Top 10 Detroit Tigers Spring Training Storylines to Watch

We are finally there. A timeline flooded with pictures of green grass, orange Tigers hats, and the sound of a popping mitt. After making it through the depths of winter, today marks the first full squad workout bringing life back to many knowing baseball season is just around the corner.

For the Tigers, the past few weeks have come with ups and downs. The team brought back Jack Flaherty to sure up the top of the rotation and watched the Alex Bregman soap opera finally come to an end after he signed a three-year deal in Boston.

With offseason additions over, and roster likely set set, more or less, we shift our mind from building a roster to finalizing one. Spring training always drives roster discussions, reveals new pitches or swings, shows us promising young talent, and so much more.

Today, I want to cover the 10 storylines I am watching this spring.

Is Jackson Jobe in the Opening Day Rotation?

We all remember Jackson Jobe leaving his mark last spring, right? An inning of 100 mph fastballs and breaking pitches that even an elementary eye knew belonged to a big leaguer. A top 10 prospect in all of baseball, Jobe has earned the hype, now he has to earn a role.

Detroit signing both Alex Cobb and Jack Flaherty without subtracting anything from the rotation has added depth while also allowing an easier path for Jobe to start in the minors. However, with Alex Cobb’s recent injury causing him to miss the start of the season, a door opens.

Jobe’s still a developing arm and if he does start in the minors, that’s okay. The Tigers need to manage his innings and the easiest way is in Toledo. Also, Evan Petzold reported that Jobe has added two new pitches, curveball and sinker, which could use some work.

But, what if Jobe comes out and dominates this spring. With the talent he has, it is not a fantasy but a possibility. In terms of upside plays, Jobe has the most to offer. How he’s being used and the amount of innings he sees later in spring could tell us a lot about the Tigers plan.

Can Shortstop Bring Value?

I’m not going to sit here and spew the same old “Javy Baez is in the best shape of his life” spiel and gaslight you into believing he will be the player the Tigers signed him to be. We both know that ship has sailed. But, walk with me here, can I sell you on a reduced role Javy being an addition by subtraction, or even *fine* in certain situation?

The addition of Trey Sweeney last deadline gave the Tigers something they desperately needed – another option at short. Sweeney showed he could hold his own defensively and at least flashed some ability at the plate. How he adjust to major league pitching and if he can cut down on the swing and miss will be the difference at this position.

The Tigers have rolled out negative WAR players at short for the better part of two seasons. Will the Tigers lean into Sweeney’s development and prioritize him over the expensive vet?

What happens if both sink? I’ll be watching Sweeney closely in hopes of him showing signs of more comfortable at bats.

Indications on the Back of the Bullpen Usage

Manager A.J. Hinch is not too fond of the term “closer”, but the Tigers did use Jason Foley in that role quiet a bit. Although Foley racked up 28 saves, eight different pitchers recorded a save and down the stretch Hinch leaned into the hot hand.

Detroit added both John Brebbia and Tommy Kahnle to their bullpen. Both veterans with experience in high leverage situation, but I’d be surprised if either was the front runner for the ninth.

Lefty Tyler Holton has been incredible the past two seasons with his role changing depending on the situation and less focused on giving him the ninth.

Of course, Foley is back in the mix and we’ll see if his velo is near where it was in April or in October. Let’s not forget about Alex Lange. With some of the most disgusting stuff in the bullpen, Lange will always have a chance to earn a late inning role, so long as his walks are limited.

Brieske and Vest have at least earned being in the conversation. Exact usage in spring does not equal the same usage in-season, but watch for certain player improvements. Finding a tick up in stuff might push a pitcher to the front runner for highest leverage.

Can Torkelson Carve Out a Role?

Ahh, the Spencer Torkelson conversation. One we each have had many times over the past year. Before we go further, let’s lay out some facts. Torkelson hit 31 home runs in 2023, he was disappointing in 2024, and he can still be optioned to Toledo in 2025.

When the Tigers added Gleyber Torres and pushed Colt Keith to first a message was sent – Spencer Torkelson is on the outside looking in. A lack of positional versatility doesn’t make him a great bench bat and being optioned to Toledo might not be the worst for Torkelson.

However, there’s a path for him to earn everyday at bats.

If Jace Jung struggles at third, and/or Matt Vierling is playing primarily third, Carpenter can go to right leaving DH open. If Wenceel Perez struggles, that leaves one less option in the outfield which could clear DH, as well.

Although Hinch likes to platoon, doing so with a first base only option becomes difficult unless the bat truly is well above average. Oh yeah, Justyn-Henry Malloy plays into this conversation but more on that later.

Back of the Rotation Puzzle

You might remember having this same conversation last spring. Is it Mize or Manning? Where does Olsen slot in? Well, welcome back with slightly different, or at least shuffled, names.

As I mentioned earlier, Alex Cobb will miss the start of the season, making the back of the rotation a competition. Tarik Skubal, Jack Flaherty, Reese Olson, and Casey Mize, if healthy, are likely locked in. We touched on Jackson Jobe, who looks to be the fan-favorite to win the spot but I have my reservations.

While I prefer Kenta Maeda in the bullpen, the Tigers could let him makes a couple starts if Cobb is projected back sooner than latter. From their, Keider Montero, Matt Manning, Ty Madden, Brant Hurter and others start to factor in.

How Brant Hurter is used, bullpen or starter, is something to keep an eye on. The same can be said for Madden who I expect to stay as a starter for now, but I prefer out of the bullpen.

This Seasons Bullpen Surprise

The front office and coaching staff have done an excellent job of identifying bullpen talent and getting the most out of them.

Players you either have never heard of or are far from established big leaguers. With different pitchers essentially coming out of nowhere each season to provide value, I wanted to highlight two names to watch.

Chase Lee – Acquired in the Andrew Chafin deal from Texas, Lee brings a high strikeout rate, high groundball rate, and does not walk many batters. His unorthodox side-arm delivery from such a low angle is tough for batter to read and although the velocity is 90 mph, it can sneak up on you due to deception. We know the team values getting groundballs, and Lee’s swing and miss might tick down in the majors but will be enough to make due.

Wimer Flores – The hype train on Wilmer Flores derailed too soon. Is he a high-end prospect, no, but he’s entering his age 24 season and has a fastball/breaking ball combination that gives him a chance. The trend is going in the wrong direction, but Flores has shown too much talent in the past to be casted off this early.

Where is Justyn-Henry Malloy Playing

Malloy originally was a third baseman before moving to the outfield full-time. Playing left was passable, but a move to first base felt like the right thing to do.

After last season’s injuries and demotions, players who had never played first were slotting in. Having Malloy comfortable enough at first gives him a better path to the roster and direct competition for Torkelson.

If Malloy makes it as a big leaguer it will be because of his bat. He needs to show value at the plate first before worrying about his value in the field. If the Tigers prioritize getting him time at first that could be an indication of where Tork stands.

If Vierling is primarily at third, Wenceel Perez and Malloy might have some competition. Perez is a much better fielder, more speed, and switch-hitter which makes him a better bench option. Uphill climb for Malloy, but worth keeping an eye on.

Sawyer Gipson-Long and Tyler Mattison are Back

Those four starts Gipson-Long made at the end of 2023 are hard to forget. You saw the upside with swing and miss stuff, but an injury took the 2024 season from him.

Still working his way back, Gipson-Long could factor in as a depth starter or even sneak his way into the rotation in 2025. How much we see of Gipson-Long and where his stuff sits will tell us a lot about expectations for him this year.

Mattison also missed 2024 due to injury but offers an intriguing one-two punch that makes him a name to watch. His fastball it’s lighting up radar guns but comes with 20 inches of induced vertical break to pair with a changeup that gives him a shot at success.

Both are on the Tigers 40-man roster and are on the short list for initial call ups. We need to see where they are from a health standpoint, but having two arms with big league stuff ready in the minors doesn’t hurt.

Which Non-Roster Names Standout

As of right now, the Tigers non-roster invitee list are mostly names you are familiar with either due to previous roles on the team or current prospect status.

Catcher Thayron Liranzo, acquired for Jack Flaherty, comes with the most upside. He has the ability to hit a home run in spring that you won’t forget. Seeing how he works behind the plate and what improvements he’s made since working with Bryan Pena might even be more important.

Eddys Leonard had a forgetful 2024 due to injuries and struggling to piece together stretches of play, but let’s not write him off. Versatility and a righty bat make him an option if Andy Ibanez were to get injured. I’ll also mention Hao-Yu Lee who made strides in 2024 but in my opinion is still closer to a year away than debuting.

On the pitching side, lefties Dietrich Enns and Matt Gage are trying to crack a major league roster after only earning cups of coffee in previous stops. Tigers Sean Guenther was in a similar situation and earned a role late last year that is far from set in stone. Lefty bullpen arms are a Scott Harris favorite, and we’ll see how they shake out.

One More Move Coming?

Detroit was legitimately in the Alex Bregman sweepstakes right up until the end. Was that just a rare opportunity to acquire a player at a position of need or do the Tigers truly want to add another middle of the order bat?

The addition of Gleyber Torres is looking better and better by the day. At least they added a veteran with a floor that is higher than what has been the standard.

But, rolling into the season with uncertainty at each position on the left side of the infield, along with right field being a question, the Tigers could use another player.

If the options at third simply do not look good enough the Tigers might have to find their Gio Urshela type player. Maybe that’s internally filled. They could also focus on adding a bat to the outfield to complement that lefty-heavy approach and often injured options.

Final Thoughts

What we do know is the Tigers are serious, but not reckless, about winning.

They have added proven players, spent a decent amount of money, and avoided any head scratching moves. Competition in camp will tell us how strong each area of need is and we’ll see how aggressive the front office is in season.

We have seen Scott Harris on the selling off side of things, but not the buying side. From what I have personally gathered, I do not imagine Harris and company to be aggressively adding via trade during the season. I’d be happy to be wrong, but I imagine what the Tigers have now is going to look similar to what they have after the deadline.

Detroit is still a pretty young team with more talent on the way. They are also a team one season closer to Tarik Skubal’s free agency and other key pieces starting to earn a different level of money. Time will tell how aggressive this team will be.