Detroit Tigers free agent profile: Brian Anderson

Detroit Tigers should consider targeting Brian Anderson.

The Detroit Tigers have a void to fill. While Winter Meetings would have been a good time to do such a thing, the team was not as busy as some of the Tigers faithful hoped. With a pretty big hole to fill at third base, the team may be looking to get busy in the dwindling market.

While the Detroit Tigers are currently slated to go into 2023 with Ryan Kreidler as the primary third-base option, something has to give. The market for free-agent third basemen was already thin, but some options still exist.

Brian Anderson was non-tendered by the Miami Marlins as the offseason got underway. He's now a free agent, and the Tigers should be looking to see if he fits what the team is looking for. Jeimer Candelario was in the same boat for the Tigers before being non-tendered himself.

While Candelario latched on with the Nationals and signed a one-year deal there, Anderson is looking to do the same. Anderson, a former standout with the University of Arkansas at the collegiate level, was selected in the third round by the Marlins back in 2014.

He has since spent six seasons with the Marlins in the big leagues. He's manned the hot corner for Miami and even recorded some time in the outfield, playing right for the most part. Anderson is a 29-year-old right-handed hitter with a chance to settle in with a new home.

In 2022, Anderson played in 98 games where he slashed .222/.311/.346 with 16 doubles, eight home runs, and 28 RBI to his credit. While he has not played in over 100 games since the 2019 season, he has a chance to bounce back.

There has been some injuries to his left shoulder, but if he is able to remain healthy, he could provide some benefit to the Tigers lineup. He was projected to be due $6.75 million in arbitration, and the Marlins felt he was not worth it.

That means he's cheap. Candelario's deal in Washington is for $5 million. I'd expect the Tigers being able to shell out similar or even less to get Anderson if they so choose. Understandably, Anderson is not as attractive as Justin Turner is, but he is someone to consider.

While he may not have the durability to leg out 162 games at third base, it allows Scott Harris to earmark some time for younger players to get at-bats, as he said he plans to. It will enable Ryan Kreidler to get his chance to settle into the big leagues with less pressure than being the primary option at third.

Anderson may not jump off the page at you with his stats, but there are reasons to believe he could be an efficient addition to the Tigers roster moving forward.