Detroit Tigers need to upgrade catcher position moving forward

Detroit Tigers need to upgrade the catching position.

When it comes to the Detroit Tigers team moving forward, there are certainly some upgrades to be made. One of the positions that needs a facelift moving forward is the catcher position. If the team wants to prove they can become a competitor, there will be some changes to be made.

While the Detroit Tigers did see Jake Rogers come into his own in 2023, it's not quite the level the team will need. In 2024, the Tigers will want to see growth and start to look more like a contending ball club, or at least a competitive one.

That's going to require more from the catcher position. While they had Eric Haase manning the backstop position in 2023, he was designated for assignment, to the chagrin of many. Since then, Rogers has ended up being the primary option.

Carson Kelly was brought in to help the situation and has some defensive upside, but he's a temporary addition. Even with a 2024 option in his deal, a tandem of Kelly/Rogers is not the most ideal, leaving room to improve that.

It's not to say that Rogers needs to be written off, but even after a breakout season for him, the Tigers need to try and pitch for an upgrade behind the dish. Rogers has slashed .206/.277/.419 with 11 doubles, 16 home runs, and 39 RBI to his credit, but the Tigers need more.

Some may say that Dillon Dingler is the answer, as he's had plenty to like when it comes to his future in Detroit. He had an exceptional fall out west in the Arizona Fall League (AFL) during 2022, but things got cut short by an injury, and he had his 2023 season shortened as well.

Dingler has bounced through the levels of the organization in 2023, most notably with 51 games in Double-A on the Erie squad, where he has slashed .253/.372/.462 with 11 doubles and nine home runs, with 41 RBI to his credit.

He's logged a bakers' dozen games in Triple-A, but he's still got some time before he's ready for the big leagues. The point is that the Tigers may need to explore some outside options to upgrade the catcher position moving forward.

Dingler will get his chances, which might mean lacking catching room until then, but Detroit needs to ensure they are in a good spot. Rogers would need a huge 2024 season after his breakout in 2023 to prove worthy of keeping around for the long haul.

It'll be interesting to see what direction the Tigers go in with their catcher position. However, it may take some time for this to get figured out.