Former Tigers' top draft pick leaves Phillies to begin new baseball journey

Once upon a time, the Detroit Tigers had high hopes for right-hander Matt Manning. Drafted ninth overall back in 2016 out of high school, the six-foot-six hurler was once one of the gems of the Tigers' farm system, topping out as the club's No. 3 prospect as well as the No. 25 on MLB Pipeline's top-100 list.

Things didn't exactly go according to plan. Manning made his big league debut in 2021, getting 18 starts and logging 85 1/3 innings, both of which are career highs. He posted a 5.88 ERA along the way and watched the strikeout stuff he had shown in the minors evaporate, posting a paltry 6.01 K/9 against major league hitters.

From there, injuries became the story. Manning saw his 2022 campaign bookended by shoulder and forearm injuries, though he looked better in the 12 starts he did make, posting a 3.43 ERA on the season. In 2023, he'd break bones in his right foot twice, both times being hit by comebackers, but again was productive in the time he got on the mound, posting a 3.58 ERA in 15 starts.

In 2024, Manning didn't break camp with the big club, but was quickly used as a spot-starter in April, again showing the flashes of his potential. The success was short-lived, however, and he'd spent most of the season toiling away in Triple-A Toledo.

The end of Manning's time with the Tigers seemed to be near heading into the 2025 season. He wouldn't make a big league appearance, but hung around as minor league depth before being sent to the Philadelphia Phillies at the trade deadline. Now, he'll be looking for a reset in a faraway land.

Former Tigers top prospect Matt Manning is leaving the Phillies and heading to Korea in hopes of revitalizing his career

After all the years of hype and waiting, it's hard to believe that Manning only turns 28 in January. Some might still be convinced that there's some untapped potential in that right arm, but we won't be seeing it for a while.

That's because Manning is heading to Korea, signing a deal with the Samsung Lions of the KBO. After not making any major league appearances for the Phillies and finishing the season with a combined 6.47 ERA between Detroit and Philadelphia's minor league systems, it's clear that a change was needed.

The move is something that has become somewhat en vogue in recent years, as once promising arms head to the Far East to try and rework their stuff after their big league careers stall. It's something that worked out beautifully for veteran lefty and current free agent Merrill Kelly, and it's an arc that former Milwaukee Brewers and Pittsburgh Pirates hurler Cody Ponce is trying to complete with a return to the big leagues after reinventing himself in the KBO.

As for Manning, aside from the injuries, his undoing was not being able to translate his strikeout stuff to the majors. It will be interesting to see if pitching in Korea can help him tweak his repertoire and have him poised for a big league comeback in the coming years. For now, all we can do is wish him luck.