Detroit Tigers: Potential offseason 40-man roster departures

Detroit Tigers general manager Al Avila will need to add some prospects to the 40-man roster this offseason. Here are the most likely players to be moved to make room.

Detroit Tigers fans have endured a tough season.

After seeing the team fall out of the playoff race and trade away stars like Justin Verlander, J.D. Martinez and Justin Upton.

Now, the rest of this season—and likely part of next season—is about finding players who will be on the next great Tigers team.

That future team will likely include some combination of Franklin Perez, Christin Stewart, Mike Gerber, Matt Manning, Grayson Long, Alex Faedo, Derek Hill, Jake Rogers, Daz Cameron and Isaac Paredes among others.

Perez, Stewart, Gerber and Long could conceivably arrive sometime in 2018 to join a Major League core that also features Michael Fulmer, Jeimer Candelario, Mikie Mahtook, Shane Greene, Nicholas Castellanos and Joe Jimenez.

They could be joined by other prospects like Beau Burrows, Bryan Garcia, Mark Ecker, Paul Voelker, Matt Hall and Grayson Greiner.

As it stands, none of those prospects are currently on the 40-man roster. If Detroit wants to add any of them to the team this offseason—particularly players like Gerber, Hill and Voelker who will need to be added as they are potentially eligible for the Rule 5 draft—the Tigers will need 40-man roster space.

Presently with a full 40-man roster, here are the players who could conceivably depart Detroit to make room for the prospects, as well as potential offseason additions.

Ian Kinsler

Arguably the Detroit Tigers’ best trade chip, Kinsler could bring in even more prospects to aid the rebuild.

Despite a down season (88 wRC+, .313 on-base percentage), Kinsler is still registering a 2.1 WAR thanks to some excellent defense and base running.

The 36-year-old’s trade value could also be helped by the fact that he’s a better option compared to pretty much every free agent on the market.

Free agent second baseman this winter will include the likes of Brandon Phillips, Chase Utley and Neil Walker.

Jose Iglesias

Another one of general manager Al Avila’s best trade chips, Iglesias also stands out as being a superior player compared the vast majority of the free agent class at his position.

With the exception of perhaps Zack Cozart, Iglesias is a much more complete option than the potential free agents such as J.J. Hardy, Eduardo Nunez and Alcides Escobar.

Anibal Sanchez

Per Spotrac, the 33-year-old has a $16 million option on his contract for next season. Detroit can buy him out for $5 million.

With Sanchez sporting a -0.3 WAR, a 6.00 FIP and allowing 2.65 home runs per nine frames in 88.1 innings, it would make sense for the Tigers to move on and hand his innings to the likes of Buck Farmer, Artie Lewicki and eventually Perez, Long and Burrows.

Bruce Rondon

Rondon shows obvious talent on the mound, but wasn’t recalled when rosters expanded in September despite being on the 40-man roster and having thrown in the Majors this season.

He pitched to a 10.91 ERA in 15.2 Major League innings this year. However, his 3.28 FIP and 3.94 xFIP indicated he was better than his ERA would suggest.

It obviously remains to be seen if the right-hander sticks with the Detroit Tigers.

Tyler Collins

Collins is still controllable through 2021 via arbitration, because of that, he could conceivably stick around.

That being said, however, the outfielder has already been designated for assignment this season and has fallen behind Mikie Mahtook, Nicholas Castellanos, Alex Presley and JaCoby Jones in the outfield pecking order.

With Gerber and Stewart knocking on the door, the Tigers could conceivably move on from Collins to clear up space in the outfield.

Alex Presley

Given his production down the stretch (.351 on-base percentage, .324 wOBA), Presley could make for one of general manager Al Avila’s better trade chips this offseason.

Similar to Collins, the 32-year-old could be moved in order to make way for the team’s top outfield prospects on the 40-man unit.

With Gerber potentially ready to contribute as soon as Opening Day, it would be prudent to move Presley for a prospect to help sustain future success.

Blaine Hardy

The Detroit Tigers bullpen is undergoing a bit of a youth movement.

Zac Reininger, Joe Jimenez, Jairo Labourt and Victor Alcantara have all stepped in down the stretch, while the likes of Bryan Garcia, Mark Ecker, Paul Voelker, Adam Ravenelle and Ruben Alaniz could conceivably join them next season.

In that regard, Hardy could conceivably be on the outside looking in.

It doesn’t help that he’s pitched to a 5.27 xFIP in 29 Major League innings this season.

Jeff Ferrell

Ferrell throws hard, but has allowed 16 hits, six runs, four walks and two home runs in 8.2 frames of work with the Tigers this season.

Like Hardy, he could be on the outside looking in where bullpen places are concerned in 2018.

Andrew Romine

Romine could be a trade fit for a contending team looking to add defensive versatility to the bench.

With a career-high .114 ISO this season, the utility ace can also add some value at the plate.

Similar to a number of the veterans on this list, Detroit should give a younger player Romine’s bench spot in 2018.

Just which young player that is remains to be seen, but Ficociello could make for an intriguing bench cog given his own versatility.

Jim Adduci

One of the few members of the 40-man roster not to be called up this month, Adduci could be dealt in the offseason.

Next: These Tigers prospects need to be added to 40-man roster to protect them from Rule 5 draft

He showed well (91 wRC+, .157 ISO, 10.8 walk percentage) in 93 plate appearances for Detroit earlier this season, but is 32 and could be part of a potentially crowded outfield picture next year.