Tigers agree to terms with Blaine Hardy, four Minor League free agents

The Detroit Tigers today announced that the club has agreed to terms on a one-year contract with lefthanded pitcher Blaine Hardy, thus avoiding arbitration. Additionally, the Tigers have signed righthanded pitchers Kevin Comer and Mark Montgomery, infielder Niko Goodrum and outfielder/first baseman Chad Huffman to Minor League contracts for the 2018 season. Each player has also received an invitation to Major League Spring Training.
Hardy, 30, pitched in 35 games for Detroit in 2017 and had a 1-0 record with a 5.94 ERA (33.1IP/22ER) and 28 strikeouts. Hardy also appeared in 34 games, including two starts, with Triple A Toledo and went 7-3 with three saves, a 3.10 ERA (40.2IP/14ER) and 45 strikeouts. In four Major League seasons with the Tigers, Hardy has compiled a 9-4 record with a 3.62 ERA (159.1IP/64ER) and 134 strikeouts in 164 outings. A native of Seattle, WA, Hardy was originally drafted by the Kansas City Royals in the 22nd round of the June 2008 MLB First-Year Player Draft.
Comer, 25, combined to make 45 relief appearances between Double A Corpus Christi and Triple A Fresno in the Houston Astros organization in 2017 and posted a 5-4 record with six saves, a 3.51 ERA (66.2IP/26ER) and 79 strikeouts. Comer led all Pacific Coast League relievers with 10.46 strikeouts per nine innings. In 152 career Minor League appearances, including 40 starts, Comer has a 21-25 record with 16 saves, a 4.28 ERA (389.0IP/185ER) and 369 strikeouts. Originally from Bryn Mawr, PA, Comer was drafted by the Toronto Blue Jays in the supplemental first round (57th overall) of the June 2011 MLB First-Year Player Draft.
Goodrum, 25, spent the majority of the 2017 season with Triple A Rochester in the Minnesota Twins organization, hitting .265 (122x461) with 71 runs scored, 25 doubles, five triples, 13 home runs and 66 RBI. He also saw the first Major League action of his career last season, playing in 11 games with the Twins and hitting .059 (1x17) with a run scored. In eight seasons at the Minor League level, Goodrum has posted a .250 (614x2454) batting average with 368 runs scored, 123 doubles, 33 triples, 42 home runs and 294 RBI. A native of Atlanta, GA, Goodrum was originally drafted by the Twins in the second round of the June 2010 MLB First-Year Player Draft.
Huffman, 32, played in both the St. Louis Cardinals and Washington Nationals organizations in 2017. In 87 games between Triple A Memphis and Triple A Syracuse, Huffman hit .234 (58x248) with 33 runs scored, 18 doubles, one triple, seven home runs and 30 RBI. Huffman also appeared in 12 games with the Cardinals and batted .286 (4x14) with three runs scored and a triple. Huffman has played in 1,058 games in his career at the Minor League level and has a .277 (1004x3621) batting average with 575 runs scored, 241 doubles, 17 triples, 126 home runs and 561 RBI. In 21 career Major League games, Huffman is a .219 (7x32) hitter with four runs scored, one triple and two RBI. Originally from Houston, TX, Huffman was drafted by the San Diego Padres in the second round of the June 2006 MLB First-Year Player Draft.
Montgomery, 27, spent the entire 2017 season with Triple A Memphis in the St. Louis Cardinals organization. Montgomery appeared in 46 games, all in relief, and had a 5-1 record with five saves, a 2.43 ERA (66.2IP/18ER) and 73 strikeouts. Montgomery led all Pacific Coast League relievers with a .193 (46x238) opponents batting average and 9.18 baserunners allowed per nine innings, while he was tied for second with 11 holds, third with 1.89 walks per nine innings and fifth with 9.86 strikeouts per nine innings. In 265 career appearances, including four starts, at the Minor League level, Montgomery has compiled a 22-11 record with 63 saves, a 2.35 ERA (352.1IP/92ER) and 449 strikeouts. A native of Williamsburg, VA, Montgomery was originally drafted in the 11th round of the June 2011 MLB First-Year Player Draft.