The Tigers have claimed outfielder Bligh Madris off waivers from the Rays, reports Marc Topkin of the Tampa Bay Times. Tampa Bay designated Madris for assignment earlier in the week.
Madris, 26, made his big league debut in 2022, splitting the season between the Pirates and Rays. He didn’t appear in the Majors with Tampa Bay following a mid-September waiver claim but did log 39 games with the Pirates, struggling to a .177/.244/.265 batting line through his first 123 Major League plate appearances.
The lefty-swinging Madris, however, has been far better in Triple-A Indianapolis, where he notched a combined .297/.366/.510 batting line with 11 homers, 22 doubles and four triples. Because he was just selected to the 40-man roster this season, Madris has two option years remaining, so he can give the Tigers some optionable depth. Madris handled right-handed pitching particularly well in 2022, batting .272/.345/.492 between the big leagues and Triple-A. He’s played primarily right field but does have some experience in the other two outfield slots and at first base.
The Tigers don’t have a ton of outfield depth on the 40-man roster. Austin Meadows, Riley Greene and Kerry Carpenter loosely project as the starters, though Detroit will likely add some outfield reinforcements in some capacity this winter. Akil Baddoo and Parker Meadows — Austin’s younger brother — are the only other pure outfielders on the 40-man roster for Detroit at the moment, so Madris will give them another lefty bat with a nice Triple-A track record and a bit of defensive versatility.
Toledo
Best of wishes Bligh, one of our best prospects just gone just like that.
Waiver claim is one of the Pirates’ best?
Surely you jest.
I do, and stop calling me Shirley.
???… no this isn’t a joke I’m wishing Bligh will have traction with the Tigers.
at 26 years old, with just a whiff of major league experience under his belt, his days as a prospect ended several years earlier
How can he be one of your best if he was on the waiver wire? He might be a 4A player at best because an organization like TB do not let players go unless they feel that there’s a better prospect behind him.
How can he be one of your best if he was on the waiver wire? He might be a 4A player at best because an organization like TB do not let players go unless they feel that there’s a better prospect behind him.
Good depth addition
He’s likely going to cause a mutiny in the clubhouse
?
Captain Bligh…….Mutiny……..The Bounty……….face palming……..
Only if he’s made Captain.
With no current open roster spots, that means someone is getting Nontendered to make room.
Should’ve traded him to the Pirares.
Bligh will eventually be the fourth outfielder or and everyday player for the Tigers if he sticks. Good discipline and will keep getting better.
Platoon with Tork until he gets some confidence
Hopefully the next JDM
JVM more likely
Harris churning the back end of the roster. Get used to this fellow Tigers fans.
There will be some that will be missed. But, I appreciate the moves. Need to keep it competitive, even amongst the ranks.
He can churn the back end all he wants. That wasn’t the Tigers problem. When’s he going to do something that matter? Of course the players on the bench had some shortcomings. That’s why they weren’t starters. They were very capable bench players.
They had too many bench players in starting roles. H Castro, W Castro, Reyes, Clemens. They made big signings and trades only to come 11 wins behind 2021. Baez and ERod, Schoop’s 2 year extension, Barnhardt trade, Meadows trade. It’s ridiculous.
I don’t expect any big signings this off-season. And I really hope they don’t trade Manning Mize or Skubal.
How can he be one of your best if he was on the waiver wire? He might be a 4A player at best because an organization like TB do not let players go unless they feel that there’s a better prospect behind him.
The Mets need a CF. So does LA.
No tool player.
If Bligh wants to make himself more roster ready, I would get some further coaching not only at first, but second as well.
They let Willi Castro and Reyes go for this guy?