The Tigers head to Spring Training with much of the same roster that was in Lakeland, Fla., a year ago, but that doesn’t make this the same team. President of baseball operations Scott Harris said during the offseason that much of their improvement would be internal, from their current players; this Spring Training will be the chance for some of them to show that off.
In addition to established players getting better, the Tigers are hoping to get the first samples of contributions from the next wave of young talent coming up the farm system. Top prospect Kevin McGonigle will be the center of attention, but plenty others will be in position to make an impression.
Here are six Tigers expected to be in camp who should be intriguing follows through Spring Training:
1. Tarik Skubal
The Tigers need only look back to Blue Jays camp last Spring Training with Vladimir Guerrero Jr., or to Tigers camp a decade ago with Max Scherzer, to see how a star player entering a contract year without a deal can dominate headlines. Skubal’s agent, Scott Boras, indicated during the Winter Meetings that they have no deadline when it comes to potential contract talks and will remain open to listening unless instructed otherwise. Skubal has been steadfast on not discussing his contract situation publicly, but that will likely be tested with free agency on the horizon.
The Tigers’ top prospect, and MLB Pipeline’s overall No. 2, is expected to receive a non-roster invite to big league camp, where he’ll get a good amount of playing time to make his case that he’s ready for the Majors. The bigger impression McGonigle makes, the more intriguing decision the Tigers face: Do they let the 21-year-old bypass Triple-A Toledo and give him an Opening Day role at shortstop, thus putting him in position for Rookie of the Year consideration and a potential Prospect Promotion Incentive pick for the club? Or do they play the long game and put him in Toledo with consideration for a midseason callup?
3. Hao-Yu Lee
The Tigers’ No. 6 prospect made a big impression last spring as a non-roster invitee but also showed how he can get frustrated when he struggles, something he learned to deal with during his regular season at Toledo. Now he returns to big league camp with a chance to potentially compete for a platoon role in the infield following the departure of Andy Ibáñez, an opportunity that ramps up the pressure on the 23-year-old. Lee’s ability to hit left-handed pitching (.299 average, .913 OPS in Toledo) and draw walks (11.2 percent walk rate) fits into the Tigers’ philosophy. He’s expected to miss part of camp to compete for Chinese Taipei in the World Baseball Classic.
4. Max Anderson
The Tigers’ No. 9 prospect, drafted nine slots after McGonigle in 2023, will be in a similar position to Lee, looking to make his case that he deserves a chance at a share of playing time at third base against southpaws. Anderson crushed lefties last year, slashing .341/.391/.626 over 261 plate appearances between Toledo and Double-A Erie. He needs to show his advanced approach against big league pitching while demonstrating that he can hold down third base defensively well enough to warrant starts there. A strong camp could put him in position for a chance at midseason, if not sooner.
Meadows’ Spring Training last year lasted all of one game and two at-bats before a musculocutaneous nerve issue led to numbness in his upper right arm and an extended shutdown that delayed the start to his season until June. Once he returned, he struggled to replicate the power and speed he displayed in his 2024 stretch run, stifling the momentum that seemed to have him trending toward stardom. He’s healthy now and has a chance at a full Spring Training to hone his approach and solidify his role amid potential challenges from Wenceel Pérez and Matt Vierling, not to mention prospect Max Clark on the horizon.
6. Trei Cruz
What team wouldn’t want a young switch-hitting utility player with bits of power and speed, capable of playing all over the infield and outfield, in their camp? Cruz was a late bloomer in the Tigers' system, posting an .867 OPS and 102 walks last season between Toledo and Erie to earn a spot on the 40-man roster and a spot in his first Major League camp at age 27. He’s a long shot to make the Opening Day roster, but if he can show the solid approach that he displayed last year, along with the comfort level at various positions around the field, he can put himself in position for an in-season callup as a weapon off the bench, like Jahmai Jones did last year.