Sawyer Gipson-Long #66

Selected by Minnesota in the sixth round of the 2019 First-Year Player Draft out of Mercer University...acquired by the Tigers from Minnesota in exchange for Michael Fulmer on Aug. 2, 2022...since being drafted in 2019, has pitched in 78 games, getting placed on an injured list five separate times over that span.

2024

Pitched in one rehab game with Lakeland...missed the entire season due to Tommy John surgery and a left hip labral repair.

2023

Spent most of the 2023 season in the minors before seeing his first big league action in September... Sidelined from June 18-July 2 with a left thigh strain... Earned International League Pitcher of the Week honors for the week ending Aug. 20, throwing 6.0 shutout innings with one hit allowed, two walks and 12 strikeouts on August 18 vs. Omaha... Made his Major League debut on Sept. 10 vs. Chicago (AL), tossing 5.0 innings and giving up two runs on four hits with no walks and five strikeouts to earn a win...became the first pitcher in franchise history to throw at least 5.0 innings with no walks and at least five strikeouts in his debut... Struck out 11 batters in his second big league start on Sept. 16 at Los Angeles (AL)...became the third pitcher in franchise history to have double-digit strikeouts in one of his first two career starts, joining Jack Morris (11 strikeouts on July 31, 1977) and Ralph Comstock (11 strikeouts on Sept. 1, 1913)... Ranked as the No. 19 prospect in the Tigers organization by Baseball America following the season

2022

Started the 2022 season in the Twins organization before being acquired by the Tigers on Aug. 2...Allowed one run-or-less in five of his last six starts with Single A Cedar Rapids from May 8-June 7, posting a 4-1 record with a 1.65 ERA (32.2IP/6ER) and 32 strikeouts...On the injured list from Sept. 24-30 with a left knee contusion.