Tigers players with (and without) minor-league options on 40-man roster for 2025

As Opening Day creeps closer and early spring training cuts are made, the Detroit Tigers' 40-man roster is beginning to take shape.

Teams must take players' option status into account when assembling their 40-man rosters, as those with fewer than five years of service time and are out of minor league options cannot be sent to the minor leagues without first clearing outright waivers. If a club has such a player on their Major League roster and later wants to assign him to the minor leagues, said club must first put him through waivers and risk losing him to another team.

Option status can often complicate roster decisions in spring training, as a lack of minor league options means a lack of flexibility in roster construction. For the Tigers, though, many of those decisions are simplified by the fact that they have just one eligible player with no minor league options remaining in 2025: utility man Zach McKinstry.

Zach McKinstry is the lone eligible Tigers player who is out of minor league options for 2025

McKinstry, a former 33rd-round pick in the 2016 MLB Draft, leaves much to be desired with his bat, slashing .220/.285/.357 over his five Major League seasons. However, there is something to be said for his versatility – especially given the injury to Matt Vierling.

With Vierling ruled out for Opening Day, McKinstry is one of a handful of players in the mix to get time at third base and in the outfield for Detroit. Other players in the mix, including third baseman Jace Jung and outfielders Justyn-Henry Malloy and Wenceel Pérez, are not only less versatile than McKinstry in terms of where they can play on the field, but they also still have minor league options.

There's still a decent chance that McKinstry opens the 2025 season on the Tigers' Opening Day roster, only to be designated for assignment at some point later in the year once Vierling is healthy again. Still, while he may not be the most exciting option at the plate, McKinstry does provide the defensive versatility that can help the Tigers in the short term.

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