Biggest Questions Surrounding the Detroit Tigers
Looking to build upon their magical 2024 season, the Tigers have some pressing questions that need to be answered heading into 2025.
Last season’s playoff berth has started to wear off, hasn’t it? The iPhone footage of players long tossing that was basically a narcotic two weeks ago has lost its luster. The excitement around spring training has faded, and all of our attention is starting to shift toward the regular season.
Of course, Opening Day is the advent of “real baseball” which comes with real questions and concerns about the Detroit Tigers. The days of hypotheticals and hoping are coming to an end with 26 guys ready to take the field. Is this the same collection of 26 we had all predicted two weeks ago? No.
Injuries have already hit the Tigers, as Alex Cobb, Parker Meadows, Matt Vierling and others are dealing with different ailments which will sideline them for some time.
Injuries raise multiple questions, but all teams deal with broken bones and bruises. Today, we are here to discuss other questions surrounding the Tigers as they prepare to start the season — some are good, and some are bad.
How Worried Should We Be About Third Base?
I know we all grew tired of the Alex Bregman saga, but man could the Tigers use him right now. The contingency plan of Vierling and Jace Jung has already gone off the rails with Vierling hurt and Jung struggling enough to be optioned.
That leaves the Tigers with Andy Ibáñez, who can only hit lefties, and Zach McKinstry, a .643 career OPS hitter, as the likely options. I view both as fringe major leaguers without upside to dream on. Not only would it make for an underwhelming combination, but it takes away from their availability in other positions late in the game.
The biggest problem here is Jung’s inability to earn the job. After the Vierling injury, Jung had every opportunity to run away with the position but did not show that he was ready for major league pitching. That’s not to say he cannot get right in Toledo and won’t provide value later in the season, but his stock is trending in the wrong direction.
Answer: Very
Is Casey Mize a Different Pitcher?
Spring training Casey Mize looks a lot different than the Mize we have seen in recent years. His significant uptick in strikeouts is not just a result of poor spring training competition — he looks like different pitcher.
Last season was his return from Tommy John surgery, and he struggled to generate much swing-and-miss. Now, another year healthier, Mize has seen a tick up in velo and an improved movement profile on several pitches, making him look more and more like that first overall pick from years ago.
I’m trying to contain my excitement. We’ve seen pitchers with drastic changes like this either fade or struggle to have it translate to the regular season, but I’m buying up Mize stock. I think he’s back to feeling like his best self and is poised to prove that he should be part of the Tigers’ future.
Answer: Yes
Does Colt Keith Take a Significant Step Forward?
Signing Colt Keith to a long-term deal before he debuted showed how much the organization believes in him. Their willingness to essentially give him the first base job over Spencer Torkelson, or even an outside option, cemented their belief.
Coming off a solid rookie season, Keith needs to take a big step forward and earn a middle-of-the lineup spot.
Some might think Keith’s rookie year was a tad disappointing, but I actually really liked what I saw. Keith was streaky, but he showed above-average contact rates (86.6% in-zone) despite his power not breaking out. I know the pop is there, now he just needs to find his “A swing” more often.
I’m a believer in his bat, and I think he’ll make the necessary adjustments in year two. Even if the home run totals do not reflect what you might imagined, I think he’ll find gaps and rack up extra-base hits. The Tigers have a lot of chips in his basket.
Answer: Yes
What Does Jackson Jobe’s Season Look Like?
The Tigers’ top prospect, and one of the top prospects in all of baseball, is difficult to predict. Jackson Jobe, from a pure stuff stand point, can hang with the best of them. However, learning how to sequence those pitches and find ways to get major leaguers out is a different challenge.
Considering Jobe has around 100 innings above High-A, I do expect him to spend some time in the minors this season. To be honest, I think he has work to do before entering the Tigers’ rotation. He’s struggled to generate the same swing-and-miss as he did in the lower minors and needs to find that before coming to Detroit full-time.
The Tigers are going to need Jobe this season, and I would rather he work through some development in Toledo rather than in Detroit. I know we are all excited for a top prospect, but Rome wasn’t built in a day.
Answer: Growing pains with high end flashes
Can Dillon Dingler Claim the Lion’s Share Behind the Plate?
Turning 27 in September, Dillon Dingler is not a traditional prospect. Catchers typically take longer to develop, and Dingler’s notoriously slow starts at each level have kept him from flying through the system. In his brief stint in the majors last season, he looked overwhelmed at the plate but promising behind it.
The small sample we have seen this spring is definitely a step in the right direction. He’s flashed his power, but more importantly he has cut down on his strikeouts and made more contact. I think he’ll be a plus defender, and if the bat comes around close to the level he showed in the minors, then watch out.
AJ Hinch and the rest of the coaching staff value defense over offense from their catchers. Jake Rogers has a great grasp on this pitching staff, but his bat does not have the same upside, in my opinion, as Dingler’s. If Dingler settles in early, he could earn the edge by the end of the season.
Answer: Not yet, but possible
Which Late Inning Relivers Do We Trust?
“Pitching Chaos” was entertaining last season but also too unpredictable to replicate over 162. Having more set roles will likely be the case this season with various roles still up for grabs. Do we get the good or bad Jason Foley? Does Tyler Holton continue his success and earn more opportunities to close?
Quietly, Will Vest has put together three straight very good seasons. He earned more respect late last year, and I think he’s up there with the group I trust the most.
Beau Brieske has flashed at times but always feels like he’s just not quiet in the “fully trust” category just yet, but he could get there quickly. The additions of Tommy Kahnle and John Brebbia bring much needed veterans, but they also teeter on the edge of trust.
Answer: Will Vest, Tyler Holton
Do Any Top Prospects Earn a Role?
Both Kevin McGonigle and Thayron Liranzo exude a certain confidence and approach that just feels like a major leaguer. I think both are likely minor leaguers throughout 2025, but they are in a different class than the others, in my eyes.
Infielder Hao-Yu Lee has an opportunity to earn playing time. He’s played some third and second, and he could be an Ibáñez replacement at some point or an answer at third. Eddys Leonard, who will need a rebound season, is another option for this role. Out of the bullpen, Tyler Owens and Chase Lee are both on the 40-man roster and come with intrigue.
Ty Madden, who got some innings late last season, should be an early option. Keep an eye on lefty Jake Miller, who was awesome last season and could climb quickly. Lastly, Troy Melton is a pitcher that I think has more talent than the numbers might suggest.
I’m sure that a number of players will debut, but who will actually earn some variation of a sustained role in 2025? I see four possibilities.
Answer: Hao-Yu Lee, Tyler Owens, Chase Lee, Jackson Jobe
Can We Get Over 140 Games From Riley Greene and Kerry Carpenter?
Two of the most talent players on the Tigers’ roster have struggled to stay healthy. Riley Greene is breaking into star territory, but he has yet to play 140 games in a season. Kerry Carpenter ranks amongst the top hitters against righties, he but has yet to breach the 120-game mark.
If both can stay healthy, Detroit’s offense looks a lot different. Both are uniquely talented players and offer the type of threat in a lineup that causes opponents’ managers to change their strategy. Impact players can only make an impact if they are on the field.
In a perfect world, both stay healthy all season. I know we do not operate in a perfect world, so I’ll happily take even one surpassing 140 games.
Answer: One, not both
Who has a Better Season: Torkelson or Malloy?
At the surface, you might think comparing a guy who has hit 30 home runs in a season to player who has been a Quadruple-A option might feel ridiculous. But, after the struggles we saw from Spencer Torkelson last season and the success from Justyn-Henry Malloy throughout the minors, I think it is fair.
Once this roster gets healthy, having both Torkelson and Malloy on the same roster is a bit redundant. Both are righties, both can play first, and both have gotten time in the outfield this spring. Neither is a plus defender, so their bat will need to carry the value.
Although Torkelson has the larger sample size of success, I feel that the front office is growing thin with him. If Malloy can stick, I think he can carve out a role.
Answer: With hesitation, Malloy
Will Wenceel Pérez Step up in Meadows’ Absence?
We saw a totally different player out of Parker Meadows in the second half last season; He was a do everything, defensive wizard with four-fWAR potential in center field, but he is now dealing with an injury. Injuries open doors, and Wenceel Pérez will likely benefit from Meadows missing time.
Pérez came up clutch several times last season and won over a lot of fans. He’s an easy guy to root for and has potential, but his season was not as great as you might have remembered. The switch-hitter posted a .594 OPS against lefties, which will need to improve. He also struggled to a .621 OPS in the second half.
He’s still a developing player and far from a finished product, but I want to see more before deciding if he’s truly a major leaguer. Pérez was not a high-end prospect but did perform well throughout the minors. At the very least, he’s a good depth option and will have a chance to show that he can be more.
Answer: You decide
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