Tigers prospect makes recruiting pitch in Alex Bregman's Instagram comments

As one of the top free agents still available on the market and one of the best right-handed hitting third basemen in all of baseball, Alex Bregman appears a perfect fit for the Detroit Tigers. And yet, he remains unsigned.

The apparent likelihood of Bregman ending up in Detroit has waxed and waned with the trade and free agency cycles this offseason. At this point, it seems that his market has narrowed to three teams: the Tigers, the Toronto Blue Jays and the Boston Red Sox. Each of the three teams has emerged as a clear frontrunner to land Bregman at various points during the offseason, but none has signed him.

Talks between Bregman's camp and the Tigers seem to have dwindled, as there reportedly remains a gap in value between the two sides amid negotiations. Given the prevailing belief that Bregman won't want to go to Toronto and that the Tigers won't pay him what he's asking for, that leaves Boston as the most likely landing spot. But the Red Sox appear to be playing a game of chicken with Bregman's agent, Scott Boras, creating an opportunity for the Tigers to call their bluff and swoop in with a more competitive offer if they really wanted to.

Tigers prospect makes recruiting pitch in Alex Bregman's Instagram comments

With each passing day that Bregman remains unsigned, the patience among the Tigers fanbase has grown understandably thin. But the fans aren't the only ones who want to see the two-time World Series champion sign with Detroit.

As the Tigers' recruiting efforts seem to have stalled, shortstop prospect Trei Cruz is taking matters into his own hands. Cruz, a third-round pick (No. 73 overall) by the Tigers in the 2020 MLB Draft who has spent parts of the last three seasons with Double-A Erie, commented on Bregman's instagram post from Jan. 12, "Looks like a Detroit typa guy to me."

The post from Bregman features a collection of photos of the 30-year-old participating in various training drills and workouts, presumably to show that he hasn't slacked in his offseason training regimen despite remaining unsigned.

After turning down a reported six-year, $156 million offer from his previous team, the Houston Astros, Bregman is betting on himself. Perhaps, by holding out, the Tigers can still get him on a shorter contract with a higher annual value; but if they don't, this offseason will look like a wasted opportunity.

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