Detroit Tigers Winter Meetings preview: 3 positions that need to be addressed

The Detroit Tigers enter the MLB Winter Meetings with a host of needs to address

Scott Harris knew when he took the President of Baseball Operations job for the Detroit Tigers that there would be no shortage of needs for the club. The team had just rounded out a 66-win campaign, a year riddled with injuries and poor performances by veteran talent. MLB's Winter Meetings offer perhaps the first real opportunity for Harris to make his mark on the roster.

Harris and Co, while stale in nature, have already made several moves in an effort to turn over the roster and free up 40-man roster slots to allow the Tigers to protect players from the Rule 5 Draft. Those players: Reese Olson, Brendan White, Andre Lipcius, Wenceel Perez, and Parker Meadows. None are expected to begin the season in Detroit, but given the room they had freed up through designations, it made sense to protect each.

Now that their 40-man roster decisions have been made and arbitration-eligible contracts have been agreed upon, now is the period within the offseason where trades and free agent signings will abound, but perhaps no period as much as the winter meetings.

The Detroit Tigers rumors and gameplan

There have already been both rumored interests and direct ideas of how the Tigers are going to approach the offseason:

1. The Tigers are interested in C Willson Contreras, per MLBN's JP Morosi

Our follow up on the report here.

2. Harris is looking for a right-handed-hitting outfielder, left-handed hitting infielder, per Cody Stavenhagen

Our follow up on the report here.

3. Tigers expect Javier Báez to be the opening-day shortstop in 2023, per Stavenhagen

Our follow up on the report here.

4. Team is receiving a lot of interest in their bullpen arms, per Stavenhagen and others

Some thoughts on that from MCB's own here and here.

5. More pitching remains a priority

These are the rumors and reports, but when viewing the Detroit Tigers as a team, the market, and what has happened thus far, where should the Detroit Tigers' top priorities lie? Let's explore.

1. The Detroit Tigers need a new third baseman

The Detroit Tigers decided not to tender Jeimer Candelario a contract for 2023, which is no surprise given what he was expected to earn through arbitration versus what he produced for the team last season. While it was always a possibility that Detroit and Harris could bring back Candelario for less, that possibility was squashed recently when the Washington Nationals announced Candy's signing to a one-year, $5 million pact.

Some recent ponderings had the Freep's Evan Petzold wondering if it's possible the Tigers actually go for a second baseman and move Jonathan Schoop, the club's current everyday second baseman, to third. That option seems unlikely considering Schoop's offensive output, or lack thereof, last season, coupled with his outstanding defensive numbers at second.

With Candelario's signing, the market for third basemen will likely gain some traction at the Winter Meetings, especially considering free agent options are rather thin anyway. The best option on paper is Justin Turner, but Turner is 38 and coming off a season in which he split time equally between third base and designated hitter--not ideal for what they are looking for.

The obvious target on the trade front would be Rafael Devers, the Boston Red Sox star who is a year away from free agency and has not yet been able to agree on an extension. The Red Sox are still trying to win in an AL East gauntlet, so they would hold significant leverage in negotiations now versus this summer if the team were to falter in the first half.

More likely, I expect an under-the-radar type young player who the team believes they can improve upon without having to fork up the money for an extension while also giving up prospect capital essentially for Devers' exclusive negotiating rights.

2. The Detroit Tigers need a centerfielder or right fielder

The Detroit Tigers are on the hunt for a right-handed hitting outfielder, and considering their desperation for improvement on offense, it should be a point of emphasis next week during the Winter Meetings.

No, they will not end up signing Aaron Judge, but following the trade of veteran Robbie Grossman, there is a pronounced vacancy in right field. Given that both Austin Meadows and Riley Greene are left-handed bats, it makes sense to favor a right-handed outfielder to complement those two. Greene does currently hold the centerfield stable and could do so again next year, but most believe that with age, Greene is destined for a corner outfield spot ultimately.

Going for a true centerfielder would allow someone like Greene to shift to a corner and perhaps further mask the defensive shortcomings of Meadows in spacious Comerica Park--but it remains to be seen if the Tigers would consider such a strategy.

There are some intriguing routes the Tigers could take. Cody Bellinger is a name that has gained traction among the fanbase as a possible buy-low candidate, but Bellinger's market is thought to be strong despite a down year and ultimate non-tender by the Los Angeles Dodgers. Wil Myers is another possibility, but he has not hit over 18 home runs in a season since 2017. Myers, though, fits the mold a bit better, considering he's right-handed, sprays the ball all over the field, runs well, defends well, and could even be a contingency option at first base if Spencer Torkelson is deemed unprepared for MLB play.

Another former Padre that some have projected to the Tigers is Jurickson Profar, who, like Myers, doesn't possess the power attributes typically requisite for a corner outfielder but showed strong on-base ability with low strikeout numbers in 2022 for San Diego. Defensive metrics don't take kindly to Profar in left field, however, so it is difficult to imagine him improving in right--a position he played zero games at in 2022.