Detroit Tigers All-Time 25-Man Dream Roster

Credit: Jake Roth-USA TODAY Sports

Mickey Cochrane (C) Cochrane won two MVP awards, the first with the Philadelphia Athletics and the second with the Tigers. He was also named an All-Star in two of his years as a Tiger. During his time with the Tigers, he played catcher and managed, which is no small feat. He would have played longer, but he was hit in the head by a pitch and was forced to retire after spending seven days in the hospital and coming close to death.

Harry Heilmann (OF) Heilmann could play anywhere which makes him an outstanding bench player, but he was most often in the outfield. He can also serve as a clutch hitter due to the fact that his line drives were legendary. He is also one of the elite class of baseball players to hit above .400 in 1923.

Norm Cash (1B) He played his entire career with the Tigers. He was dominate at first base where he led the league in assists and fielding percentages twice during his career. He was a four-time All Star. One interesting stat of his was that in 1960 he never grounded into a double play. He was second to Al Kaline in most home runs for Tigers batter. He even broke “Hammerin’ Hank” Greenberg’s records at first base. The fans and the media loved his sense of humor and he had a reputation for living hard.

(2B) This second baseman won the MVP award in 1937. He had a .320 career batting average. He was known for being quiet and unassuming, but would do his job like no other and is still considered one of the best second basemen of all time. As a great second-baseman, there is no reason why he could not fill both middle infield positions if needed.

Detroit Tigers

Kirk Gibson (OF) Even though he is best known for his clutch home run with the Dodgers, he was a Detroit Tiger first. “Gibby” was a local boy who attended Michigan State University. Sparky Anderson compared him to Mickey Mantle and he certainly did not disappoint. He was named the MVP in 1988. He may not have been the best player to ever grace the outfield, but there is something about his intensity and clutch hitting ability that would make him an asset on the bench.

Sam Crawford (OF) Crawford was one of the best hitters in the Deadball Era. In a time when singles were the norm, he hit 309 triples and several in-the-park home runs. He regularly led the league in several batting categories. He is a member of the Hall of Fame. He still leads the league in his career number of triples with 309. He stopped playing 1917.

Detroit Tigers

Schedule