Detroit Tigers free agency primer: Danny Valencia an ideal fit

Detroit Tigers first baseman Miguel Cabrera should be moved to designated hitter full time. If that happens, the team will need a new first baseman. Danny Valencia could be a fit.

Detroit Tigers fans will see a younger team in 2018. While the club could be active in the trade market in terms of adding prospects for the future, Detroit could also add some free agents.

One area of need that the team should address is first base.

Even if Miguel Cabrera returns fully healthy and producing once again at his usual Hall-of-Fame rate, the Tigers should still move him to designated hitter on a full-time basis.

That would open up a need at first base, a position that thanks to the presence of Cabrera, Detroit hasn’t invested much in capital in regarding alternatives.

As it stands, the team’s only alternatives are John Hicks and Efren Navarro.

Hicks could see time there, but he struggled mightily in September (-0.4 fWAR, 33 wRC+ and a .227 wOBA in 59 plate appearances) and may be better suited to serving as James McCann’s backup while occasionally seeing time at first.

Efren Navarro

Then there’s Navarro, who was only added to the 40-man roster in September. A quality fielder, Navarro simply hasn’t hit enough in the Majors.

He contributed just four extra-base hits in 69 plate appearances with Detroit.

The ex-Angel also added a .299 wOBA, a 92 WRC+ and a 30.4 strikeout rate. At 31, he doesn’t exactly fit with the rebuilding Tigers.

Detroit could hand the position to 25-year-old Dominic Ficociello, but the untested prospect looks like a better bet to stick in the Majors as a utility man off the bench.

The trade front could be a viable option for the Tigers. However, it’s possible that the free agent market could prove to be more fruitful.

While there are plenty of free agent options at first base, Danny Valencia stands out as one of the best fits.