Tigers finally release former top-100 prospect who they once refused to give up on

After more than two seasons' worth of injuries continued to damage his value, former top pitching prospect Wilmer Flores was released by the Detroit Tigers last Thursday – the same day he was activated off the 60-day injured list.

Flores, who was on the roster at Triple-A Toldeo, had missed the entire season with a shoulder injury. He was deemed healthy after completing five rehab appearances in which he posted a 2.25 ERA through four innings with two hits allowed and one run. He is now a free agent, eligible to sign with any other Major League team, though the deadline for postseason eligibility has passed.

And thus, Flores' rollercoaster tenure with the Tigers comes to an end after five seasons – without a single Major League inning to show for it.

Tigers quietly release former top prospect Wilmer Flores from Triple-A Toledo

The Tigers signed Flores as an undrafted free agent in 2020 out of Arizona Western College. He has Major League pedigree, as his older brother – also named Wilmer Flores – plays for the San Francisco Giants.

In his first professional season in 2021, Flores impressed with a 6-4 record and a 3.68 ERA through 14 games at Single-A Lakeland. He went on to represent the Tigers at the Arizona Fall League and was widely regarded as one of the up-and-coming pitching prospects in baseball.

Following the 2023 season, the Tigers added Flores to their 40-man roster to protect him from the Rule 5 Draft. That year, he reached Double-A Erie and went 5-4 with a 4.65 ERA in 21 starts.

However, Flores' development stalled the following year. He started the 2024 campaign at Triple-A Toledo, but he suffered an injury in May that sidelined him for more than three months. He struggled during his rehab assignment at Lakeland and High-A West Michigan and managed to get into just 20 games (making two starts), going 2-3 with a 7.84 ERA.

Flores became a free agent after the 2024 season and re-signed with the Tigers on a minor league deal. But the injury bug struck again, and he pitched just four innings over five games – all on a rehab assignment – at Single-A Lakeland before Detroit ultimately decided to cut ties.

Flores now has the opportunity to make a fresh start with a new organization – likely on a minor league deal, and likely not until 2026.