Detroit Tigers: 3 players that should be re-signed on one-year deals

Austin Romine – Catcher

Last season, the slapping of a band-aid on the Detroit Tigers’ catching dilemma was Austin Romine, who was signed away from the New York Yankees. Romine added depth to the organization, and he was able to command the catching duties in 2020.

However, Romine had a bit of a breakout season where he showed he could handle the young staff while also being serviceable in the batters’ box. Romine played in 37 games for the Tigers, where he hit .238/.259/.323 with two home runs and 17 RBI.

The Tigers catching situation is dicey as it is, with Jake Rogers struggling in the big leagues, awaiting his next chance, and Grayson Greiner being next to invisible offensively. Romine provided some stability, and he could continue to provide stability again in the 2021 season.

While a reunion with former catcher James McCann might be intriguing, keeping Romine around on a one-year contract might be an inexpensive and viable option for now. After Romine took home just $4.1 million on his 2020 contract (pre-COVID adjustments), he could be another inexpensive option.

Romine could help be a stopgap for the organization; it seems that Rogers will get his chance in the big leagues once again. However, Dillon Dingler seems to be the more exciting of the two now, and they might opt to see what he can bring to the table when he is ready, and Romine would help bridge that gap.