4 Detroit Tigers players under the most pressure in 2023

These Detroit Tigers players have a lot to prove in 2023

The Detroit Tigers, while not having expectations to compete for a playoff spot in 2023, do have many players who are under pressure this year. Whether it be young players looking to establish themselves or veterans looking to bounce back from tough seasons, the pressure is on in 2023. Here are four Detroit Tigers players under the most pressure heading into the new season:

Jonathan Schoop

Jonathan Schoop's 2022 season was truly a nightmare. Schoop, who received a 2-year extension from the Detroit Tigers, struggled right out of the gate, making fans forgot just how good he was in the latter part of the 2021 season.

One of the more eye-popping stats when it comes to Schoop is his numbers against left-handed pitchers. Schoop had a .925 OPS against lefties in 2021. That number dropped to a staggering .505 in 2022.

The reason you could bring up Schoop’s numbers against lefties is because he will likely be a platoon player in 2023. It will be crucial for Schoop to be able to hit against lefties because he is a free agent after this year. Schoop is by no means is on his last leg in MLB, but another rough season will leave a lot of teams skeptical on the infielder heading into the future.

Spencer Torkelson

Spencer Torkelson's rookie season probably could not have gone any worse. Torkelson will turn 24 years old this season. To put that into perspective, Vladimir Guerrero Jr. will just be turning 24 this season and has already finished top two in MVP voting. This translates to: Spencer Torkelson needs to have a big year.

I'm not claiming Torkelson needs to be an MVP level player, but he at least needs to be a league average hitter in 2023. Torkelson struggled mightily in 2022, hitting just eight homers in 360 plate appearances. His OPS sat as just over .600, a number that will need to go up significantly in 2023.

Torkelson has not gotten off to the greatest start in spring training, making some fans to question whether he will make the opening day roster. Tyler Nevin has gotten off to a nice start as well, making the rumblings of Tork starting in the season in Toledo even louder. The former No. 1 overall pick is looking to establish himself as a long-term piece for the Detroit Tigers and a big 2023 will go a long way into doing that.

Akil Baddoo

Akil Baddoo was a sensation in 2021. Whether it was him being a Rule 5 pick, his exciting play or timely homers. He became a fan favorite. Like many other Detroit Tigers hitters in 2022, his season was a disaster.

The silver lining with Akil Baddoo is his ability to draw walks. That is something Scott Harris values and could aid in Baddoo getting back on track in 2023.

The other question mark with Baddoo is the amount of competition in the Detroit Tigers outfield. Austin Meadows, Riley Greene, Kerry Carpenter, Matt Vierling and youngster Parker Meadows will all look to start in the outfield in 2023. Baddoo must have a good spring and sustain his success early in the season to prove he is a long-term piece for this organization.