Steven Moya, Jair Jurrjens among former Detroit Tigers drafted to new Dubai-based league

Remember Steven Moya?

The former Detroit Tigers outfielder was selected No. 2 overall in the Baseball United Draft. Baseball United, the first-ever baseball league in the Middle East and South Asia, begins in late November with an All-Star showcase at Dubai International Stadium.

The inaugural season is scheduled for 2024.

There are four teams in the league: Mumbai Cobras, Karachi Monarchs, Dubai Wolves, and Abu Dhabi Falcons. The league is expected to expand to eight teams before the first season.

There were five former Tigers selected in Monday's draft: Moya at No. 2 overall (first round) to the Monarchs, right-hander Jair Jurrjens at No. 10 (second round) to the Wolves, infielder Jefry Marté at No. 20 (third round) to the Monarchs, outfielder Jacob Robson at No. 22 overall (third round) to the Cobras and infielder Hernán Pérez at No. 42 overall (sixth round) to the Wolves.

Six other draftees — left-hander Robbie Ross, right-hander Héctor Sánchez, infielder Drew Ward, outfielder Quincy Latimore, right-hander Enrique Burgos and two-way player Pavin Parks — were members of the Tigers' organization in the minor leagues but didn't play in the big leagues with the Tigers.

Moya, now 32, hit .250 with five home runs, eight walks and 50 strikeouts across 51 games in his three-year MLB career with the Tigers, from 2014-16. He hasn't played affiliated baseball since 2017, when the Tigers demoted him from Triple-A Toledo to Double-A Erie.

He spent the next four seasons with two teams in Japan, played just six games in the Dominican Republic in 2022 and joined the Gastonia Honey Hunters in the Atlantic League for the 2023 season. With the Honey Hunters, Moya hit .321 with 16 home runs, 24 walks, and 24 strikeouts in 33 games.

Perez, also now 32, had a 10-year MLB career with the Tigers (2012-15), Milwaukee Brewers (2015-19), Chicago Cubs (2020) and Washington Nationals (2021). He hit .160 with one extra-base hit, four walks and 27 strikeouts over 66 games with the Tigers.

Both Moya and Pérez, homegrown international prospects, didn't pan out for the Tigers. At their peaks, Moya was the Tigers' No. 11 prospect in 2013 and Pérez was the Tigers' No. 10 prospect in 2014.

Robson, 28, played four games for the Tigers in 2021, finishing 0-for-7 with four strikeouts.

Jurrjens, now 37, made his MLB debut with the Tigers in 2007 to begin his eight-year MLB career. Marté, now 32, made his MLB debut with the Tigers in 2015 — hitting .213 with four home runs in 33 games — to begin his four-year MLB career.

Karan Patel, the first player of Indian origin to be selected in the MLB draft and a right-hander who reached Double-A Birmingham with the Chicago White Sox, was selected No. 1 overall to the Cobras in the Baseball United Draft.

Notable players drafted include Didi Gregorius, Pablo Sandoval, Robinson Canó, Andrelton Simmons and Bartolo Colon.

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

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This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: Steven Moya among former Detroit Tigers drafted to Dubai-based league