The Tigers have already started their offseason with a few modest moves, but the bigger story may be the churn coming in the minors. After adding former Orioles pitcher Nick Raquet on a two-year minor league deal, trading with the Red Sox for former Pirates top prospect Tsung-Che Cheng, and bringing back Jacob Waguespack on a one-year, $1.3 million major league deal, Detroit is now staring at a much thinner Triple-A picture.
That’s because the organization took a major hit in minor league free agency. Baseball America’s full list shows 22 players leaving the Tigers system, including 13 from Triple-A. For a club that leans heavily on depth, that’s a significant drain.
Among the names on the move are pitchers Carl Edwards Jr., Jack Little and Tyler Mattison, shortstop Trei Cruz and outfielder James Outman. The Tigers can try to bring some of those players back on minor league contracts, and they’ll also need to line up alternatives quickly if they don’t. Otherwise, the Mud Hens’ roster could be awfully bare.
There is at least some room to refill the pipeline from below. Toledo’s openings can be used to move players up from Double-A, where top prospects Zyhir Hope and Lucas Elissalt spent time in 2026. Infielders Peyton Graham and Izaac Pacheco, along with pitchers Jaden Hamm and Kenny Serwa, also made noise in Erie this year.
Still, most of the heavy lifting for the Triple-A roster is likely to come through more minor league free-agent additions. The Tigers also cleared spots by moving pitchers Bailey Horn, Sawyer Gipson-Long and Yilber Díaz, plus outfielder Corey Julks, to make room for players on the 60-day IL. All four could be back in the mix on new MiLB deals.
After the season, Scott Harris said he regretted not building more depth into the organization to cover months like May, when the Tigers lost player after player. This is the kind of work that statement points to: the small signings, the low-risk returns, the names that don’t grab headlines but help keep the whole thing from falling apart when injuries hit. Guys like Julks, Outman and Gage Workman may not be the center of the plan, but they’re part of the safety net.
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Tigers Just Got Back A Bullpen Arm Worth Watching
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For the Tigers, the return adds an intriguing name to a bullpen pipeline that could use depth and upside. Petits path has been interrupted by injury and roster churn, but the underlying appeal has not changed much: he was good enough to draw Rule 5 attention in the first place, and now Detroit gets another look at what he can become once he is healthy and settled again. [Read more 🡒]
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Bednar, though, comes with the kind of complications that can slow a pursuit before it even starts. Any team that signs him would have to weigh the financial commitment against draft pick compensation, and his market may not fully take shape until he decides whether to accept the qualifying offer from the Yankees before Nov. 17. For a Tigers front office trying to line up its bullpen plans, the timing of that call could matter as much as the price tag. [Read more 🡒]
Tigers Face A Second Base Decision That Could Shape Their Offseason
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Luis Arraez has emerged as a possible answer in outside speculation, with a Bleacher Report writer projecting the Tigers could pursue him as a replacement. It is only a prediction for now, not a confirmed move, but it speaks to the kind of offseason Detroit may be headed for as it looks to sharpen the lineup and make better use of the opportunities it created during a competitive season. [Read more 🡒]