FanPost

Tigers Depth Chart as of the Lockout

With the MLB lockdown in place, it's not a bad time to look at the Tigers depth chart as things stand now.

2022 Tigers as of the lockout

(For those wondering, I make these depth charts using the sports gaming site Operation Sports.)

  • Behind obvious starting Catcher Tucker Barnhart, the situation at backup is a little awkward at the moment. Eric Haase is the stated backup but Dustin Garneau is on the roster with no minor league options left. I expect Garneau to go through waivers and be retained in Toledo at some point, but for now I have Garneau as the backup and Haase listed primarily as a Left Fielder. I also have an extra position on this chart and a shorter bullpen.
  • In the infield, we're set at Third Base (Jeimer Candelario), Short Stop (Javier Baez), First Base (Johnathon Schoop), and Designated Hitter (Miguel Cabrera). Sure, Miggy sees some time at first along the way. The rest of the infielders fight for the starting Second Baseman spot as well as two backup spots. This battle will take place in Spring Training, but I'm penciling in Isaac Paredes as the primary Second Baseman. Behind him, I have Zack Short and Hittin' Harold Castro on the bench. Regardless of where these players start, plan on using minor league options for all three during the 2022 season.
  • When Spencer Torkelson is ready -- which could very well be on Opening Day -- he bumps Schoop to 2B, Paredes to the bench, and a backup IF to Toledo. At first glance, this opens up an interesting starting battle between Isaac Paredes and Torkelson.
  • There are 4 heavily used outfielders plus Eric Haase (for the time being at least). Akil Baddo is the primary Center Fielder with Daz Cameron getting few games there as well. Willi Castro is primarily a Left Fielder with one last chance to prove he can hit. Robbie Grossman spends most of his time in Right Field with Castro and Haase more comfortable in left.
  • When Riley Greene is ready -- which could also be Opening Day -- Baddoo gets bumped to left field. Either Daz Cameron goes to Toledo or Willi Castro becomes a bench 2B/LF and a bench infielder is optioned.
  • The Starting Pitching rotation is nearly set with Eduardo Rodriguez as the Opening Day starter followed by Casey Mize, Tarik Skubal, Matt Manning, and another guy they sign when the lockout ends.
  • The bullpen will shake out in Spring Training, but here's a light stab at it: Michael Fulmer and Gregory Soto are the most likely late inning options followed by Jose Cisnero, Kyle Funkhouser, Alex Lange, Miguel Del Pozo, and Tyler Alexander as the long-relief/swingman. And yes, Alexander gets the opportunity to compete for a starting spot.

At this point, the debate over who should be added to this roster from the outside could can and will go on for months. I'll throw out my thoughts at this point, but I think we'd all benefit from not getting too buried in possible roster additions until the lockout is nearing an end.

  • Kick the tires on Seiya Susuki. MLBTR guesses he'll get a contract covering 5 years at $11 million per year. This is not an unreasonable risk considering the potential reward. The outfield in Detroit isn't a big hole, but it's worth making room for Susuki as a potential long-term contributor.
  • At this point, I don't see the need to add to the position player group otherwise. This team is pretty well-positioned to come out of the rebuild and into relevance again. If anything, I probably prefer to delay any other meaningful commitments until the trade deadline or next winter when it's more clear how all of these young players are progressing. In addition, we could see contract extensions or trade interest in any number of players including Grossman, Candelario, Schoop, and Barnhart.
  • Find another Starting Pitcher for a one- or two-year term. With Spencer Turnbull coming back in 2023 and a few prospects potentially on the radar as starters by then, there's no need to go longer than one year (or maybe a second in an effort to get the right guy) . As many others have said, Carlos Rodon tops this list but there are a lot of other possible names here.
  • I wouldn't be against adding another potential starter for a swingman role. It's not at all uncommon for a pitcher to go down with a meaningful injury between the start of Spring Training and the first month's worth of games or so. If everyone is healthy, perhaps Matt Manning could use a little polishing in Toledo. If not, adding a swingman effectively beefs up the bullpen by pushing a starter into a long-relief role.
  • There has been a lot of debate about adding a reliever to this roster. I really can't be against it -- a veteran reliever could easily replace Miguel Del Pozo after all. But, I'm not sure I see the need. Fulmer and Soto should be coming into their own as closers and there are so many prospect arms approaching the majors. For those who are looking for a situational lefty (not that LOOGY's aren't really a thing any more), I'd ask if Tyler Alexander can be that guy. If this team finds two potential starting pitchers instead of just one, Alexander would be available for that.
  • I could see an addition to the bullpen in the form of a Rule 5 pick. (Yes, I do still see a major league Rule 5 draft happening once the lockout is done even though it has been "postponed indefinitely" for now.) Keep in mind here, the Tigers are picking much lower than they have in recent years when they've picked Victor Reyes and Akil Baddoo. It's even less likely they find a real player than previous years.
  • Like Jell-O, there's always room for minor league depth. I'm not seeing a glaring need any one particular place, but depth is always a good thing across the board. Just don't complain about who they happen to sign this way.

This is a FanPost and does not necessarily reflect the views of the <em>Bless You Boys</em> writing staff.