Detroit Tigers' Gio Urshela is 'working with hitting coaches' while preparing for season

LAKELAND, Fla. — Spring training stats are meaningless, but not with context.

Detroit Tigers third baseman Gio Urshela, who signed a one-year, $1.5 million contract, doesn't have an extra-base hit or a walk through 28 plate appearances in spring training. The context to those numbers: The 32-year-old is coming off a serious injury, he signed late in the offseason, he is an eight-year veteran with experience ramping up, and he hadn't faced any pitchers before showing up to camp.

Urshela doesn't look comfortable in the batter's box, not yet at least.

"I'm feeling good and feeling healthy," Urshela said, with 15 days until Opening Day. "That's the main thing for me right now, to stay healthy. I'm trying to get that rhythm and timing back at the plate."

Manager A.J. Hinch isn't concerned about Urshela, a right-handed hitter who performs well against left-handed pitchers and primarily plays third base but has experience at other infield positions.

MORE ABOUT HIM: Can newcomer Gio Urshela become everyday third baseman for Tigers in 2024 season?

A broken pelvis, which didn't require surgery, limited Urshela to 62 games last season with the Los Angeles Angels, hitting .299 with 11 extra-base hits — including eight doubles and two home runs — across 228 plate appearances, with 10 walks and 36 strikeouts.

He played his final game in mid-June.

"This is the point where we're getting into more regular at-bats, more regular playing time," Hinch said, "and we're going to want to see improvement out of him and others. It's not really just performance. It's more being under control of your body, making the plays you're supposed to make. ... I trust that the veteran guys are going to be ready and get their timing right. We have a couple of weeks left to iron it all out."

Urshela has seven hits — all singles — in his 10 spring training games, without any hits above a 99.9 mph exit velocity until Tuesday's single, pounded with a 102.3 mph exit velocity, that deflected off Minnesota Twins right-hander Joe Ryan.

His average exit velocity on his seven hits: 94.3 mph.

In the past three seasons, Urshela had a 89.6 mph exit velocity on 64 hits in 2023, a 91.8 mph exit velocity on 143 hits in 2022 and a 93.5 mph exit velocity on 112 hits in 2021.

While Urshela's exit velocity on hits has ticked up closer to his pre-injury norms, he hasn't been driving the ball in spring training. Creating damage, like he did when he hit 45 doubles and 27 homers across 260 games from 2021-22, is the big challenge.

[ MUST LISTEN: Make "Days of Roar" your go-to Detroit Tigers podcast, available anywhere you listen to podcasts (Apple, Spotify) ]

"I've been working with the hitting coaches," Urshela said. "We've been talking about all of that. I'm trying to be who I used to be. ... I'm working to use more of the lower part of my body. That's the thing that I've been doing."

DO NOT SLEEP: Don't forget about Andy Ibáñez. He is 'ready to play' wherever Tigers need him

On defense, the Tigers are bouncing him between a couple of positions. He has 32 innings at third base and 12 innings at second base in spring games. He has been a third baseman for his entire career, but that might not be the case anymore.

Teammates Andy Ibáñez, Zach McKinstry and Matt Vierling are firmly in the mix for playing time at third base.

"He's an infielder," Hinch said of Urshela. "We like to move our guys around accordingly, depending on the makeup of our team, so he'll fit right in wherever we play him."

Urshela, who previously received Gold Glove votes for his work at third base, has played 4,620⅓ innings at third base throughout his big-league career, followed by 359 innings at shortstop, 157⅔ innings at first base, 28⅔ innings at second base and one inning in left field. He was worth plus-6 defensive runs saved last season at the hot corner, his primary position.

He doesn't mind the versatility.

"Whatever it takes to win games," Urshela said. "I feel comfortable playing all of those positions."

Ultimately, though, Urshela needs to find comfort with the bat in his hands over the next two weeks. Soon, the Tigers will take the field for Opening Day on March 28 against the Chicago White Sox.

Hitting is the pathway to everyday playing time.

"The more I take at-bats, the better I feel," said Urshela, who signed Feb. 22 with the Tigers during full-squad workouts. "That's why I've been taking a lot of at-bats in the game. I think that's going to help me get ready for the season."

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

Listen to our weekly Tigers show "Days of Roar" every Monday afternoon on demand at freep.com, Apple Podcasts, Spotify or wherever you listen to podcasts. And catch all of our podcasts and daily voice briefing at freep.com/podcasts.

This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: Detroit Tigers' Gio Urshela still looking for swing after late start