Detroit Tigers should take a flier on former ROTY Kyle Lewis

Detroit Tigers should extend MiLB deal to Kyle Lewis.

The Detroit Tigers may be in a position where outfield depth is not a worry. Especially after the Tigers went out and traded for Mark Canha, securing another right-handed bat for the outfield group to add to the mix ahead of this season.

The Detroit Tigers may want to go out and establish some depth. They have some players who will factor into the mix, likely squeezing out Akil Baddoo and relegating him to the minors. But another right-handed-hitting outfielder might provide depth.

On top of that, a right-handed hitting outfielder who's got big-league experience might be a cheaper grab on a non-roster invitee deal. There's no telling if he would sign, but kicking the tires on a former Rookie of the Year seems worth it.

Kyle Lewis. The 28-year-old outfielder has been unable to lock down a big-league spot lately, and his time with the Arizona Diamondbacks did not go swimmingly. A fresh start is worth it for Lewis to get him back on track and back into the lineup.

There's no telling what a deal might look like or if Lewis would even come into Detroit's outfield mix with the likelihood of being sent to Triple-A. But after cracking the big leagues for just 16 games in 2023, it's not like he is fresh off a 162-game campaign, starting every day for the Diamondbacks.

But taking a chance on Lewis would be fun. After all, depth helps the Tigers, and a former Rookie of the Year winner who has been a good big-leaguer at times would be worth trying to add to the mix. Over the last two years, between his last season in Seattle and 2023 with Arizona, Lewis logged 34 games.

Lewis slashed a measly .150/.216/.280 with just six extra-base hits; he walked eight times and struck out 40 times over 107 at-bats. The numbers may not jump off the page with this one, but there's a reason for this suggestion.

Right now, the outfield pertains to Mark Canha, Riley Greene, and Parker Meadows as the primary options. Kerry Carpenter could be in the mix, and Akil Baddoo would be the other name in the race.

Sure, Lewis will not come in and earn a starting job with the Tigers organization. But, he could go to Triple-A and hope to fix things. If he could go to Toledo and figure things out, he would serve as good depth in the outfield. It's likely a deal that would not cost too much and would bring the Tigers another outfield option to stockpile.

It would be similar to the deals that Scott Harris made last year, bringing in players like Jermaine Palacios and Andy Ibañez to serve as organizational depth. While Ibañez caught on and earned a utility spot, maybe Lewis can get things back on track. A non-roster invitee contract with a minor-league deal would be exceptional.