Detroit Tigers: Get familiar with new faces on the Opening Day roster

The first pitch of the 2019 Detroit Tigers season is less than 24 hours away.

With the Detroit Tigers set to open the season Thursday afternoon in Toronto, fans can expect to see some new, less familiar faces on the field after the team released its Opening Day roster. Let’s get to know some of those new names that could end up having an impact on this Tigers season.

Detroit Tigers- Josh Harrison, INF

Though not a young up-and-comer, the 31-year-old infielder is set to make his Tigers debut on Opening Day. Detroit signed the free agent to a one year deal as Harrison decided to leave Pittsburgh after eight seasons. Coming to Detroit, Harrison carries a .277 career BA with 773 hits and 269 RBIs through his eight seasons with the Pirates, earning him two All-Star Game appearances.

He may not be a star young prospect poised for a great future, but Harrison was a great signing for Detroit. He provides a reliable veteran presence in the infield with a career .985 fielding percentage and should be a valuable asset for the middle of the Tigers’ lineup.

Detroit Tigers- Christin Stewart, OF

He may not be making his big league debut this season, but Christin Stewart is still a relatively new face to many Detroit fans. Detroit’s 2015 first round amateur draft pick appeared in 17 games for the Tigers in 2018, hitting .267 with 10 RBIs and even knocking out 2 HRs. Seeing those numbers in just that little amount of games should be enough to have Tiger fans turning their heads.

Stewart had a solid Grapefruit League showing as well leading into Opening Day, hitting 3 homers and knocking in 13 RBIs in 21 games. Being one of Detroit’s more promising prospects and with some big league experience already under his belt, expect Stewart to be a mainstay on Detroit’s roster in 2019.

Detroit Tigers- Reed Garrett, RHP

A true new face, Reed Garrett is the one guy in this list who is yet to make his MLB debut. It’s taken a while for Garrett, now 26 years old, to break into the majors, but the Tigers clearly see something in him deciding to finally give him a shot in the big leagues.

Garrett posted a 2.04 ERA in 51 minor league appearances in 2018 and earned himself an Opening Day roster spot despite Spring Training numbers that don’t exactly pop. The Tigers bullpen has been in need of some help for quite some time, and Garrett is a new face that could be a huge help in finally turning that around.

What new face do you think will have the most impact for the Tigers this season? Feel free to share your thoughts and opinions in the comments section below, and I hope you are as excited as I am for the start of a new season.