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Tigers might finally say goodbye to former fan favorite outfielder after latest news

We will never forget you, 2021 Akil Baddoo.
Emma Lingan
Emma Lingan

Motor City Bengals

Detroit Tigers v Toronto Blue Jays / Cole Burston/GettyImages

After five seasons in the organization, Akil Baddoo's time with the Detroit Tigers may finally be coming to an end.

A once-beloved fan favorite who hit a home run in hist first Major League at-bat with the Tigers in 2021, Baddoo has elected free agency for the first time in his career, according to the transactions log on his roster page.

The 27-year-old outfielder had a 2.1 WAR and a 116 OPS+ in 124 games as a rookie with the Tigers in 2021. Every year after that, however, he was sent down to Triple-A Toledo at least once, never playing more than 112 games or putting together another league-average offensive season in the Majors.

As the Tigers' rebuilding phase began to close and their competitive window began to open, Baddoo continued to find Major League playing time harder to come by. He only appeared in seven games at the MLB level in 2025, going 2-for-17 in that span, and he was not even considered an option to make the team's postseason roster.

Because Baddoo was out of minor league options, he was designated for assignment by the Tigers in June when they selected the contract of Jahmai Jones from Triple-A Toledo. He cleared waivers and accepted his outright assignment back to Triple-A, where he remained for the rest of the season.

Former Tigers fan favorite Akil Baddoo elects free agency for first time in his career

In parts of his five seasons with Detroit, Baddo slashed .224/.305/.369 with 28 home runs and 104 RBI in 347 Major League games. He has fared better in the minors, slashing .256/.363/.436 for his career dating back to his first pro season in 2016 – the year he was selected by the Minnesota Twins in the Competitive Balance B round of the MLB Draft. The Tigers claimed him off of waivers in December 2020, and he has been with the organization ever since.

Baddoo was designated for assignment by the Tigers last offseason and outrighted to Triple-A to begin the 2025 campaign. This time around, he was eligible to elect free agency at the end of the season. Doing so allows him to get a head start on finding a minor league contract with an invitation to spring training, giving him an opportunity for a fresh start with a new organization.

There's always the possibility he returns, but at this rate it's clear he may want an opportunity for consistent big-league reps.

Emma Lingan

Emma Lingan

Emma Lingan is an MLB Staff Writer for FanSided primarily covering the Pittsburgh Pirates. She has been covering baseball for more than a decade dating back to her time as a student at Wake Forest University, and she has won two gold medals as a member of the U.S. National Team delegation (2016 Pan-American Championships & 2017 World Baseball Classic). A native of Washington, D.C. and current resident of Nashville, Tenn., she is also entering her seventh season as a credentialed NHL media member and currently covers the NHL’s Nashville Predators for The Hockey News. When she's not watching hockey, baseball or football, she enjoys podcasting, reading, going to the gym, consuming large amounts of coffee and taking long walks with her dog, Minkah. You can follow her @Emma_lingan on Twitter and Instagram.