The Tigers have promoted outfielder Daz Cameron to the major leagues, the team announced. Cameron will take the open roster spot left by Christin Stewart, who was optioned to the Tigers’ alternate training site last night.
Chosen by the Astros as the 37th overall pick of the 2015 draft, Cameron was traded to Detroit as part of the Justin Verlander blockbuster in August 2017. Cameron has hit .247/.338/.396 with 37 homers and 109 steals (in 156 chances) over 1971 career minor league plate appearances, with a significant amount of swing-and-miss (509 strikeouts) contributing to this offensive inconsistency. At Triple-A, Cameron has hit only .214/.321/.370 over 590 PA.
These offensive struggles have led to a drop in Cameron’s prospect value, after he gained top-100 notice from pundits prior to the 2016 season. MLB Pipeline’s scouting report, however, notes that Cameron’s “speed and line-drive approach make him a strong candidate to take advantage of Comerica Park’s deep outfield gaps.”
Cameron could also be a plus on the defensive side in that big Detroit outfield, as he has mostly played center field in the minors and displayed some quality glovework. If Cameron is able to step into center field on at least a part-time basis, the hot-hitting Victor Reyes could be moved back to corner outfield duty, perhaps sliding into the left field spot mostly filled by Stewart this season. Reyes took over center field after JaCoby Jones was lost for the season due to a fractured hand.
Stewart was drafted just three picks ahead of Cameron in 2015, and though Stewart put up some big numbers in the minors, the 26-year-old has yet to truly display that hitting prowess against MLB pitching. After batting just .233/.305/.388 in 416 PA with the Tigers in 2019, Stewart’s numbers sunk even further this season, with a .171/.233/.317 slash line over 91 PA.