Tigers News: Detroit signs catcher, former player joins Rockies, 2025 lawsuit

As Detroit Tigers fans wait for the team to make that next impact move — Alex Bregman?! Pete Alonso?! — they'll have to settle for a minor addition on Thursday after news broke late in the afternoon.

According to the Tigers' official transaction log, the team has agreed with catcher Tomás Nido on a Minor League deal for 2025 that includes an invite to spring training. Nido, who was released by the Chicago Cubs in August 2024, signed a Minor League contract with the Tigers in September and appeared in three games for Triple-A Toledo before electing free agency at the end of the season.

After testing the open market, Nido opted to re-sign with the Tigers as a depth option behind the plate. His bat leaves much to be desired, so it's unlikely he makes the Tigers' Major League roster out of spring training, but his pedigree as one of the best defensive backstops in the game in his prime makes him a solid option for the Tigers to call up in the event of an injury to Jake Rogers or Dillon Dingler.

Former Tigers Minor Leaguer Keston Hiura signs with Rockies

Former Milwaukee Brewers top prospect Keston Hiura, who had a brief stint in the Tigers organization in 2024, has agreed to a Minor League deal with the Colorado Rockies for 2025.

The Tigers signed Hiura to a Minor League contract ahead of the 2024 season that included an invite to spring training. He did not crack the big league roster out of camp, however, and was assigned to Triple-A Toledo. Hiura slashed .232/.312/.401 through 49 games with Toledo before the Tigers released him in early June.

Hiura proceeded to sign a new Minor League deal with the Los Angeles Angels, who assigned him to Triple-A Salt Lake before selecting his contract to the MLB roster for a handful of games in July. He got 27 plate appearances in 10 Major League games with the Angels, hitting .148 with 10 strikeouts.

Tigers dealing with lawsuit filed against them

The Detroit Tigers franchise was sued in federal court this week by a former employee who alleged that the team had failed to accurately calculate overtime pay for potentially hundreds of hourly workers.

The plaintiff, Derron Jones, was a shipping and receiving employee at Comerica Park from March 2017 through August 2024. He is seeking renumeration in the form of back pay, attorney fees and other costs "as appropriate under the Fair Labor Standards Act." The case is seeking class action status, which would allow all current and former hourly employees from the past three years to opt in to become plaintiffs in the case.

Speaking to Dave Boucher of the Detroit Free Press, Tigers spokesman Ben Fidelman said the team has yet to receive the complaint so declined additional comment. Regardless of how this turns out, it's a bad look for the Tigers.

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