Tigers Agree to Terms With 17 Players on Minor League Contracts for 2016 Season

DETROIT - The Detroit Tigers announced today that the club has agreed to terms on minor league contracts for the 2016 season with 17 players.

The list of signed players includes righthanded pitchers Ruben Alaniz, Endrys Briceno, Jake Brigham, Lendy Castillo, Edgar De La Rosa, Rafael Dolis, Eduardo Figueroa, Preston Guilmet, Cory Riordan, Ross Seaton and Thad Weber, lefthanded pitchers Drake Britton and Anthony Fernandez, catchers Albert Cordero and Miguel Gonzalez, infielder Tommy Field and outfielder Jiwan James.

Britton, Castillo, Dolis, Field, Gonzalez and Guilmet have each received an invitation to Major League spring training camp.

Alaniz, 24, spent all of the 2015 season with Double A Corpus Christi and had a 6-4 record with a 4.55 ERA (57.1IP/29ER) and 25 strikeouts in 14 appearances, including five starts. In his minor league career, Alaniz has compiled a 35-30 record with a 4.75 ERA (485.0IP/256ER) and 320 strikeouts in 114 appearances, including 78 starts.

Briceno, 23, pitched in 13 games, including 11 as a starter, between the GCL Tigers and Single A Lakeland in 2015. He posted a 2-4 record with a 3.47 ERA (46.2IP/18ER) and 37 strikeouts. Briceno has a career record of 17-26 with a 4.60 ERA (374.0IP/191ER) and 237 strikeouts in 95 appearances, including 72 starts.

Brigham, 27, made his major league debut in 2015 with the Atlanta Braves, pitching in 12 games and compiling a 0-1 record with a 8.64 ERA (16.2IP/16ER) and 12 strikeouts. He also saw time at Double A Mississippi and Triple A Gwinnett in 2015, combining for a 10-4 record with a 3.46 ERA (91.0IP/35ER) and 69 strikeouts. Brigham has a career minor league record of 45-58 with a 4.27 ERA (917.0IP/435ER) and 786 strikeouts in 210 outings, including 152 starts.

Britton, 26, played for Triple A Iowa in 2015, pitching in 28 games, including 11 as a starter, and compiling a 7-8 record with one save, a 5.08 ERA (83.1IP/47ER) and 45 strikeouts. Britton has pitched in 179 games, including 113 as a starter, in his minor league career and has a 27-48 record with six saves, a 4.69 ERA (592.2IP/309ER) and 497 strikeouts. Britton has also pitched in 25 games in the majors and has a 1-1 record with a 2.93 ERA (27.2IP/9ER) and 21 strikeouts.

Castillo, 26, pitched in the Texas and Toronto organizations in 2015, seeing time with Single A High Desert, Single A Dunedin and Double A Frisco. In 27 games, including one start, between the three teams, Castillo posted a 2-2 record with a 4.78 ERA (49.0IP/26ER) and 39 strikeouts. In his minor league career, Castillo has appeared in 138 games, including 25 starts, and has a 14-12 record with two saves, a 3.86 ERA (305.1IP/131ER) and 289 strikeouts. Castillo has pitched in 13 games in the majors and has a 0-1 record with a 7.88 ERA (16.0IP/14ER) and 13 strikeouts.

Cordero, 25, spent all of the 2015 season with the New York Mets' Double A affiliate in Binghamton. In 47 games, Cordero hit .190 (30x158) with seven runs scored, three doubles, two home runs and seven RBI. Cordero has a career batting average of .244 (404x1655) with 176 runs scored, 74 doubles, eight triples, 25 home runs and 178 RBI.

De La Rosa, 25, remains in the Tigers organization after splitting the 2015 season between the GCL Tigers and Double A Erie. In 16 appearances last season, De La Rosa had a 1-1 record with one save, a 6.86 ERA (19.2IP/15ER) and 14 strikeouts. In 131 career appearances, including 97 starts, De La Rosa has a 27-36 record with four saves, a 4.28 ERA (538.0IP/256ER) and 391 strikeouts.

Dolis, 27, spent all of 2015 with Triple A Toledo, pitching in 43 games out of the bullpen and posting a 7-5 record with one save, a 4.61 ERA (66.1IP/34ER) and 54 strikeouts. Dolis has made 206 appearances, including 65 starts, as a minor leaguer and has a 32-33 record with 22 saves, a 3.94 ERA (461.0IP/202ER) and 367 strikeouts. Dolis has pitched in 40 games in the majors in his career and has a 2-4 record with four saves, a 5.48 ERA (44.1IP/27ER) and 25 strikeouts.

Fernandez, 25, saw time in 2015 with the AZL Mariners and Double A Jackson, combining for a 0-0 record with a 1.50 ERA (12.0IP/2ER) and 11 strikeouts. Fernandez has appeared in 147 games, including 106 as a starter, in his career and has a 42-34 record with two saves, a 3.60 ERA (685.1IP/274ER) and 564 strikeouts.

Field, 28, played for the Texas Rangers and the Rangers' Triple A affiliate, Round Rock, in 2015. Field played in 14 games with the Rangers, hitting .195 (8x41) with six runs scored, one double, two home runs and five RBI. In 103 games with Round Rock, Field hit .247 (91x369) with 51 runs scored, 23 doubles, three triples, 14 home runs and 44 RBI. As a minor leaguer, Field has a .268 (766x2855) career batting average with 479 runs scored, 161 doubles, 27 triples, 79 home runs and 381 RBI. In four seasons in the majors, Field has a .214 (25x117) average with 14 runs scored, one double, two home runs and eight RBI.

Figueroa, 27, most recently pitched in the Chicago Cubs organization in 2014, pitching for Single A Daytona, Double A Tennessee and Triple A Iowa. In 21 appearances, including 13 starts, Figueroa had a 3-3 record with a 4.66 ERA (65.2IP/34ER) and 38 strikeouts. Figueroa has a career record of 26-31 with six saves, a 3.63 ERA (500.1IP/202ER) and 352 strikeouts.

Gonzalez, 25, split time in 2015 with Double A Erie and Triple A Toledo, appearing in 69 games and hitting .242 (53x219) with 18 doubles, two home runs and 26 RBI. Gonzalez has a career batting average of .251 (397x1581) with 184 runs scored, 88 doubles, six triples, 15 home runs and 163 RBI. Gonzalez has also played in five games in the majors and has a .222 (2x9) average.

Guilmet, 28, played for four different organizations in 2015, pitching for Triple A Buffalo, Triple A Durham, Triple A Oklahoma City and Triple A Colorado Springs. He made 39 appearances in the minors and had a 2-2 record with a 2.15 ERA (50.1IP/12ER) and 46 strikeouts. He also pitched in the majors for Tampa Bay and Milwaukee, compiling a 0-0 record with an 11.05 ERA (7.1IP/9ER) and six strikeouts in five outings. Guilmet has pitched in 275 games, including 15 starts, as a minor leaguer and has a 24-18 record with a 2.68 ERA (396.1IP/118ER) and 424 strikeouts. In 19 appearances in the majors, Guilmet is 0-1 with a 8.22 ERA (23.0IP/21ER) and 19 strikeouts.

James, 26, spent all of 2015 with Single A Lakeland and hit .249 (119x477) with 56 runs scored, 10 doubles, eight triples, seven home runs, 31 RBI and 22 stolen bases in 114 games. James has a career .262 (591x2256) batting average with 312 runs scored, 88 doubles, 31 triples, 24 home runs, 192 RBI and 109 stolen bases.

Riordan, 29, last pitched in 2013, splitting time with the Double A Tulsa and Triple A Colorado Springs in the Colorado Rockies organization. In 32 appearances, including 13 starts, Riordan had a 6-6 record with a 6.17 ERA (89.0IP/61ER) and 65 strikeouts. In 188 career appearances, including 133 starts, Riordan has a 43-47 record with two saves, a 4.41 ERA (897.2IP/440ER) and 729 strikeouts. Riordan pitched in Korea in 2014 and pitched for the Bridgeport Bluefish of the Atlantic League of Professional Baseball in 2015.

Seaton, 26, started 23 games between Single A West Michigan and Triple A Toledo in 2015, and had a 12-9 record with a 3.88 ERA (143.2IP/62ER) and 95 strikeouts. Seaton has pitched in 176 games, including 165 starts, in his career and has compiled a 46-60 record with a 4.83 ERA (927.2IP/498ER) and 594 strikeouts.

Weber, 31, remains in the Tigers organization in 2016 after spending all of 2015 with Triple A Toledo. Weber started 27 games for the Mud Hens last season and had a 6-10 record with a 4.19 ERA (161.0IP/75ER) and 105 strikeouts. Weber has a career minor league record of 54-62 with a 3.91 ERA (986.2IP/429ER) and 713 strikeouts in 169 appearances, including 164 starts. Weber has also made 10 appearances in the majors and has a 0-2 record with a 3.79 ERA (19.0IP/8ER) and 11 strikeouts.