Detroit Tigers: Recently-Released Players Worth Taking a Flier on

Mar 7, 2017; Lakeland, FL, USA; Philadelphia Phillies catcher Bryan Holaday (left) is congratulated by Philadelphia Phillies left fielder Tyler Goeddel (2) after Holiday hits a two run homer during the seventh inning of an MLB spring training baseball game against the Detroit Tigers at Joker Marchant Stadium. The Phillies won 11-6. Mandatory Credit: Reinhold Matay-USA TODAY Sports
Mar 7, 2017; Lakeland, FL, USA; Philadelphia Phillies catcher Bryan Holaday (left) is congratulated by Philadelphia Phillies left fielder Tyler Goeddel (2) after Holiday hits a two run homer during the seventh inning of an MLB spring training baseball game against the Detroit Tigers at Joker Marchant Stadium. The Phillies won 11-6. Mandatory Credit: Reinhold Matay-USA TODAY Sports
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Mar 7, 2017; Lakeland, FL, USA; Philadelphia Phillies catcher Bryan Holaday (left) hits a two run homer as Detroit Tigers catcher John Hicks (right) looks on during the seventh inning of an MLB spring training baseball game at Joker Marchant Stadium. The Phillies won 11-6. Mandatory Credit: Reinhold Matay-USA TODAY Sports
Mar 7, 2017; Lakeland, FL, USA; Philadelphia Phillies catcher Bryan Holaday (left) hits a two run homer as Detroit Tigers catcher John Hicks (right) looks on during the seventh inning of an MLB spring training baseball game at Joker Marchant Stadium. The Phillies won 11-6. Mandatory Credit: Reinhold Matay-USA TODAY Sports /

Detroit Tigers general manager Al Avila added plenty of depth in the offseason. With Opening Day around the corner, here are four players the Tigers should take a flier on.

Detroit Tigers fans didn’t see much Major League activity during the offseason.

Cameron Maybin was the only veteran traded, while Victor Alcantara (traded for Maybin) and Mikie Mahtook represented the only players general manager Al Avila traded for.

Instead, the club brought in a bevy of players on minor league deals to provide added options in Spring Training.

These players included Omar Infante, Efren Navarro, Alex Presley, Edward Mujica and Brendan Ryan among others.

With Opening Day fast approaching, it is never a bad time to add depth.

The Tigers used 22 position players and 22 pitchers last season, including nine different starters.

Considering Tyler Collins, Dixon Machado and Steven Moya are all out of options, it is conceivable that Detroit could lose some of the team’s more prominent depth pieces.

It remains to be seen what the Tigers roster will look like on Opening Day, but some depth certainly wouldn’t hurt.

With the regular season just around the corner teams around the league are beginning to pare down their respective rosters.

This means plenty of players being let go.

Here are a few recently-released players the Detroit Tigers should take a filer on.

Feb 15, 2017; Lake Buena Vista, FL, USA; Atlanta Braves relief pitcher Paco Rodriguez (75) fields a bunted ball during MLB spring training workouts at Champion Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Reinhold Matay-USA TODAY Sports
Feb 15, 2017; Lake Buena Vista, FL, USA; Atlanta Braves relief pitcher Paco Rodriguez (75) fields a bunted ball during MLB spring training workouts at Champion Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Reinhold Matay-USA TODAY Sports /

Paco Rodriguez
Age: 25
Position: Relief Pitcher
Throws: Left-Handed

Rodriguez, who missed last season due to Tommy John surgery, bounced back with a solid Spring Training for Atlanta. He threw four innings, posting a 2.25 ERA and a pair of strikeouts.

However, Atlanta recently announced on Twitter that the team had released Rodriguez, among a number of other transactions.

The reliever had previously spent his entire Major League career with the Los Angeles Dodgers before joining the National League East club at the 2015 trade deadline.

Rodriguez moved to Atlanta in the three-team deal that sent Luis Avilan, Alex Wood and Mike Morse to Los Angeles.

In parts of four seasons with the Dodgers, Rodriguez logged a 2.53 ERA and a 2.98 FIP while striking out 9.6 batters per nine innings.

His best campaign came in 2013, when he turned in a 2.32 ERA, a 3.08 FIP and 10.4 punch outs per nine frames in 54.1 innings.

He’d give the Tigers another left-handed option to work alongside Justin Wilson, Kyle Ryan and Blaine Hardy.

Bryan Holaday
Age: 29
Position: Catcher
Hits: Right-Handed

Old friend Bryan Holaday was recently cut by the Phillies.

Philadelphia announced the move in a tweet on Monday morning, tweeting:

“#Phillies have released catchers Ryan Hanigan and Bryan Holaday.”

Holaday was drafted in the sixth round of the 2010 draft by the Detroit Tigers and spent parts of four seasons with the club. He was flipped to Texas for Myles Jaye and Bobby Wilson in late March of 2016.

The 29-year-old spent 2016 with the Rangers and Boston Red Sox. In a combined 24 games, the veteran batted .231 with a .281 on-base percentage.

What’s more, the backstop also posted a 66 wRC+, a 0.4 WAR and a .128 ISO while throwing out 29% of would-be base stealers.

The former Tiger’s numbers didn’t exactly jump off the page, but he did provide value on the base paths with a 1.4 BsR.

Holaday would give Detroit another veteran catching option should something happen to James McCann or Alex Avila.

It certainly doesn’t hurt that he’s familiar with the pitching staff.

Mar 13, 2017; Sarasota, FL, USA;Philadelphia Phillies designated hitter Chris Coghlan (3) slides safe into home plate as Baltimore Orioles catcher Caleb Joseph (36) attempted to tag him out during the first inning at Ed Smith Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kim Klement-USA TODAY Sports
Mar 13, 2017; Sarasota, FL, USA;Philadelphia Phillies designated hitter Chris Coghlan (3) slides safe into home plate as Baltimore Orioles catcher Caleb Joseph (36) attempted to tag him out during the first inning at Ed Smith Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kim Klement-USA TODAY Sports /

Chris Coghlan
Age: 31
Positions: Left Field, Right Field, First Base, Second Base and Third Base
Hits: Right-Handed

Another player cut by the Philadelphia Phillies in Spring Training, the National League East franchise announced the move on Tuesday morning in a tweet.

Philadelphia’s official Twitter account tweeted:

“#Phillies have released OF Chris Coghlan.”

Coghlan is more or less what the Detroit Tigers were looking for when the team signed Mike Aviles last offseason—a super-utility player who can bring value on offense.

The veteran only hit .188 last season with a .290 on-base percentage, but those numbers were spread out over 99 combined games with Oakland and Chicago. Coghlan’s numbers with the Cubs were much more encouraging.

In 48 games, the former Rookie of the Year turned in a strong .391 on-base percentage to go with 21 runs scored, 16 RBI, seven doubles, two triples, a home run and a stolen base.

If he can post similar numbers to those, or the stats he turned in during the 2015 campaign with Chicago (.341 on-base percentage, 41 RBI, 25 doubles, 16 home runs, 11 stolen bases and six triples in 440 at-bats), he’d make an ideal depth piece.

Vance Worley
Age: 29
Position: Pitcher
Throws: Right-Handed

Last but not least, Vance Worley was reportedly let go by the Nationals on Wednesday.

The Washington Post’s Chelsea James reported the move in a tweet on Wednesday morning. James tweeted:

“Nationals announce they have released Vance Worley. Trevor Gott, AJ Colego to Triple A. Jacob Turner and Solano re-assigned to minors, too.”

Worley has plenty of past success in the Majors, whether it be with Philadelphia and Pittsburgh early in his career, or with Baltimore last season.

The pitcher owns a career 3.75 ERA, and posted a 3.53 number in the category last season. A potential swingman, Worley made 47 relief appearances and 29 starts over the last few seasons.

His relief outings have included 19 games finished and a save.

Next: The Tigers Rotation Will Look Like This

The former Pirate would give the Tigers another depth piece in the rotation alongside the likes of Buck Farmer, Warwick Saupold and Myles Jaye.

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