ▁farm ▁club ▁in ▁Lak eland , ▁Florida . ▁He ▁appeared ▁in ▁ 4 8 ▁games ▁and ▁compiled ▁a ▁. 3 0 4 ▁batt ing ▁average ▁and ▁. 4 0 2 ▁on - base ▁percentage ▁and ▁had ▁ 2 3 ▁R B Is ▁in ▁ 1 6 8 ▁at ▁b ats . ▁In ▁ 1 9 8 0 , ▁Le ach ▁was ▁promoted ▁to ▁the ▁Tig ers ' ▁Class ▁A AA ▁team ▁in ▁Evans ville , ▁Indiana , ▁where ▁he ▁compiled ▁a ▁. 2 7 2 ▁batt ing ▁average ▁and ▁. 3 8 6 ▁on - base ▁percentage ▁with ▁ 5 8 ▁R B Is ▁in ▁ 4 3 0 ▁at ▁b ats . ▁ ▁After ▁batt ing ▁. 3 8 6 ▁for ▁Evans ville ▁during ▁April ▁ 1 9 8 1 , ▁Le ach ▁was ▁promoted ▁to ▁the ▁Tig ers ' ▁ro ster , ▁making ▁his ▁major ▁league ▁debut ▁in ▁late ▁April ▁ 1 9 8 1 . ▁He ▁appeared ▁in ▁ 5 4 ▁games ▁for ▁the ▁ 1 9 8 1 ▁Tig ers