AJ Hinch hints lowkey 40-man roster addition could be Tigers' 'answer for anything'

The Tigers added a whopping five prospects to their 40-man roster in November to protect them from the Rule 5 draft. Among them were ranked prospects Thayron Liranzo, Hao-Yu Lee, and Jake Miller, along with utility man Trei Cruz and catcher/first baseman Eduardo Valencia.

Lee has been the one to watch in spring training so far, as he and non-roster invitee Max Anderson could be in the mix for a bench spot. However, Cruz — a third-generation professional baseball player (his father was Gold Glove winner José Cruz Jr., and his grandfather was two-time All Star outfielder José Cruz) — could fit very nicely into the Tigers' method.

Not only is Cruz a true utility player who has featured everywhere but first base and catcher in the minors, he's also a switch hitter.

AJ Hinch said of Cruz's presence in camp, "The defensive versatility is so valuable. We've asked him to be ready for anything except for catcher and first base this spring. Being added to the 40-man is a big deal. He's one step closer. He literally could be the answer for anything, if he's the right guy, because of the fact he can fill in anywhere."

AJ Hinch had high praise for Rule 5 draft protectee Trei Cruz in Tigers spring training

The Tigers love Zach McKinstry and Matt Vierling for their defensive versatility, even though fans haven't always been on the same page. McKinstry redeemed himself with an All-Star season in 2025 (and then sort of came back down to earth in the second half), but Vierling could be on a short leash given his heavily injury-abbreviated 2025 season.

Cruz hasn't had the easiest go of things in the minors. He was drafted by the Tigers in the third round of the 2020 draft — his third time being selected — and only just broke Triple-A last year after plateauing in Double-A for a few years. However, he seems to have unlocked something last year, as he hit better in Toledo (.284/.881 over 58 games) than he did in Erie (.275/.856 over 69 games).

The Tigers are wild cards when it comes to prospects and player development. If you recall, none of their draft picks in 2025 made a lot of sense to experts. When they identify a guy they like, they stick by him.

Cruz might be one of those guys. Everything about him screams "Tigers" already.