Detroit Tigers: DFA Daniel Fields; call up Steven Moya, three others

When the Detroit Tigers chose to bring up infielder Josh Wilson as one of their September call-ups, they needed to make room on the 40-man roster. To do this, they cut ties with longtime prospect with local ties, Daniel Fields.

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The Tigers called up backup catcher Bryan Holaday and shortstop Dixon Machado when the rosters expanded on September 1, but kept their other players in the minors to finish up their seasons on the farm.

Monday, the Tigers announced that Holaday and Machado would be joined by Wilson, #1 prospect in the system OF Steven Moya, IF Jefry Marte and LHP Ian Krol on the big league team for the rest of the season.

We have seen Marte and Krol from time to time this season, unfortunately in the case of Krol.

Wilson, Marte, Machado, along with Andrew Romine give the Tigers a ton of infield depth while Jose Iglesias is on the mend. Could all these players signal the end of Iglesias’ season, even though he is just listed as day-to-day? Wouldn’t be a bad idea considering nothing is on the line in these final three weeks of the season.

Moya is perhaps the most intriguing call-up. He struggled a bit this year in his promotion from AA to AAA, though some of that was from injury early in the year. He did finish fairly strong, hitting 20 homers with 74 RBIs, but with a lower average of .240. He also struck out 162 times in 126 games with Toledo.

One player that was not brought up from the Detroit Tigers that was likely a tough call to keep off the team was Michael Fulmer, one of the pieces in the Yoenis Cespedes trade. He finished his season, split between AA stops with the Mets and Tigers farm systems by going 10-3 with a 2.24 ERA and 1.075 WHIP. He will no doubt get a hard look for a roster spot in Spring Training.

Fields was selected by the Tigers in the sixth round of the 2009 draft and spent his career winding through the minor leagues. Once one of the best prospects in the organization, he has struggled the last couple of seasons. He started strong in Toledo this season, earning the first call-up of his career and making his first major league appearance, notching a hit on June 4.

He limped to the finish with the Mud Hens, putting up the slash of .228/.335/.367 with seven homers in 122 games.

Fields was born in Detroit and went to high school at University of Detroit Jesuit. He is the son of former Tiger Bruce Fields, who made his debut with Detroit in 1986, and played with the Seattle Mariners from 1988 to 1989. He has served as a manager and hitting coach in the Tigers’ system over the years.

Next: MCB MLB Power Rankings: Tigers slip again