ST. PETERSBURG -- The Rays added another candidate to their outfield competition on Tuesday, acquiring outfielder Justyn-Henry Malloy from the Tigers for cash considerations.
Malloy spent the holidays in a sort of roster limbo, as the Tigers designated him for assignment on Dec. 20 to make room for the addition of right-hander Kyle Finnegan. But the Rays ended his uncertainty by trading for the 25-year-old, who brings a right-handed bat to an outfield mix full of left-handed hitters.
TRADE DETAILS
Rays receive: OF Justyn-Henry Malloy
Tigers receive: Cash considerations
The Rays had two open spots on their 40-man roster, so they did not need to make a corresponding move to make room for Malloy.
Malloy, a sixth-round pick out of Georgia Tech in the 2021 Draft, joined the Tigers in a December 2022 trade with the Braves and spent 2024 and ‘25 bouncing between Detroit and Triple-A Toledo. In the Majors, he has produced a .209/.311/.346 slash line with nine homers and 38 RBIs in 123 games. Over parts of four seasons in Triple-A, he has hit .286/.424/.478 with 40 homers in 271 games.
“He’s had a track record of performance coming up through the Minor Leagues, that combination of on-base and damage,” Tigers general manager Jeff Greenberg told reporters last month. “It hasn’t yet translated at the big league level. It’s not to say it can’t or it won’t. In our situation in particular, we just ran into a point where we didn’t have the space and the time to see that come to fruition.”
Malloy has been successful against left-handed pitching, however, and spent part of his Tigers tenure as a platoon partner for Kerry Carpenter. He owns a .250/.397/.423 slash line with 23 walks and only 36 strikeouts in 131 big league plate appearances against lefties.
That part of his profile appealed to the Rays, who have plenty of outfielders but not many who bat right-handed. Center fielder Cedric Mullins and corner outfielders Chandler Simpson, Josh Lowe and Jake Fraley are all lefties, as is recently acquired prospect Jacob Melton. Malloy could provide some balance with fellow right-handed hitters Jonny DeLuca and Ryan Vilade.
Malloy began his professional career as a third baseman and has played some first base, but he is likely best suited for a role in a corner outfield spot.
Malloy has two Minor League options remaining, so he could begin the season in Triple-A if he doesn’t make the Opening Day roster. Vilade, who has a similar profile as a right-handed-hitting corner outfielder with some infield experience, is out of options.