Today marks the deadline for teams to submit to Major League Baseball their initial spring training player pools, which can comprise up to 60 players. Players are not eligible to participate in either a spring training or regular season game until they are included in the pool. Teams are free to change the makeup of the pools as they see fit. However, players removed from a team’s 60-man (for reasons unrelated to injury, suspension, etc.) must be exposed to other organizations via trade or waivers.
Not all players within a team’s pool are ticketed for MLB playing time, of course. Most teams will include well-regarded but still far-off prospects as a means of getting them training reps with no intention of running them onto a major league diamond this season. A comprehensive review of 2020’s unique set of rules can be found here.
The Tigers’ initial player pool consists of the following players.
Right-handed pitchers
- Tim Adleman
- Dario Agrazal
- Nolan Blackwood
- Beau Burrows
- Anthony Castro
- Shao-Ching Chiang
- Jose Cisnero
- Alex Faedo
- Buck Farmer
- Michael Fulmer
- Kyle Funkhouser
- Bryan Garcia
- Rony Garcia
- Zack Godley
- Joe Jimenez
- Matt Manning
- David McKay
- Casey Mize
- Ivan Nova
- Franklin Perez
- John Schreiber
- Spencer Turnbull
- Jordan Zimmermann
Left-handed pitchers
Catchers
Infielders
- Sergio Alcantara
- Miguel Cabrera
- Jeimer Candelario
- Harold Castro
- Willi Castro
- C.J. Cron
- Brandon Dixon
- Niko Goodrum
- Dawel Lugo
- Jordy Mercer
- Isaac Paredes
- Jonathan Schoop
- Frank Schwindel
Outfielders
DarkSide830
ayy Schwindel
DarkSide830
also cool to see Shao get a spot
DarkSide830
also happy early birthday to Mr. Schwindel
BSHH
Dingler is already included, but neither Torkelson nor D. Cabrera. That’s interesting…
Gruß,
BSHH
drew1978
There’s only 58 names there. Probably saving a spot for Torkelson since he hasn’t officially signed yet. Maybe the other spot is Cabrera’s and they just haven’t made the final decision on that yet.
dust44
He’s a catcher. Going to need a few extra on hand. Plus building that report with Mize, Skubal, Manning, Burrows and Faedo which could end up being there rotation of the future is best for a rebuilding team
Melchez
Stokes is on the 40 man roster but not the 60?
LABeachguy
They needed to take man off the 40 to make room for Fulmer. Seems unfair to Stokes as he had a good spring.
Also, Jacob Robson and Danny Woodrow those guys can’t catch a break in the Tiger’s system. They produce in the minors.
ScottCFA
They’re singles hitters that K a lot. Not a good formula in today’s MLB
tg0880
Yeah but they keep giving reps to Stewart and he’s awful a power hitter who doesn’t hit for power and is atrocious in the field
DarkSide830
you mean the guy who hit 27 HRs in 2018?
barry2
Robson ‘s speed doesn’t show up in SBs but he is one the fastest runner in baseball. The problem he can’t the soft stuff.
Tim Sullivan
I agree with LABeachguy on the leaving Robson off the roster. He’s more valuable than Demerritte. He runs well, plays all three outfield spots without embarrassing himself, has a decent arm and bats left-handed. And he can steal bases. He lacks power, but it’s not like the guys they’re keeping will be confused for Nick Castellanos, let along Cecil or Prince Fiedler. Glad to see that Nick Ramirez made the cut. All he did last year was lead the bullpen in innings, have a winning record and an ERA a run and a quarter below team average. What a novel concept for a pitcher. Win more than you lose and have a significantly better ERA than the team had. I am concerned about Perez, though. Unless they’re bringing Dr. Mike Marshall up to work on his arm, I don’t think this will turn out well.
Beldar J. Conehead
One prospect and eight scrubs in the outfield. Scary bad!
Melchez
Yasiel Puig and Melky Cabrera are unemployed and the Tigers have these guys on their team.
Tanks
DarkSide830
what good reason do the Tigers have to make a futile attempt at winning while sacrificing prospect growth?
Melchez
“prospect growth”? LOL Demeritte? Bonefacio? Maybin? Cameron and Hill are a stretch.
I don’t know… maybe they owe it to their fan base to put a competitive team on the field?
The league needs to take away the incentive to lose.
Ejemp2006
We’d be lucky to get an Andy Dirks out of this bunch of outfield prospects. But hey, maybe it’s their strategy. Go all in on pitching prospects and then buy some cheap veteran OFers when it’s time to compete.
DarkSide830
Daz, Greene, and Reyes are all lightyears better then Dirks. they are probably two starters and a strong reserve OF going forward.
Ejemp2006
Yep, my hope train was accelerating until my scroll crashed into that outfield list. Ouch!
But maybe, just maybe, Maybin will teach some secret Yankee swing trick to the youngsters and get them all slugging too.
Ah! Who am I kidding, that outfield doesn’t have a decent bat or glove worth mentioning.
But maybe, just maybe…
stymeedone
Reyes and Jones are not worthy of being put under the “doesn’t have a decent bat or glove worth mentioning” category. Jones looks like he had adjusted his swing and was hitting for average before his injury. He could become a Denard Span type hitter with a better glove. (.280 with 15 hr in a full season). Reyes is going to get AB’s this year, is fast, solid defensively, and with his length, should develop more power. I see Maybin being the platoon with Stewart, and Reyes getting the RF reps. They won’t hit 30 dingers between them in a full season, but in Comerica, they are the type of Outfielder they need.
tigerdoc616
Not super happy with this roster. Looks like every minor league free agent they signed not named Alex Wilson (waived) was put on this taxi squad. Would rather the Tigers have cut some of them loose and made room for more of their top minor league prospects.
LABeachguy
They have 9 of the their top ten on the squad. Joey Wentz who had Tommy John being the other. I would say that is pretty good with their top prospects. Service time with them will be interesting. If they get moved up to the 40 man.
Ejemp2006
On the roster is one thing, on the field is another.
I hope they realize maybe two of their prospects will be serviceable MLB players and give the youngsters big league shots without letting Lack of minor league experience be an excuse for most guys washing out.
dmazcomp
I don’t recall reading this anywhere, but perhaps I missed it. How are the Rule 5 rules going to work this year? If Rony Garcia makes it through the 69 games, does that count as a full year?
dmazcomp
60 games. Typo. Sorry.
DarkSide830
a nice typo though
Dtownwarrior78
I love that they added nearly every top prospect they have due to the fact that if they hadn’t those kids wouldn’t be doing squat this season. Now at the very least they’ll get some practice with the pro roster and keep fresh for next year. Avila won’t play any of them, and even if we (for some strange reason) hung on in contention, I still don’t think he’d play them. Our OF is awful from the pros all through the minors, but with what we drafted this year for IF and the pitching we already had in MiLB, we can draft an OF or 2 this next draft and also sign a FA when we’re ready to contend. But the idea of having 3B Torkelson, SS Willi Castro, 2B Isaac Paredes and 1B Gage Workman. And we’re forgetting about Riley Greene and Pakrer Meadows in the OF spots. Meadows is going to grow into that 6’4″ frame and be amazing! You pair that with all our pitching (Mize, Skubal, Manning, Faedo,Perez,etc) and a great catching situation (Dillon Dingler, Jake Rogers) and that’s a pretty exciting aspect of finally exiting this timely rebuild!
stymeedone
I could see them being in on Springer this offseason. I still see Tork as a future 1B. Parades at 3B. Workman at SS.