Detroit Tigers give former first-round draft pick a second chance, sign Keston Hiura

As first reported by Jon Heyman, the Detroit Tigers signed infielder Keston Hiura to a minor league contract. The former Brewers' first-round draft pick (9th overall) in the 2017 MLB Draft elected free agency after spending the entire 2023 season in the minor leagues.

In Triple-A Nashville, Hiura hit .308 with a .395 on-base percentage and a .565 slugging percentage, recording 23 home runs and 79 RBIs in 85 games. He primarily split his time between designated hitter and first baseman duties, although he initially came up as a second baseman.

His best season with the Milwaukee Brewers was in 2019, when he posted a .303 batting average, a .368 on-base percentage, and a .570 slugging percentage, along with 19 home runs and 49 RBIs. Despite his power numbers, Hiura's career has been marked by high strikeout rates, with percentages consistently over 30%.

Where does he fit on the minor league roster with the Detroit Tigers?

Hiura is likely to start the season with the Toledo Mud Hens, where he could join Quincy Nieporte, who sat out the entire 2022 season recovering from Tommy John surgery. It's possible that Hiura could split time at first base, DH, or second, but seeing how Detroit loves to move around players, he will likely be used across the diamond.

Hiura provides the Tigers with additional depth in the minors should an injury arise, and he has major league experience. It's a depth move, but also one that can be viewed as low-risk, high-reward.