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Detroit Tigers 2025 roster prediction 3.0: Searching for answers without Alex Bregman
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- Detroit Tigers 2025 roster prediction 3.0: Searching for answers without Alex Bregman
LAKELAND, Fla. — Opening Day is 42 days away.
The Detroit Tigers have started spring training. Pitchers and catchers reported Wednesday, and position players are required to report Monday, but everyone will be in camp by Saturday's workout. The first spring training game is Feb. 22.
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The latest news: Free-agent third baseman Alex Bregman signed a three-year, $120 million contract with the Boston Red Sox , including an opt-out clause after the 2025 and 2026 seasons. He turned down a six-year, $171.5 million contract from the Tigers , with an opt-out clause after the 2026 season.
ROSTER PREDICTION 1.0: Rotation bolstered, but who plays third base on Opening Day roster?
ROSTER PREDICTION 2.0: Should Jace Jung get runway at third base as Opening Day starter?
Here's a look at our third version of how the Tigers should fill their 26-man 2025 Opening Day roster, now that Bregman has signed with the Red Sox:
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C: Jake Rogers
Detroit Tigers catcher Jake Rogers (34) high-fives teammates after scoring a run against Tampa Bay Rays during the fifth inning at Comerica Park in Detroit on Tuesday, Sept. 24, 2024.
Rogers is the No. 1 catcher.
The 29-year-old is one of the best defensive catchers in baseball, but he also provides upside as a power hitter if he cuts down on his swing-and-miss rate. He makes smart swing decisions and hits the ball hard, so it's all about making as much contact as possible.
1B: Colt Keith
Detroit Tigers second baseman Colt Keith (33) throws to shortstop Zach McKinstry (39) against Houston Astros shortstop Jeremy Peña (3) during the seventh inning at Comerica Park in Detroit on Saturday, May 11, 2024.
The Tigers already anointed Keith as the everyday first baseman in 2025, even though the 23-year-old has never played first base in his professional career and can't fall back on playing third base because of a previous shoulder injury.
But Keith, who is athletic despite being built like a linebacker, has a chance to be an above-average first baseman. Aside from defense, Keith would benefit from boosting his average exit velocity to tap into his 20-home run potential.
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He is a candidate to take a big step forward in 2025.
SWING AND MISS: Alex Bregman signs with Red Sox. Here's exactly what Tigers offered
2B: Gleyber Torres
New York Yankees second base Gleyber Torres (25) swings and makes contact in the first inning against the Detroit Tigers at Comerica Park in Detroit on Saturday, Aug. 17, 2024.
Before joining the Tigers, Torres hit .257 with 15 home runs, 65 walks and 136 strikeouts in 154 games for the New York Yankees in 2024, playing exclusively second base. As part of their recruiting pitch, the Tigers promised to keep Torres at second in 2025 en route to signing him to a one-year contract.
His bat boosts the offense, but his defensive inflexibility affects the roster. If the 28-year-old plays over 150 games again, Keith, Andy Ibáñez , Zach McKinstry and other infielders with second-base experience will be left without reps at that position.
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SS: Javier Báez
Detroit Tigers shortstop Javier Báez (28) looks up before batting against L. A. Dodgers during the first inning at Comerica Park in Detroit on Friday, July 12, 2024.
After right hip surgery, Báez needs to complete his running progression to finish his rehabilitation. His name could be erased from the injury report soon, and the Tigers expect him to be active on the Opening Day roster.
The 32-year-old is earning $25 million in 2025.
In 2024, Báez hit .184 with six home runs and a .516 OPS in 80 games. There are a lot of concerns about Báez's performance, but the Tigers owe him $73 million over the final three seasons of his six-year contract and hope the hip surgery is the solution to his struggles on offense.
INJURY UPDATE: Tigers' Javier Báez expected to be ready for Opening Day after hip surgery
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3B: Jace Jung
Detroit Tigers second base Jace Jung (17) walks off the field after struck out against Tampa Bay Rays during the seventh inning at Comerica Park in Detroit on Thursday, Sept. 26, 2024.
The Tigers have to move on from their Bregman plans.
Without Bregman, Jung is the favorite on the Tigers' roster to start at third base against right-handed hitters. The 24-year-old, a left-handed hitter, has the highest upside on offense among the internal third-base candidates, but he is a below-average defender at third base.
Before his MLB debut in mid-August, Jung hit .257 with 14 home runs, 67 walks and 93 strikeouts across 91 games in Triple-A Toledo. He makes smart swing decisions and has 34 games of MLB experience, including 23 starts at third base.
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Matt Vierling — a right-handed hitter — has started 74 games at third base in his 443-game MLB career. The 28-year-old is a better defender than Jung at third base but fits best as a roving outfielder primarily stationed in right field.
Zach McKinstry (left-handed hitter) and Andy Ibáñez (right-handed hitter) will receive reps at third base as utility players, but don't expect Vierling to become the primary third baseman — unless Jung starts in Triple-A Toledo.
OF: Riley Greene (LF), Parker Meadows (CF), Matt Vierling (RF)
Detroit Tigers first base Matt Vierling (8) calls for a foul out against Cleveland Guardians during the eighth inning at Game 4 of ALDS at Comerica Park in Detroit on Thursday, Oct. 10, 2024.
These three players are locked in for the Opening Day roster, with Greene in left field and Meadows in center field. Meadows will start against both right-handed and left-handed pitchers, joining Greene as an everyday outfielder. Meanwhile, Vierling projects as an everyday player regardless of his position, so if he isn't at third base, then he will be a mainstay in the outfield.
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If Vierling plays third base, the door could open for Wenceel Pérez to play right field. One problem: Pérez, a switch-hitter, is a below-average right-handed hitter and an average left-handed hitter, which doesn't fit because the Tigers already have too many left-handed hitters on the roster.
DH: Kerry Carpenter
Detroit Tigers outfielder Kerry Carpenter (30) celebrates batting a 3-run home run against Cleveland Guardians during the ninth inning of Game 2 of ALDS at Progressive Field in Cleveland, Ohio on Monday, Oct. 7, 2024.
Carpenter, a left-handed hitter who torches right-handed pitching, possesses more than 1,000 innings of experience in right field, but he seems to fit better as a designated hitter based on usage across the past two seasons.
He spent 27 of his 118 games at designated hitter in 2023, then 35 of his 87 games at designated hitter in 2024. Although he is an average defender in right field, his value comes from his ability to slug against right-handed pitchers.
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His bat is most important.
Maybe the Tigers want to keep Carpenter healthy — and slugging — by making him the primary designated hitter, limiting his reps in right field. He has a history with injuries: He missed one month with a right shoulder sprain in 2023 and three months with a lumbar spine stress fracture in 2024.
PREVIEW: Ten questions to watch for Tigers in 2025 spring training, including third base
Bench: Dillon Dingler (C), Andy Ibáñez (INF), Zach McKinstry (UTIL), Justyn-Henry Malloy (DH/LF/1B)
The Tigers have one bench spot available with Dingler, Ibáñez and McKinstry as virtual locks. The final roster spot probably favors a player who bats from the right side of the plate, namely Malloy, Pérez and Spencer Torkelson .
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A right-handed hitter would help balance the Tigers' left-handed-heavy lineup and optimize pinch-hit situations in the late innings, especially if the Tigers don't want lefty hitters Jung and Carpenter facing left-handed pitchers.
Malloy fits as a right-handed power hitter for pinch-hit situations, considering he had a .893 OPS against lefties in 61 plate appearances at the MLB level in 2024. He is a poor defender in left field and only beginning to learn first base, but if the Tigers primarily use him as a pinch-hitter in the designated hitter spot, then he rarely needs to play defense with the game on the line in the late innings.
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Torkelson has an opportunity to slug his way into the right-handed-hitting bench role, but the Tigers chose not to introduce third base or outfield to him, likely confining him to first base in Triple-A Toledo.
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Trey Sweeney , who could be the Triple-A shortstop, becomes a fit if the Tigers move on from McKinstry, as both players are left-handed hitting shortstops behind Báez on the depth chart, but McKinstry sets himself apart because he can play in the outfield.
Rotation: Tarik Skubal (LHP), Jack Flaherty (RHP), Reese Olson (RHP), Jackson Jobe (RHP), Kenta Maeda (RHP)
Detroit Tigers pitcher Kenta Maeda (18) delivers a pitch against Oakland Athletics during the first inning at Comerica Park in Detroit on Saturday, April 6, 2024.
Right-hander Alex Cobb won't make the Opening Day roster. He suffered a right hip injury while building his throwing volume in preparation for spring training. It's not a long-term injury, but it will force him to open the season on the injured list.
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INJURY UPDATE: New Tigers pitcher Alex Cobb suffers right hip injury, won't be ready for Opening Day
Without Cobb, the Tigers have Skubal, Flaherty and Olson as the three locks, leaving two spots open in the starting rotation. Jobe is the frontrunner to grab one of them as a Rookie of the Year candidate. After that, there are five pitchers competing for the final spot. Maeda showed positive signs in his first bullpen session of spring training and probably won't be cut because of his $10 million salary on the final year of his contract, thus giving him the inside track.
In this situation, these four starters — all with minor league options remaining — would begin the season in Triple-A Toledo: Casey Mize , Keider Montero , Ty Madden and Matt Manning .
Bullpen: Tommy Kahnle (RHP), Jason Foley (RHP), John Brebbia (RHP), Will Vest (RHP), Beau Brieske (RHP), Tyler Holton (LHP), Sean Guenther (LHP), Brant Hurter (LHP)
Detroit Tigers pitcher Brant Hurter (48) signs autographs for fans before the Baltimore Orioles game at Comerica Park in Detroit on Saturday, September 14, 2024.
The Tigers have six relievers locked in: Kahnle, Foley, Brebbia, Vest, Brieske and Holton. There are two spots up for grabs between Guenther, Brenan Hanifee , a flurry of non-roster invitees on minor league contracts and any starters — such as Hurter — converted to relievers by the end of camp.
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Of the starters, the Tigers might prefer keeping Casey Mize , Keider Montero and Ty Madden in starting roles, while Maeda, Hurter and Manning make more sense as relievers.
Hurter is a favorite because he throws strikes and induces ground balls, both at an elite rate. He posted a 2.58 ERA with six walks and 38 strikeouts across 45⅓ innings in 10 games (one start) for the Tigers in 2024. All signs suggest the Tigers prefer Hurter in the MLB bullpen over the Triple-A rotation, if it comes to that.
Not on Opening Day roster prediction 3.0: Trey Sweeney (SS), Wenceel Pérez (OF), Spencer Torkelson (1B), Casey Mize (RHP), Matt Manning (RHP), Keider Montero (RHP), Ty Madden (RHP)
Contact Evan Petzold at epetzold@freepress.com or follow him @EvanPetzold .
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This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: Detroit Tigers Opening Day roster after Alex Bregman signs with Red Sox
