FanSided

3 Detroit Tigers who won't make the Opening Day roster but will contribute a lot in 2023

By Matthew Scheidel |
Detroit Tigers pitcher Brendan White warms up during spring training Sunday, Feb. 19, 2023 in
Detroit Tigers pitcher Brendan White warms up during spring training Sunday, Feb. 19, 2023 in / Kirthmon F. Dozier / USA TODAY NETWORK
1 of 3
Next

Only 26 players will make the Detroit Tigers Opening Day roster, but several more will play key roles in 2023

The Detroit Tigers have a ton of players vying for roster spots this spring. Unfortunately, not all of them can head north with the team. The Detroit Tigers can only have 26 players on their active roster, so some players will either have to clear waivers or start the season in the minors.

Many players will still get chances to play for the Detroit Tigers during the 2023 season. Things like injuries and underperformance will create opportunities for others. Scott Harris has said that we wants to give at-bats to young players, so if a veteran such as Jonathan Schoop isn't performing well, the team won't around for him to figure it out. They'll just simply cut ties.

We're going to go over three players for the Detroit Tigers that won't make the Opening Day roster but will still contribute in a big way in 2023. There will likely be a lot more than this, but we're keeping it to three. Let us begin.

OF Parker Meadows

My heart wants Parker Meadows to make the team, but my brain says no. Meadows has had a great spring so far, but he hasn't played above Double-A and it would be best for him to get everyday ABs in Toledo.

Defensively, he's as close to big league ready as you can be. He's got speed to burn and heck of a throwing arm. Offensively, it still remains to be seen if he can hit lefties effectively, though he's had a bit of success against southpaws in spring training. But the big thing is the strikeouts have become an issue again.

He cut down on the K's dramatically in 2022 compared to previous seasons. He has eight strikeouts in 22 at-bats. That amounts to roughly a 36% strikeout rate. Obviously it's a small sample size, but that's pretty awful.

Scott Harris wants to dominate the strike zone. Striking out at that high of a clip is not going to cut it. For that reason, I don't think he'll make the big league roster out of camp.

However, if there's an injury, Meadows will be among the first to get the call. He'll make his major debut in 2023, and could be here for a long time if he figures everything out.

RHP Beau Brieske

Full disclosure: I think there's still a chance Brieske makes the roster. His stuff has looked really so far this spring. I just don't know what his role would be.

Obviously he was a starter last season, but the Tigers have using him as kind of a multi-inning reliever this spring. His numbers are inflated thanks to one rough outing, but again, the stuff has been there. His fastball has been 95-97 with life consistently.

Another hurdle to Brieske making the team is another pitcher being used in that multi-inning role, and that's Garrett Hill. Not only is he probably Brieske's biggest competition, but Hill has looked better doing it. He's seen a velo increase and has been experimenting with a new curveball.

In no way is this section a slight on Brieske. I still think he has a lot of potential. I just simply think there isn't any room for him at the moment. With that being said, there's always going to movement in the pitching staff. Injuries are a certainty. Brieske will get his chance.

RHP Brendan White

I really like Brendan White. He has one of the best sliders in the organization. He fills up the strike zone. The Detroit Tigers protected him from last year's Rule 5 Draft for a reason. He's going to pitch for them this season, but probably not out of spring training.

He has struggled a bit with his command. He's been a little erratic at times. At just 24 years old and not having pitched above Double-A, the Tigers can afford to be patient with him and let him iron out the kinks.

There's no question he'll get to pitch for the Detroit Tigers at some point in 2023. His stuff is too good for him to be down in the minors for too long. If he gets off to a good start or if there's an injury in the bullpen, White will be among the first that gets the call, especially since he's already on the 40-man roster.

dark. Next. Detroit Tigers Opening Day roster projection 2.0

Next
Home / Detroit Tigers News

Schedule