Detroit Tigers reportedly add reliever Mark Montgomery on minor league deal

Detroit Tigers general manager Al Avila has reportedly signed reliever Mark Montgomery to a minor league deal. The Detroit Free Press’ Anthony Fenech reported the news via tweet Monday.

Detroit Tigers fans have already seen the team jettison some 40-man roster depth this offseason.

All of that depth have been veteran players, as Detroit removed catcher Bryan Holaday, outfielders Alex Presley, Tyler Collins and Jim Adduci, pitchers Myles Jaye, Jeff Ferrell and Kyle Ryan as well as first baseman Efren Navarro.

Additionally, utility infielder and outfielder Andrew Romine was lost on waivers to the Seattle Mariners.

Now, executive vice president and general manager Al Avila is in the midst of rebuilding the club.

That rebuild process will likely include signing players to minor league deals.

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It seems that Avila, along with the rest of the front office, have reportedly started the process of adding players via that route.

The Detroit Free Press’ Anthony Fenech tweeted the following on Monday morning:

“Right-hander Mark Montgomery has agreed to a minor-league deal with the Tigers, I’m told.”

Mark Montgomery

Montgomery is a 27-year-old, right-handed reliever. He was an 11^th-round draft pick by the New York Yankees out of Longwood University in Virginia during the 2011 draft.

The reliever pitched in both the New York and St. Louis organizations. Last season, Montgomery pitched out of the bullpen for the Cardinals’ Triple-A affiliate in Memphis.

In 66.2 innings with the Redbirds, the ex-Yankees farmhand pitched to a 2.43 ERA, 9.9 strikeouts per nine innings and a 0.915 WHIP over the course of 46 appearances. He also chipped in with a 3.30 FIP, 19 games finished and five saves.

All told, the right-hander owns a 2.77 ERA, 10.5 strikeouts per nine innings and a 1.132 WHIP in 168.2 lifetime frames at the Triple-A level.

Moving forward, he’d give the Detroit Tigers an intriguing depth option. With his fastball-slider combination, Montgomery could be a useful addition to a bullpen unit that features little in the way of sure things.

Outside of closer Shane Greene, veteran hurler Alex Wilson and perhaps Daniel Stumpf and Joe Jimenez, the Tigers bullpen is still taking shape.

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If Montgomery, who has yet to pitch in the Majors, can replicate some of his Triple-A numbers, it would be a definite win for Avila and the rest of the front office.