Detroit Tigers Trade Rumors: Club Still Searching for Center Fielders
By Matt Snyder
The Detroit Tigers are still looking around the league for center field options, according to Ken Rosenthal.
The Detroit Tigers apparently aren’t satisfied with the corps of center field options they’ve brought into camp (nor should they be). According to Ken Rosenthal of Fox Sports, the club is looking around the league for possible upgrades.
Sources: #Tigers continue to do due diligence on CF market in event opportunity arises. JaCoby Jones standout in competition thus far.
— Ken Rosenthal (@Ken_Rosenthal) March 17, 2017
It’s not likely that the Tigers will sink many resources into a potential acquisition (in terms of either money or prospects), so we’re probably talking about more fringe-roster type players. Maybe a veteran who can opt-out rather than take a minor league assignment or a player with former upside who failed to fully develop and is now out of options (someone in Steven Moya‘s position, perhaps).
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Either way, any acquisition would be of a flawed player with the upside of being a reasonable platoon hitter while providing at least average defense.
As Rosenthal implies, JaCoby Jones has been the lone bright spot in spring training, but I doubt the Tigers are convinced that he’s ready to hit at the major league level for 162 games. Jones has hit 346/.393/.615 this spring, but we’re only talking about 28 plate appearances. It is encouraging that he’s only struck out four times in those 28 PA (and the two home runs are nice) but there’s so much noise in small spring samples.
Jones hit .214/.214/.321 with 12 strikeouts in 28 major league plate appearances last season.
If the club felt he needed more time in AAA to develop against advanced hitting, it’s unlikely that his performance has completely changed their minds.
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Even if the Tigers were comfortable taking him north on the opening day roster, they’d want to at least pair him with a platoon mate. At the very least they’ll want to protect themselves with a backup plan in the event that he struggles.