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Detroit Tigers trade C Carson Kelly to Texas Rangers, opening spot for Dillon Dingler
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- Detroit Tigers trade C Carson Kelly to Texas Rangers, opening spot for Dillon Dingler
The Detroit Tigers have traded catcher Carson Kelly to the Texas Rangers for two minor leaguers, according to multiple sources with knowledge of the agreement.
Kelly is hitting .240 with seven home runs, 17 walks and 40 strikeouts in 60 games. The 30-year-old becomes a free agent after the 2024 season, so he is a two-month rental for the Rangers.
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In return, the Tigers received catcher Liam Hicks and right-hander Tyler Owens , according to a source. Of the two players, Owens is the better prospect and projects to be a solid reliever, with high-leverage upside as a product of his high-velocity fastball.
MORE ABOUT HIM: How Tigers catcher Carson Kelly went from released to reliable in one year
Detroit Tigers catcher Carson Kelly (15) stands on the field in the first inning against the Cleveland Guardians at Progressive Field in Cleveland on Wednesday, July 24, 2024.
Now that Kelly has been traded, the Tigers will promote catcher Dillon Dingler for his MLB debut, according to multiple sources. The 25-year-old, the No. 38 overall pick in the 2020 draft, is hitting .308 with 17 home runs, 30 walks and 61 strikeouts across 71 games in Triple-A Toledo.
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The Tigers are rolling with Dingler and Jake Rogers as their catching tandem for the final two months of the 2024 season.
Hicks, 25, has a .260 batting average with four home runs, 41 walks and 44 strikeouts in 80 games in Double-A Frisco. He makes elite swing decisions and contact rates, but the downside is poor contact quality. The poor contact quality likely holds him back from developing into a starter or a backup at the highest level, giving him Triple-A upside.
Owens, 23, owns a 2.80 ERA with nine walks and 35 strikeouts across 35⅓ innings in 26 relief appearances with Double-A Frisco. He should develop into a big-league reliever, but he could be a candidate to stretch out as a starter in the future if he improves against left-handed hitters.
As a reliever, though, Owens throws a fastball, slider and cutter. His fastball sits around 95 mph but has maxed out at 99 mph. This season, right-handers are hitting .185 with a .542 OPS off him, whereas left-handers are hitting .360 with an .805 OPS.
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Trading Kelly to the Rangers — and getting two players in return, plus the bonus of promoting Dingler — is a win for the Tigers, led by president of baseball operations Scott Harris.
Just 11 months ago, Kelly was released by the Arizona Diamondbacks before latching on with the Tigers. The Harris-led Tigers identified Kelly, signed Kelly and created a player plan to help him improve, both offensively and defensively.
Now, the Tigers have cashed in with a pair of minor leaguers from the Rangers, including one with MLB upside.
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 trade catcher Carson Kelly to Texas Rangers
