Detroit Tigers 2021 season grades for the team’s outfielders

Detroit Tigers season grades for a former trade piece and veteran who was DFA’d.

Daz Cameron, CF/RF: C

Daz Cameron will always be tied to Justin Verlander, as he was part of the trade which sent Verlander to the Houston Astros. Now in his second season with the Detroit organization, Cameron spent most of the season in Toledo before being called up in June.

In his 35 games, he demonstrated decent power, slugging .359, better than three regular starters. He was an average defender as well, committing zero errors in limited chances. With more experience, Cameron could be a good platoon member in the future.

JaCoby Jones, CF: D+

It is easy to forget about JaCoby Jones on this list since he appeared in only 32 games, the last of which was in May. The Tigers released him earlier in October, so that may end up being his final appearance for Detroit. His natural speed meant he was a decent defender in center, but his hitting was unacceptable. He rarely got on base, and his power was almost totally absent,  an OPS of .460 was the lowest of his career in Detroit.

The Detroit Tigers were a pleasant surprise in 2021. Initially projected at or near the bottom of the American League Central, they finished third, just three games behind the Cleveland Indians. They were never seriously in playoff contention, but they were never going to be. If they continue to develop their young players, especially some of those listed above, the Tigers will continue to surprise in 2022.