A new catcher has joined the Detroit Tigers‘ roster.
The Tigers claimed catcher Mario Feliciano, a former top prospect, off waivers Wednesday from the Milwaukee Brewers. In a corresponding move, outfielder Bligh Madris was designated for assignment.
The Tigers’ 40-man roster is full and includes three catchers: Feliciano, Eric Haase and Jake Rogers.
CULTURE OF DEVELOPMENT: Why Tigers see Michael Lorenzen as a starting pitcher with untapped potential
Feliciano, who turned 24 in late November, has played three games in his MLB career. He spent most of last season with Triple-A Nashville and hit .274 with six home runs, 18 walks and 52 strikeouts over 77 games.
He has played 109 games at the Triple-A level across the past two seasons, registering a .256 batting average and a .304 on-base percentage. He adjusted through 32 games in 2021 before taking a step forward in 2022.
The Brewers selected Feliciano with the No. 75 overall pick in the 2016 draft out of the Carlos Beltran Baseball Academy in Puerto Rico. (The Minnesota Twins added outfielder Akil Baddoo, now a member of the Tigers, with the No. 74 pick in the same draft.)
WELCOME BACK: Matthew Boyd returns to Tigers with ‘unfinished business’ in more ways than one
Feliciano ranked as the Brewers’ No. 5 prospect in 2021, according to MLB Pipeline. He was designated for assignment by the Brewers on Dec. 14, when the club officially traded with the Cleveland Guardians to acquire infielder Owen Miller.
This offseason, Feliciano is one of four catchers on the roster for Gigantes de Carolina in the Puerto Rican Winter League.
He is hitting .190 with six walks and 19 strikeouts in 29 games. On defense, he received significant reps at first base for the first time in his career while spending most of his time at catcher.
NEW PROSPECT: Here’s what Justyn-Henry Malloy brings to Tigers: ‘The game inside the game’
As for the Tigers, Haase is the only catcher guaranteed to earn a spot on the 2023 Opening Day roster. Rogers, expected to be the backup catcher, has fully recovered from Tommy John surgery but could need a stint in Triple-A Toledo before returning to the big leagues.
Now, Feliciano has joined the mix.
Contact Evan Petzold at epetzold@freepress.com or follow him on Twitter @EvanPetzold.