Tigers make third base decision after top prospect's fate sealed with roster cut

Over the weekend, the Detroit Tigers reassigned eight players to minor league camp, which brought their roster to 41. Fan were awaiting one more decision before the 40-man was set for the team's Opening Day matchup against the Los Angeles Dodgers.

But this most recent round of cuts answered the most questions to date. For one, their bullpen stance is clear with lefty Sean Guenther getting the boot. And now, the long awaited third base conversation has perhaps come to an end.

Top prospect Jace Jung was also optioned to Triple-A Toledo Monday morning (the roster is now at 39), meaning he will not be with the Tigers to start the 2025 season unless something serious happens between now and March 27. Jung was believed to be an impactful young player for Detroit in 2025, but his spring performance left a lot to be desired.

Jung hit just .121 with a .489 OPS in his 14 games (33 at-bats). He struck out 10 times, walked only four times, and recorded four total hits. With the Tigers deciding to give Javy Baez some third base reps once he returned from injury, it was obvious Jung would've needed a much more convincing argument than that to stick with the big league roster.

The young slugger's case was also hurt by the emergence of former Yankee Jahmai Jones, who hit .250 with a .914 OPS, two homers and eight RBI in his 32 at-bats. It seems as if the Tigers will go with some sort of platoon at third with Baez, Jones and Andy Ibáñez.

Tigers Roster Cuts: Jace Jung, Sean Guenther optioned to Triple-A Toledo

Ibáñez had himself an impressive spring, hitting .281 with an .814 OPS, five runs scored, a homer and six RBI in 32 at-bats. He was probably always going to be on the roster due to his defensive versatility.

Most fans would agree that this is probably the right decision for Jung, who wasn't exactly great when he was called up late in the 2024 season. He hit just .241 with a .666 OPS and had only five extra-base hits in 79 at-bats. Though he had a clutch RBI in the ALDS against the Guardians, he spent most of his time on the bench throughout the playoffs.

Jung wasn't necessarily rushed, but he has just 91 games of experience at Triple-A (and somehow only 47 at Double-A). He might just need a bit more time to settle in at the minor league level before absorbing everyday reps in The Show.

Another sad reality here? The Tigers need to find reps for Baez, who is the highest-paid player on the roster, so that likely (partially) played into the decision to squeeze Jung off the roster. All of this could change if Jung starts hot at Toledo while the Tigers deal with some issues at third base in the early going.