Evaluating every Detroit Tigers player entering offseason that leads into 2024 season
The Detroit Tigers have 45 players on the 40-man roster.
Five days after the World Series, the Tigers need to reinstate players from the 60-day injured list and remove at least five players from the 40-man roster. Matthew Boyd and José Cisnero will become free agents, Eduardo Rodriguez will likely join them in free agency, and Miguel Cabrera will officially retire.
Those impending subtractions leave 41 players remaining.
In mid-November, though, the Tigers will need to put players on the 40-man roster to protect them from the Rule 5 draft. Candidates for protection include Dillon Dingler, Keider Montero, Wilmer Flores, Jake Higginbotham and Roberto Campos.
The Tigers plan to be active in the free-agent and trade markets, as well, but aren't expected to spend big. In late March, the Tigers can be expected to add prospects Justyn-Henry Malloy and Colt Keith to the 40-man roster ahead of their MLB debuts on Opening Day.
Simply put, the 40-man roster will change significantly throughout the next five months.
Here's an assessment of how every member of the Tigers' 40-man roster performed during the 2023 season, along with an explanation of what could be next for each player (all arbitration projections via MLB Trade Rumors):
TIGERS STOCK WATCH: Players who shined, struggled down the stretch in 2023 season
Starting pitchers (9)
LHP Matthew Boyd
Age: 32.
2023 stats: 15 games (15 starts), 5.45 ERA, 1.324 WHIP, 3.2 BB/9, 9.3 K/9, 0.9 fWAR.
2024 contract status: Free agent.
The buzz: The Tigers thought Boyd — who signed a one-year, $10 million contract — would have value at the trade deadline, but he underwent Tommy John surgery in late June and could miss the entire 2024 season.
RHP Sawyer Gipson-Long
Age: 25.
2023 stats: Four games (four starts), 2.50 ERA, 1.100 WHIP, 3.6 BB/9, 11.7 K/9, 0.5 fWAR.
2024 contract status: Not yet eligible for arbitration.
The buzz: Gipson-Long, acquired at the 2022 trade deadline from Minnesota for Michael Fulmer, averaged 13.7 strikeouts per nine innings across 99⅔ innings with Double-A Erie (65 innings), Triple-A Toledo (34⅔ innings) and the Tigers (20 innings). He has elite extension, a filthy changeup and will compete for a spot in the starting rotation in spring training.
RHP Matt Manning
Age: 25.
2023 stats: 15 games (15 starts), 3.58 ERA, 1.038 WHIP, 2.4 BB/9, 5.8 K/9, 0.6 fWAR.
2024 contract status: Not yet eligible for arbitration.
The buzz: The Tigers have several pitching prospects on the rise, including Jackson Jobe, Ty Madden and Montero. Could Manning be traded this offseason? The 2016 No. 9 overall pick can't stay healthy and doesn't strike out a lot of batters, but he still has potential. He fractured his right foot twice in the 2023 season.
RHP Casey Mize
Age: 26.
2023 stats: Did not pitch.
2024 contract status: Arbitration-eligible, projected for $1.2 million.
The buzz: The 2018 No. 1 overall pick is a dark-horse candidate to lead the Tigers' starting rotation into the future. He will return from two surgeries — on his elbow and back — and pitch with the Tigers for the first time since April 2022. He tweaked his mechanics during the rehab process, but his four-pitch arsenal still contains his once-revered splitter.
RHP Reese Olson
Age: 24.
2023 stats: 21 games (18 starts), 3.99 ERA, 1.119 WHIP, 2.9 BB/9, 8.9 K/9, 1.5 fWAR.
2024 contract status: Not yet eligible for arbitration.
The buzz: His changeup and slider are elite, and his curveball is above average. If he commands his two fastballs, he can mix his secondary pitches in different ways to dominate any lineup in the big leagues. Olson can expect to be a member of the Opening Day starting rotation.
LHP Eduardo Rodriguez
Age: 30.
2023 stats: 26 games (26 starts), 3.30 ERA, 1.153 WHIP, 2.8 BB/9, 8.4 K/9, 3.0 fWAR.
2024 contract status: $18 million (with opt-out clause).
The buzz: Rodriguez, who vetoed a trade to the Los Angeles Dodgers, is expected to nix the three remaining seasons and $ 49 million on his contract within five days after the World Series. If he does that, the Tigers and Rodriguez will enter an exclusive five-day negotiating period, but the Tigers don't seem motivated to re-sign him if he opts out. The former World Series champion, who turns 31 early next season, had a 4.24 ERA in his final 15 starts.
LHP Tarik Skubal
Age: 26.
2023 stats: 15 games (15 starts), 2.80 ERA, 0.896 WHIP, 1.6 BB/9, 11.4 K/9, 3.3 fWAR.
2024 contract status: Arbitration eligible, projected for $2.6 million.
The buzz: Skubal could be an under-the-radar trade candidate this offseason. There are some concerns about his medical history, but if he stays healthy, he will be an ace — and a Cy Young candidate — in the 2024 season and beyond. The hard-throwing southpaw won American League Pitcher of the Month in September for his five-start performance, logging a 0.90 ERA with four walks and 43 strikeouts in 30 innings. His changeup, in particular, stood out as his best pitch.
Spencer Turnbull, RHP
Age: 31.
2023 stats: Seven games (seven starts), 7.26 ERA, 1.677 WHIP, 4.4 BB/9, 7.0 K/9, 0.0 fWAR.
2024 contract status: Arbitration eligible, projected for $2.4 million.
The buzz: The relationship between the Tigers and Turnbull was strained in 2023, but the Tigers are counting on Turnbull to show up to spring training ready to compete for a job in the starting rotation. If he fails to grab a spot in the rotation, he can be optioned to Triple-A Toledo or moved to the bullpen.
LHP Joey Wentz
Age: 26.
2023 stats: 25 games (19 starts), 6.90 ERA, 1.685 WHIP, 4.0 BB/9, 8.3 K/9, -0.6 fWAR.
2024 contract status: Not yet eligible for arbitration.
The buzz: Wentz was a big disappointment in 2023. He left too many pitches — especially four-seam fastballs — over the middle of the strike zone and paid for it. He doesn't have any minor-league options remaining, so if he doesn't make the Opening Day roster coming out of spring training, he will be designated for assignment and placed on waivers.
Relief pitchers (15)
LHP Tyler Alexander
Age: 29.
2023 stats: 25 games (one start), 4.50 ERA, 1.114 WHIP, 1.0 BB/9, 9.0 K/9, 0.1 fWAR.
2024 contract status: Arbitration eligible, projected for $2 million.
The buzz: Alexander suffered a left lat/shoulder sprain in early July, but the multi-inning reliever initiated his throwing program as part of his rehabilitation in mid-September. He should have a normal offseason and show up healthy to spring training. To keep him, the Tigers will need to give him a raise in his second round of arbitration.
RHP Beau Brieske
Age: 25.
2023 stats: 25 games (one start), 3.60 ERA, 1.371 WHIP, 3.1 BB/9, 8.0 K/9, 0.2 fWAR.
2024 contract status: Not yet eligible for arbitration.
The buzz: Brieske (and his filthy changeup) missed more than a calendar year in the big leagues due to right ulnar nerve entrapment, but he returned to the Tigers in mid-July and joined the bullpen in a mid-leverage role. He showcased a significant boost in fastball velocity (96.7 mph), chase rate (31.8%) and whiff rate (21.9%). His slider isn't starting pitcher-quality, so the Tigers should keep him in the bullpen to begin the 2024 season.
RHP José Cisnero
Age: 34.
2023 stats: 63 games, 5.31 ERA, 1.483 WHIP, 3.8 BB/9, 10.6 K/9, 0.0 fWAR.
2024 contract status: Free agent.
The buzz: The Tigers didn't move Cisnero at the trade deadline in early August, but only because other teams weren't interested. The righty, a Tiger from 2019-23, also wasn't claimed off waivers in late August, so he remained with the Tigers for the rest of the season as an innings-eater out of the bullpen.
RHP Miguel Díaz
Age: 28.
2023 stats: 12 games (three starts), 0.64 ERA, 0.929 WHIP, 3.2 BB/9, 10.3 K/9, 0.4 fWAR.
2024 contract status: Not yet eligible for arbitration.
The buzz: Díaz, a two-time September call-up, has spent most of the past two seasons in Triple-A Toledo. This season, he increased the usage of his slider to complement his above-average changeup. He has pitched well in his limited opportunities, but he could be faced with a familiar path to big-league time in 2024: designated for assignment, signed to a minor-league contract and invited to spring training to compete for a job.
RHP Mason Englert
Age: 23.
2023 stats: 31 games (one start), 5.46 ERA, 1.500 WHIP, 2.7 BB/9, 6.6 K/9, -0.7 fWAR.
2024 contract status: Not yet eligible for arbitration.
The buzz: The Tigers selected Englert from the Texas Rangers in the 2022 Rule 5 draft, so he had to stay on the active roster (or the injured list) for the entire 2023 season. He pitched for the Tigers until July 22 but spent the rest of the season on the injured list due to left hip tightness. That was a blessing in disguise because he needs more time to develop in the minor leagues, which will be the plan going into 2024.
RHP Alex Faedo
Age: 27.
2023 stats: 15 games (12 starts), 4.45 ERA, 1.052 WHIP, 2.8 BB/9, 8.1 K/9, 0.5 fWAR.
2024 contract status: Not yet eligible for arbitration.
The buzz: The 2017 first-rounder, who landed on the injured list twice for fingernail issues, joined the starting rotation in early May but transitioned to the bullpen in early September. His three-pitch mix is better suited for a multi-inning reliever role, so he will come to spring training in search of winning a job in the Opening Day bullpen.
RHP Jason Foley
Age: 27.
2023 stats: 70 games, 2.61 ERA, 1.159 WHIP, 2.0 BB/9, 7.2 K/9, 1.5 fWAR.
2024 contract status: Not yet eligible for arbitration.
The buzz: Foley led the Tigers' bullpen in appearances and innings. He worked out of jams, saved seven games in nine opportunities and established himself as a dominant high-leverage reliever. The use of his 97 mph sinker — one of the best pitches in baseball — increased from 60.8% in 2022 to 69.3% in 2023 and led to a flurry of ground-ball outs, but he needs to improve his slider and changeup if he wants to develop into a closer.
RHP Brenan Hanifee
Age: 25.
2023 stats: Three games, 5.40 ERA, 1.600 WHIP, 0.0 BB/9, 5.4 K/9, 0.0 fWAR.
2024 contract status: Not yet eligible for arbitration.
The buzz: The Tigers signed Hanifee to a minor-league contract in December 2022 as pitching depth. He had a 4.38 ERA over 90⅓ innings with Triple-A Toledo, then pitched three games for the Tigers in late September. He probably won't remain on the 40-man roster through the offseason, but he could show up to spring training with another minor-league deal.
RHP Garrett Hill
Age: 27.
2023 stats: Nine games, 9.19 ERA, 2.106 WHIP, 8.0 BB/9, 8.0 K/9, -0.5 fWAR.
2024 contract status: Not yet eligible for arbitration.
The buzz: Hill couldn't throw strikes, so the Tigers stopped giving him opportunities. He also had a 6.99 ERA with 32 walks and 64 strikeouts over 46⅓ innings in Triple-A Toledo. The strikeouts haven't translated to the big leagues, and the walks are an issue at both levels. It won't be long before the Tigers remove him from the 40-man roster.
LHP Tyler Holton
Age: 27.
2023 stats: 59 games (one start), 2.11 ERA, 0.867 WHIP, 1.9 BB/9, 7.8 K/9, 1.0 fWAR.
2024 contract status: Not yet eligible for arbitration.
The buzz: Holton represents the biggest victory to date in the Harris regime. The Tigers claimed him off waivers from the Arizona Diamondbacks in spring training. He was optioned to Triple-A Toledo at the end of spring training, but following a mid-April promotion to the Tigers, he proved himself as one of the most reliable multi-inning relievers in baseball.
LHP Alex Lange
Age: 28.
2023 stats: 67 games, 3.68 ERA, 1.333 WHIP, 6.1 BB/9, 10.8 K/9, -0.1 fWAR.
2024 contract status: Not yet eligible for arbitration.
The buzz: Eighty-three relievers logged at least 60 innings in 2023; among them, Lange ranked last in walks per nine innings (6.1) and walk rate (15.6%). His four-pitch mix, especially his curveball, generates an abundance of whiffs, but his lack of command was the reason he blew six saves in 32 chances. He needs to throw quality strikes — thus avoiding all those walks — to keep his job as the closer.
RHP Freddy Pacheco
Age: 25.
2023 stats: Did not pitch.
2024 contract status: Awaiting MLB debut.
The buzz: All signs point to a potential steal by the Tigers. Pacheco, whom the Tigers claimed off waivers from the St. Louis Cardinals in spring training, dominated during his time in the Cards' organization with his two-pitch mix: a 96.5 mph four-seam fastball and a 84.4 mph slider. He underwent Tommy John surgery in June, so the Tigers will wait and see if he returns to form.
LHP Andrew Vasquez
Age: 30.
2023 stats: 42 games, 3.35 ERA, 1.428 WHIP, 4.3 BB/9, 8.0 K/9, 0.2 fWAR.
2024 contract status: Not yet eligible for arbitration.
The buzz: Vasquez, nicknamed "Dragon" because of the way he grunts when he pitches, struggled in his 12 games for the Tigers after a solid 30-game stint for the Philadelphia Phillies. The slider-heavy southpaw had nine walks and nine strikeouts over 8⅔ innings with the Tigers. He appears to be a potential offseason cut.
RHP Brendan White
Age: 24.
2023 stats: 33 games (two starts), 5.09 ERA, 1.352 WHIP, 3.3 BB/9, 9.7 K/9, 0.2 fWAR.
2024 contract status: Not yet eligible for arbitration.
The buzz: The Tigers remain excited about White's potential. His measurables (3.85 FIP) were better than the back of his baseball card (5.09 ERA) would indicate. His four-seam fastball was elite, but his secondary pitches lacked consistency. Simplification could be the solution to his struggles on the mound. He has an uphill climb to make the 2024 Opening Day roster.
RHP Trey Wingenter
Age: 29.
2023 stats: 17 games, 5.82 ERA, 1.353 WHIP, 3.7 BB/9, 11.6 K/9, 0.1 fWAR.
2024 contract status: Arbitration eligible, projected for $1.1 million.
The buzz: Wingenter might be on the bubble when the non-tender deadline — part of the salary arbitration process — comes around in mid-November. His strikeout rate over 17 innings led the Tigers' pitching staff, but health and command are concerns. The only way he will be tendered a contract is if the Tigers think he can stay healthy and improve his command.
Catchers (3)
C Carson Kelly
Age: 29.
2023 stats: 50 games, .206 AVG, 2 HR, .565 OPS, 9.3 BB%, 26.5 K%, 56 wRC+, 0.1 fWAR.
2024 contract status: Team option, $3.5 million.
The buzz: After the Diamondbacks released Kelly in August, the Tigers signed him for the remainder of the 2023 season with a team option for 2024. He hit .173 with one home run, seven walks and 17 strikeouts in 18 games with the Tigers. There isn't an obvious upgrade, so the Tigers seem likely to pick up Kelly's option and keep him around as the backup catcher.
C Jake Rogers
Age: 28.
2023 stats: 107 games, .221 AVG, 21 HR, .730 OPS, 7.7 BB%, 32.3 K%, 97 wRC+, 2.2 fWAR.
2024 contract status: Arbitration eligible, projected for $2 million.
The buzz: For years, the Tigers have been searching for (or trying to develop) an established catcher. Rogers, from the 2017 Justin Verlander trade, looks like the long-term answer. Not only did he top 20 home runs, his defense was excellent, as he ranked in the 90th percentile for blocks above average, 80th percentile for pitch framing and 59th percentile for pop time.
C Donny Sands
Age: 27.
2023 stats: Did not play in MLB.
2024 contract status: Not yet eligible for arbitration.
The buzz: Sands came to the the Tigers as part of January's Gregory Soto trade with the Phillies. He hit .225 with five home runs, 45 walks and 74 strikeouts in 89 games for Triple-A Toledo. Look for the Tigers to replace Sands with Dingler as the third catcher on the 40-man roster ahead of the mid-November deadline to protect players from the Rule 5 draft.
Designated hitters (1)
DH Miguel Cabrera
Age: 40.
2023 stats: 98 games, .257 AVG, 4 HR, .675 OPS, 8.4 BB%, 20.0 K%, 88 wRC+, -0.8 fWAR.
2024 contract status: Retired.
The buzz: Cabrera was a below-average designated hitter for a half-dozen years, but he finished the final season in his Hall of Fame-caliber career on a high note. From May 30 on, Cabrera hit .290 with 21 extra-base hits across the last 71 games of his 21st season. He will stick around with the Tigers as a special assistant to the president of baseball operations.
Infielders (10)
SS Javier Báez
Age: 30.
2023 stats: 136 games, .222 AVG, 9 HR, .593 OPS, 4.4 BB%, 22.9 K%, 61 wRC+, 0.8 fWAR.
2024 contract status: $25 million (with out-out clause).
The buzz: Báez didn't publicly commit to opting in, but let's clear this up: The former two-time All-Star plans to return to the Tigers in the 2024 season and collect $98 million over the final four years of his six-year contract. In his first two years, Báez hit .230 with 26 home runs and a .634 OPS across 280 games. The Tigers need to get more, on offense and defense, out of their highest-paid player.
2B Andy Ibáñez
Age: 30.
2023 stats: 114 games, .264 AVG, 11 HR, .744 OPS, 6.3 BB%, 18.0 K%, 103 wRC+, 1.6 fWAR.
2024 contract status: Not yet eligible for arbitration.
The buzz: Don't sleep on Ibáñez. The Tigers claimed him off waivers from the Texas Rangers in November 2022, and he impressed in his first season with a new organization, including a .290 batting average and .792 OPS in his final 74 games. He should make the 2024 Opening Day roster and serve as the everyday second baseman for at least the first half of the season.
UTIL Ryan Kreidler
Age: 25.
2023 stats: 11 games, .111 AVG, 0 HR, .222 OPS, 0.0 BB%, 38.9 K%, -51 wRC+, -0.1 fWAR.
2024 contract status: Not yet eligible for arbitration.
The buzz: Injuries continue to haunt Kreidler. He hasn't played a full season since the 2021 campaign. In 2023, the former fourth-round draft pick made the Opening Day roster but was optioned to Triple-A Toledo in mid-April. He hit .239 with 11 home runs over 49 games for the Mud Hens in another injury-riddled season.
UTIL Eddys Leonard
Age: 22.
2023 stats: Did not play in MLB.
2024 contract status: Awaiting MLB debut.
The buzz: The Tigers failed to trade Rodriguez to the Dodgers, but after that happened, the Tigers acquired Leonard from the Dodgers for cash considerations. He hit .302 with eight home runs, 17 walks and 37 strikeouts across 40 games in Triple-A Toledo. Solid results, but remember, the Dodgers didn't want him for a reason.
3B Andre Lipcius
Age: 25.
2023 stats: 13 games, .286 AVG, 1 HR, .742 OPS, 7.9 BB%, 21.1 K%, 107 wRC+, -0.2 fWAR.
2024 contract status: Not yet eligible for arbitration.
The buzz: Lipcius joined the 40-man roster in November 2022 and made his MLB debut in September 2023. He racked up 10 hits in 35 at-bats but didn't make a significant impact on offense or defense, which means he should wind up in Triple-A Toledo to start 2024 as infield depth.
UTIL Nick Maton
Age: 26.
2023 stats: 93 games, .173 AVG, 8 HR, .593 OPS, 13.0 BB%, 24.9 K%, 67 wRC+, -1.1 fWAR.
2024 contract status: Not yet eligible for arbitration.
The buzz: Here's a not-so-bold prediction: Maton — whom the Tigers acquired from the Phillies in January 2023 — will never be able to hit non-fastballs in the major leagues. He squandered an opportunity to be the Tigers' everyday third baseman and doesn't have any minor-league options remaining, so his time as a member of the 40-man roster could be running out.
3B/1B Tyler Nevin
Age: 26.
2023 stats: 41 games, .200 AVG, 2 HR, .622 OPS, 10.8 BB%, 22.5 K%, 76 wRC+, -0.4 fWAR.
2024 contract status: Not yet eligible for arbitration.
The buzz: The Tigers acquired Nevin from the Baltimore Orioles for cash considerations in January 2023. He received five different opportunities with the Tigers but didn't show much promise on offense or defense. Nevin doesn't have any minor-league options remaining.
UTIL Wenceel Pérez
Age: 23.
2023 stats: Did not play in MLB.
2024 contract status: Awaiting MLB debut.
The buzz: A back injury sidelined Pérez during spring training. He made his first minor-league appearance with Low-A Lakeland on April 7, joined Double-A Erie on April 14 and received a promotion to Triple-A Toledo on July 25. Pérez, who joined the 40-man roster in November 2022, hit .274 with nine home runs, 63 walks and 86 strikeouts in 116 games for three affiliates, adding 26 stolen bases in 33 attempts. The switch-hitter knows how to play second base and all three outfield positions. He is a frontrunner to earn a utility role on the Opening Day roster.
UTIL Zack Short
Age: 28.
2023 stats: 110 games, .204 AVG, 7 HR, .631 OPS, 11.1 BB%, 26.1 K%, 76 wRC+, -0.2 fWAR.
2024 contract status: Not yet eligible for arbitration.
The buzz: Short, just like Maton and Nevin, doesn't have any minor-league options remaining. He was a surprise stay on the 40-man last offseason, but this season could be tougher because of his lackluster bat, despite his above-average glove.
1B Spencer Torkelson
Age: 24.
2023 stats: 159 games, .233 AVG, 31 HR, .758 OPS, 9.8 BB%, 25.0 K%, 107 wRC+, 1.4 fWAR.
2024 contract status: Not yet eligible for arbitration.
The buzz: It's time to give credit to Torkelson. One year ago, there were concerns about his potential with the Tigers. He answered them all by hitting 31 home runs and driving in 94 runs in his sophomore season, but the 2020 No. 1 overall pick isn't a finished product. To become an All-Star-caliber player, he needs to develop from a power hitter into an all-around hitter. Swing path and game planning will influence that evolution. Another thing: He has good instincts as a defender but needs to be more consistent at first base.
Outfielders (7)
LF Akil Baddoo
Age: 25.
2023 stats: 112 games, .218 AVG, 11 HR, .682 OPS, 11.8 BB%, 24.9 K%, 88 wRC+, 1.0 fWAR.
2024 contract status: Arbitration eligible, projected for $1.7 million.
The buzz: Baddoo isn't consistent, and the bad stretches outweigh the good. The Tigers will have a boatload of left-handed hitters competing for key roles in 2024, including three other outfielders. The roster crunch could leave him on the outside from the onset of the offseason. Still, Baddoo had an 11.8% walk rate, double-digit home runs and double-digit stolen bases in 2023. He seems like the perfect trade candidate, and since he just turned 25, there should be several organizations interested in finding ways to unearth his consistency.
RF/DH Kerry Carpenter
Age: 26.
2023 stats: 118 games, .278 AVG, 20 HR, .811 OPS, 7.0 BB%, 25.1 K%, 121 wRC+, 2.2 fWAR.
2024 contract status: Not yet eligible for arbitration.
The buzz: A former 19th-round pick, Carpenter repeated his power production in his sophomore season with the Tigers. He also improved his batting average, walk rate and corner outfield defense, three signs of development. The Tigers consider him a key piece of the future and will rely on his home-run power — combined with decent plate discipline — in the middle of the batting order.
LF Riley Greene
Age: 23.
2023 stats: 99 games, .288 AVG, 11 HR, .796 OPS, 8.4 BB%, 27.4 K%, 119 wRC+, 2.3 fWAR.
2024 contract status: Not yet eligible for arbitration.
The buzz: The No. 1 goal for Greene in the 2024 season should be to stay healthy. When not on the IL, he can be one of the best hitters in the American League with superstar potential, as displayed by his .365 batting average in May. Greene, the No. 5 overall pick in 2019, injured his non-throwing right elbow on a diving catch and underwent Tommy John surgery in September, but he expects to be ready by Opening Day.
UTIL Zach McKinstry
Age: 28.
2023 stats: 148 games, .231 AVG, 9 HR, .654 OPS, 8.5 BB%, 21.8 K%, 81 wRC+, 1.2 fWAR.
2024 contract status: Not yet eligible for arbitration.
The buzz: The Tigers acquired McKinstry, who didn't have any minor-league options, from the Chicago Cubs for cash considerations at the end of spring training and kept him on the active roster for the entire season. The Central Michigan alumnus was red-hot in May but struggled in other months. Maybe the Tigers will trade him at the end of spring training, just like the Cubs did, because he probably doesn't have a long-term future in the organization.
CF Parker Meadows
Age: 23.
2023 stats: 37 games, .240 AVG, 3 HR, .714 OPS, 11.7 BB%, 25.5 K%, 99 wRC+, 1.1 fWAR.
2024 contract status: Not yet eligible for arbitration.
The buzz: It has been a long-time coming for Meadows and the Tigers. He joined the 40-man roster in November 2022 and had to wait until August 2023 for his MLB debut, more than five years after the Tigers drafted him in the second round. Meadows showcased elite defense in center field, blazing speed on the bases and some pop in his swing. Too many strikeouts could be an issue as his career continues, but for now, he is the everyday center fielder.
LF/RF Austin Meadows
Age: 28.
2023 stats: Six games, .238 AVG, 0 HR, .524 OPS, 0.0 BB%, 14.3 K%, 38 wRC+, -0.2 fWAR.
2024 contract status: Arbitration eligible, projected for $4.3 million.
The buzz: The other Meadows — Parker's older brother and a former All-Star — spent almost the entire 2023 season on the injured list due to anxiety. He has played just 42 games for the Tigers over the past two seasons and still hasn't hit a home run while wearing the Old English "D." The Tigers have an important decision to make at the non-tender deadline, but if Meadows isn't ready to play baseball, he shouldn't be in the plans.
UTIL Matt Vierling
Age: 27.
2023 stats: 134 games, .261 AVG, 10 HR, .717 OPS, 8.3 BB%, 21.1 K%, 99 wRC+, 1.2 fWAR.
2024 contract status: Not yet eligible for arbitration.
The buzz: The Tigers acquired Vierling in the Soto deal along with Maton and Sands. So far, Vierling has been the best addition from the trade, but even then, he profiles as a fourth outfielder and backup third baseman. He knows how to hit singles to right, but he still hasn't tapped into his pull-side power to left. The limited power caps his potential on offense.
Contact Evan Petzold at epetzold@freepress.com or follow him @EvanPetzold.
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This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: Evaluating every Detroit Tiger entering the 2023-24 offseason
