ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. — The Detroit Tigers are ready to start the 2023 season.
The 26-man roster features two catchers, six infielders, four outfielders, one designated hitter, five starting pitchers and eight relief pitchers. The Tigers begin their 162-game schedule at 3:10 p.m. Thursday against the Tampa Bay Rays at Tropicana Field.
The Tigers finished 66-96 last season for fourth place in the American League Central. General manager Al Avila was fired in August and replaced by president of baseball operations Scott Harris in September.
Manager A.J. Hinch enters his third season with a 143-181 record with the franchise and a 713-633 record overall.
Check out the entire 26-man Opening Day roster, with the projected status of each player:
Catchers (2)
C Eric Haase
Age: 30. MLB debut: 2018.
Bats/throws: Right/right.
2022: .254 batting average, 14 home runs, 44 RBIs, 110 games.
Something to prove: Haase, who also plays left field, has been the Tigers’ best offensive player over the past two seasons, hitting .242 with 36 home runs in 208 games. As a catcher, he was worth minus-9 defensive runs saved and minus-5 framing runs last season. He can solidify his long-term role by improving his defense behind the plate and his contact rate against right-handers at the plate.
MORE ON HAASE: Tigers catcher Eric Haase views left field as ‘legitimate tool to get more at-bats’
C Jake Rogers
Age: 27. MLB debut: 2019.
Bats/throws: Right/right.
2022: Did not play (Tommy John surgery).
Here to stay: Rogers looks like the Tigers’ long-term catcher again because his defense-first profile fits on a winning team. This spring, he returned from elbow surgery and hit .303 with three home runs in 16 games. He expects his pitch-framing metrics to improve, and if that happens, he will be a key piece of the future regardless of his bat.
MORE ON ROGERS: Tigers’ Jake Rogers, once again, looks like the team’s catcher of the future
Infielders (6)
SS Javier Báez
Age: 30. MLB debut: 2014.
Bats/throws: Right/right.
2022: .238, 17 HR, 67 RBIs, 144 G.
Here to stay: The Tigers did everything they could to make Báez, their star player, as happy as possible entering Year 2 in the organization. As a result, he looks and sounds more comfortable in the clubhouse. He has an opt-out clause in his six-year, $140 million contract after this season, but he probably needs an MVP-caliber performance to benefit from returning to free agency.
MORE ON BAEZ: Getting to know Javier Báez, from his Lamborghini to his incredible farm in Puerto Rico
UTIL Ryan Kreidler
Age: 25. MLB debut: 2022.
Bats/throws: Right/right.
2022: .178, 1 HR, 6 RBIs, 26 G.
Something to prove: Kreidler excels defensively at several positions, but his big-league offensive ceiling is unkown, even with above-average swing decisions. If he doesn’t make contact, he could spend most of his season in Triple-A Toledo. Back in 2021, Kreidler hit .270 with 22 homers in 129 games at two levels in the minor leagues.
MORE ON KREIDLER: Tigers’ Ryan Kreidler energized by ‘fresh start’ with roster spot up for grabs
3B/2B Nick Maton
Age: 26. MLB debut: 2021.
Bats/throws: Left/right.
2022 (Phillies): .250, 5 HR, 17 RBIs, 34 G.
Here to stay: Maton, acquired in the Gregory Soto trade this offseason, hit .278 against right-handed pitchers and .220 against lefties last season. He crushes fastballs at the top of the strike zone but struggles with secondary pitches at the bottom of the zone. There’s a real opportunity for him to develop into an everyday player because of his power and plate discipline.
MORE ON MATON: Tigers’ Matt Vierling, Nick Maton on mission to help cultivate championship culture
UTIL Zach McKinstry
Age: 27. MLB debut: 2020.
Bats/throws: Left/right.
2022 (Dodgers/Cubs): .199, 5 HR, 14 RBIs, 57 G.
Stopgap: McKinstry, who hit .079 for the Cubs in spring training, does not have any minor-league options remaining. The Tigers cut a group of players who competed in camp, including veterans César Hernández, Andy Ibañez and Zack Short, in favor of a trade for McKinstry just three days before Opening Day. The Central Michigan product probably won’t last long in the big leagues.
2B/3B/1B Jonathan Schoop
Age: 31. MLB debut: 2013.
Bats/throws: Right/right.
2022: .202, 11 HR, 38 RBIs, 131 G.
Trade candidate: Schoop has been the Tigers’ everyday second baseman for most of the past three seasons. Those days could be over unless he starts hitting for average and power. In the past six 162-game seasons, he has five seasons with at least 20 home runs and four seasons with at least a .250 batting average.
MORE ON SCHOOP: Tigers’ Jonathan Schoop needs to start hitting (and drawing walks) to keep playing
1B Spencer Torkelson
Age: 23. MLB debut: 2022.
Bats/throws: Right/right.
2022: .203, 8 HR, 28 RBIs, 110 G.
Here to stay: Torkelson is confident in his process and believes subtle tweaks to his swing mechanics, as well as the addition of a mental performance coach, will spark a significant improvement this season. In spring training, the 2020 No. 1 overall pick consistently hit the ball hard and made contact on fastballs inside the strike zone.
MORE ON TORKELSON: How Tigers’ Spencer Torkelson adjusted his mindset to find his confidence
Outfielders (4)
LF/RF Kerry Carpenter
Age: 25. MLB debut: 2022.
Bats/throws: Left/right.
2022: .252, 6 HR, 10 RBIs, 31 G.
Something to prove: Carpenter, a 19th-round pick in 2019, put himself on the map last season by crushing 30 home runs in the minor leagues. He hit .297 against right-handed pitchers and .308 against lefties in the majors and minors. Improving his 5.3% walk rate while maintaining his powerful swing will help him stick around.
MORE ON CARPENTER: How two words — launch quickness — changed Kerry Carpenter’s career with Tigers
CF Riley Greene
Age: 22. MLB debut: 2022.
Bats/throws: Left/left.
2022: .253, 5 HR, 42 RBIs, 93 G.
Here to stay: Greene, the 2019 No. 5 overall pick, has all the potential to become the face of the franchise. But he had a hole in his game last season: A 56.8% ground-ball rate despite an above-average 45.2% hard-hit rate. Back in 2021, Greene launched 24 home runs in the minor leagues. The Tigers want to see more fly balls, and more homers, this season.
MORE ON GREENE: After taking the next step, Tigers’ Riley Greene is thinking ‘pure’ at the plate
LF/RF Austin Meadows
Age: 27. MLB debut: 2018.
Bats/throws: Left/left.
2022: .250, 0 HR, 11 RBIs, 36 G.
Something to prove: In the offseason, Meadows transformed his mental and physical health. Still, the two-time All-Star hasn’t hit a home run with the Tigers in the big leagues or in spring training. Next offseason brings his third and final year of salary arbitration before hitting free agency after the 2024 season.
MORE ON MEADOWS: Tigers’ Austin Meadows describes ‘anxiety monster’ last year, his ‘huge step forward’
LF/CF/RF Matt Vierling
Age: 26. MLB debut: 2021.
Bats/throws: Right/right.
2022 (Phillies): .246, 6 HR, 32 RBIs, 117 G.
Here to stay: Vierling, also acquired in the Soto trade, hit .295 against left-handed pitchers and .217 against righties last season. He looks like a solid all-around player but can take the next step by hitting righties, drawing walks and tapping into his raw power.
MORE ON VIERLING: How Tigers’ Matt Vierling became a ‘yes man’ in the best way possible
Designated hitter (1)
Miguel Cabrera
Age: 39. MLB debut: 2003.
Bats/throws: Right/right.
2022: .254, 5 HR, 43 RBIs, 112 G.
Last dance: Cabrera, who turns 40 in April, embarks on the final season of a legendary career. He hit .217 with one home run, one walk and five strikeouts in nine games in spring training. The future Hall of Famer could be limited to one game per series this season while playing against left-handed pitchers.
MORE ON MIGGY: Venezuelans grew up watching Miguel Cabrera. They want to say thanks to country’s GOAT
Rotation (5)
LHP Matthew Boyd
Age: 32. MLB debut: 2015.
Bats/throws: Left/left
2022 (Mariners): 2-0 record, 1.35 ERA, 13⅓ innings.
Trade candidate: Boyd underwent flexor tendon surgery in September 2021 and was non-tendered by the Tigers in November 2021. In 2022, he rehabbed with the Giants, then pitched out of the bullpen for the Mariners after the trade deadline. The Tigers brought him back as a starter on a one-year, $10 million contract to mentor the young pitchers and help compete early in the season.
MORE ON BOYD: Matthew Boyd returns to Tigers with ‘unfinished business’ in more ways than one
RHP Matt Manning
Age: 25. MLB debut: 2021.
Bats/throws: Right/right.
2022: 2-3, 3.43 ERA, 63 IP.
Something to prove: Manning throws an elite fastball, but one pitch (or 1½ pitches with a sometimes sharp slider) isn’t enough to anchor a rotation. The 2016 No. 9 overall pick has a 4.79 ERA in 30 MLB starts with 3.2 walks and 6.4 strikeouts per nine innings. It’s time for him to advance toward frontline starter status.
MORE ON MANNING: How Tigers’ new-school regime is resuscitating Matt Manning’s potential
LHP Eduardo Rodriguez
Age: 29. MLB debut: 2015.
Bats/throws: Left/left.
2022: 5-5, 4.05 ERA, 91 IP.
Trade candidate: Rodriguez missed three months last season because of an injury and a personal situation that put him on the restricted list. He returned in late August and registered a 3.81 ERA in his final 52 innings. After this season, the 2018 World Series champion can opt out of his final three years with the Tigers, worth $49 million. He has a 10-team no-trade clause.
MORE ON RODRIGUEZ: Tigers’ Eduardo Rodriguez to start 2023 Opening Day against Rays
RHP Spencer Turnbull
Age: 30. MLB debut: 2018.
Bats/throws: Right/right.
2022: Did not play (Tommy John surgery).
Here to stay: In May 2021, Turnbull pitched the eighth no-hitter in franchise history. Two months later, he underwent elbow surgery. Turnbull returned to the mound this spring, recaptured the movement of his pitches and commanded his offerings. He becomes a free agent after the 2024 season.
MORE ON TURNBULL: Tigers’ Spencer Turnbull ready to pitch after Tommy John surgery: ‘I could write a book’
LHP Joey Wentz
Age: 25. MLB debut: 2022.
Bats/throws: Left/left.
2022: 2-2, 3.03 ERA, 33⅔ IP.
Here to stay: Wentz entered the starting rotation at the end of spring training to replace an injured Michael Lorenzen (who signed a one-year, $8.5 million contract). Last season, Wentz returned from a shoulder injury and logged a 1.73 ERA with 11 walks and 22 strikeouts across 26 innings in September. His best pitch is his cutter, and his fastball sits around 93 mph.
MORE ON WENTZ: Why Joey Wentz’s curveball could be a ‘weapon’ and launch his rise with Tigers
Bullpen (8)
LHP Tyler Alexander
Age: 28. MLB debut: 2019.
Bats/throws: Right/left.
2022: 4-11, 4.81 ERA, 101 IP.
Stopgap: Alexander has pitched more than 100 innings, with 32 starts in 68 games, in each of the past two seasons, but based on his metrics and results, he seems like a replaceable pitcher. He tried to throw his fastball at 91 mph this spring before settling in at 88-89 mph. When he lacks command, he falls apart because opposing hitters rarely miss his mistakes.
MORE ON ALEXANDER: How Tigers’ top-secret pitching laboratory has modernized their pitchers
RHP José Cisnero
Age: 35. MLB debut: 2013.
Bats/throws: Right/right.
2022: 1-0, 1.08 ERA, 25 IP.
Trade candidate: Cisnero missed the first half of last season with a right shoulder injury. From 2020-22, he posted a 2.94 ERA with a 12.2% walk rate and 24.1% strikeout rate in 116⅓ innings. He will become a free agent after this season, so if the Tigers plan to trade him, using him as the closer would increase his value as he racks up saves.
RHP Mason Englert
Age: 23. MLB debut: N/A.
Bats/throws: Both/right.
2022 (MiLB): 8-6, 3.64 ERA, 118⅔ IP.
Here to stay: The Tigers selected Englert from the Texas Rangers in the Rule 5 draft. He must stay on the 26-man roster for the entire regular season, or be offered back to the Rangers. He dominated out of the bullpen in spring training with a 2.25 ERA, two walks and 14 strikeouts across 12 innings, adding an unbelievable 75% strike rate.
MORE ON ENGLERT: How Tigers’ Mason Englert climbed out of depression from deaths, panic attacks
RHP Jason Foley
Age: 27. MLB debut: 2021.
Bats/throws: Right/right.
2022: 1-0, 3.88 ERA, 60⅓ IP.
Here to stay: Foley is known for his elite sinker. His 4.3% walk rate last season ranked in the 95th percentile, but he needs a better slider to increase his whiff rate and become a closer candidate. The slider looked better in spring training but still lacks consistency.
MORE ON FOLEY: How Jason Foley emerged for Tigers in 2022, and what’s next for the rising reliever
RHP Garrett Hill
Age: 27. MLB debut: 2022.
Bats/throws: Right/right.
2022: 3-3, 4.03 ERA, 60⅓ IP.
Something to prove: The results in spring training — 7.11 ERA with nine walks and 15 strikeouts in 12⅔ innings — were misleading. The 2018 26th-round pick took his fastball velocity to the next level, averaging 95 mph, and sharpened his slider in the offseason. The developments led to a plethora of whiffs in camp. His command was his calling card in the minor leagues and needs to translate to the big leagues.
RHP Alex Lange
Age: 27. MLB debut: 2021.
Bats/throws: Right/right.
2022: 7-4, 3.41 ERA, 63⅓ IP.
Here to stay: His curveball and changeup generated whiff rates of 57.8% and 56.0%, respectively, but his 11.4% walk rate forced him into unfavorable situations last season. Lange struggled with the strike zone again in spring training, throwing just 51.2% of his pitches in the zone over six innings. If Lange finds the zone, he is capable of pitching in the ninth inning. He becomes a free agent after the 2027 season.
LHP Chasen Shreve
Age: 32. MLB debut: 2014.
Bats/throws: Left/left.
2022 (Mets): 1-1, 6.49 ERA, 26⅓ IP.
Something to prove: Shreve has a 3.87 ERA over 311⅓ innings in his nine-year MLB career. The Tigers signed him to a minor-league contract in the offseason. Last season, his revered splitter had a 42.5% swing-and-miss rate. He had a 2.25 ERA with three walks and 10 strikeouts across eight innings in spring training.
MORE ON SHREVE: Chasen Shreve could fill vital role in Tigers’ bullpen, which feels like home to him
RHP Trey Wingenter
Age: 28. MLB debut: 2018.
Bats/throws: Right/right.
2022: Did not play (injury).
Something to prove: The Tigers signed Wingenter to a minor-league contract in the offseason. He was one of the best strikeout pitchers in 2018-19 with the San Diego Padres, thanks to an upper-90s fastball and swing-and-miss slider, before injuries derailed a successful start to his career. The 6-foot-7 righty tossed seven scoreless innings with one walk and 11 strikeouts in spring training.
MORE ON WINGENTER: Tigers’ Trey Wingenter throws two nasty pitches. He just needs to stay healthy
Contact Evan Petzold at epetzold@freepress.com or follow him on Twitter @EvanPetzold.