Detroit Tigers: 10 Free Agents to sign heading into the 2021 season
By Bob Heyrman
The Detroit Tigers are in the midst of a lengthy rebuild, but after hiring A.J. Hinch to guide the organization from here on out, it’s time to mix in some veterans to a team littered with youth.
It’s a Detroit Tigers organization that has plenty of youthful potential throughout their organization. That’s a given when the team holds a top-five or, in many cases, the first overall pick in consecutive MLB Drafts. With Riley Greene, Spencer Torkelson, and Matt Manning yet to make their debut with the Tigers, here are a few free agents general manager Al Avila should consider signing for various reasons.
It would be wonderful if the Detroit Tigers were in a position to target players like Jon Lester, Masahiro Tanaka to bolster the rotation for a playoff run, but we’re not even close to that yet.
Some players should be targeted for the long-haul, others on a one-year rental basis to be flipped at the trade deadline, and others simply as placemats to fill out the active roster until the young prospects are ready to make an impact at the MLB level.
Here are ten free agents Avila and the Tigers should consider signing;
Second Baseman: Jonathan Schoop.
The Detroit Tigers received plenty of much-needed production from Jonathan Schoop last season during his first year with the organization. It’s an organization that hasn’t gotten consistent production from the second base spot since trading veteran Ian Kinsler to the Los Angeles Angels.
Schoop is best known for his outpouring of offensive production with Baltimore. The 29-year old stashed a .261/.296/.450 along with hammering 106 home runs and driving in 306 runs. After his six seasons with Baltimore, Schoop had a short stay in Milwaukee before signing a one-year deal in Minnesota, followed by another one-year deal in Detroit.
Last season with the Tigers, Schoop proved to be one of the bright spots on the roster. Not only in the field with his stellar defensive play that earned him a gold glove nomination but also with the bat.
Schoop stashed a line of .278/.324/.475 along with hitting eight home runs and 23 runs batted in through 44 games.
Al Avila needs to consider bringing Schoop back on a one or two year deal to solidify the middle of the teams’ lineup along with maintaining a sure-handed glove down the middle of the diamond.