Detroit Tigers' Eddys Leonard headlines 10 players in second round of spring training cuts

LAKELAND, Fla. — The Detroit Tigers told 10 players to pack their bags and leave the major-league clubhouse Tuesday morning in the second round of cuts in spring training, following six cuts last week.

One of those 10 players: Eddys Leonard.

Leonard, a 23-year-old shortstop acquired from the Los Angeles Dodgers for cash considerations at the beginning of August, hit .348 with one home run, three doubles, one walk and two strikeouts across 24 plate appearances in 12 games.

"He can contribute," said manager A.J. Hinch. "He's very comfortable in the batter's box and hits the ball as hard as anybody we have. He showed flashes of controlling the strike zone, which is his big development topic, and we can move him around the field. ... We consider him an option, immediately."

MORE ABOUT HIM: Tigers' Eddys Leonard does not care where he plays. Just put him in the lineup

Leonard hammers the ball with top-tier exit velocities, which helped him crush 19 home runs across 132 games last season in the minor leagues, but improving his strike-zone control by swinging at good pitches remains a work in progress.

The Tigers traded for Leonard, who had been designated for assignment by the Dodgers, at the August 2023 trade deadline. He played in 40 games for Triple-A Toledo after the trade, hitting .302 with eight homers, 17 walks and 37 strikeouts.

Leonard, a right-handed hitter, averaged a 90 mph exit velocity and a 36% chase rate with the Mud Hens. His exit velocity would have ranked in the top 50 among qualified MLB hitters last season, while his chase rate would have ranked in the bottom 15.

He swings at too many pitches outside of the strike zone.

"Swing at strikes," Hinch said. "Pitching recognition and finding the areas in the strike zone that you can hit the ball hard. He can touch the ball anywhere. He's gifted with his bat-to-ball skills, but you got to make the pitcher have to throw a strike."

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As for defense, Leonard isn't considered an elite shortstop.

He seems serviceable there, but the Tigers are going to play him at all three outfield positions in Triple-A Toledo. Leonard, who made 16 errors in 941⅔ innings at shortstop last season, also has plenty of experience at second and third.

"He's going to play outfield," Hinch said.

Other roster moves

The Tigers optioned six players to Triple-A Toledo: Leonard, right-hander Mason Englert, right-hander Wilmer Flores, catcher Dillon Dingler and infielder/outfielder Wenceel Pérez. The Tigers also reassigned four players to minor-league camp: right-hander Devin Sweet, left-hander Sean Guenther, catcher Donny Sands and outfielder TJ Hopkins.

There are 44 players remaining in MLB spring training, with 16 days until Opening Day.

"A lot of guys (made a good impression), and it can happen fast," Hinch said. "It's always emotional for them, and there's a lot of disappointment and even some frustration, but they channel it well. They'll go to work and try to be the first call-up whenever we need it."

DING: Tigers catcher Dillon Dingler's glove is MLB-ready. His bat, however, needs work

Many of the aforementioned players will continue to participate in big-league spring training games over the next couple of weeks.

For example, Dingler — the Tigers' third catcher on the 40-man roster — is scheduled to start in Friday's split-squad game against the Toronto Blue Jays in Dunedin; Leonard will start Saturday's game against the Pittsburgh Pirates in Brandon.

"There's a lot of plans for these guys to stay in the mix here," Hinch said, "but we need to thin the room out and have it start to feel more real because the season is close."

Medical update

Only one player is listed on the latest medical update: Right-hander Sawyer Gipson-Long (left groin strain) completed a 25-pitch bullpen session Tuesday.

It was his second bullpen session.

Gipson-Long has been injured since the first week of spring training.

MORE ABOUT HIM: Sawyer Gipson-Long's injury a lesson for all Tigers, and an exercise in patience

Contact Evan Petzold at epetzold@freepress.com or follow him @EvanPetzold.

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This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: Detroit Tigers' Eddys Leonard among second round of spring roster cuts