When the pencils were put down (or perhaps the iPads), the Detroit Tigers' return at the trade deadline was underwhelming. The Tigers achieved their primary goals, strengthening the rotation with Chris Paddack and Charlie Morton, and bolstering the bullpen with the additions of Kyle Finnegan and Rafael Montero. But when you ask most Tigers fans, they should have done more.
The one thing that made Detroit’s deadline feel like a disappointment was the lack of an impact bat. The Tigers' lineup ranks sixth in baseball, averaging 4.83 runs per game. But the rumored additions of Eugenio Suarez or Ryan McMahon could have given A.J. Hinch one more option off the bench and one more problem for opposing managers to deal with.
Truth be told, the Tigers' lineup was probably fine without giving up a haul at the deadline. But there’s one prospect that could help Detroit down the stretch.
Jace Jung Remains Call-Up Candidate for Tigers Down the Stretch
The Tigers have many prospects to choose from, and it’s a big reason why they didn’t make a blockbuster deal at the deadline. While Detroit has five prospects in MLB Pipeline’s top 100 list, only Thayron Liranzo is projected to make his debut before 2027. But that doesn’t mean that they don’t have an impact player to choose from.
The one candidate that makes sense is infielder Jace Jung. The Tigers gave Jung an opportunity to win the third base job in April, but he flopped spectacularly, hitting .111/.245/.111 with no homers and three RBI in 18 games before being optioned to Triple-A Toledo in May. The struggles were also a continuation of the issues he had when he was called up last season, hitting .241/.362/.304 in 34 games during the stretch run.
While Jung has improved defensively, his offense is the reason he’s not in the majors and something Hinch cited when the decision was made to send him down.
“Getting his bat going has been a challenge,” Hinch admitted. “Just finding that consistency, finding the right swing, finding the in-game adjustment. He was just continuing to dig himself into a deeper hole.”
While things weren’t going well, it’s not like Jung doesn’t have anything to draw upon. The 12th overall pick in the 2022 draft, Jung’s bat was the reason he was drafted so high, hitting .328/.468/.647 with 39 homers and 147 RBI in 136 games during his collegiate career at Texas Tech. While he couldn’t keep up the video game numbers while moving through the minors, he was still respectable, hitting .252/.376/.458 with 55 homers and 197 RBI in 327 games.
The minor league journey has continued as Jung is hitting .229/.371/.424 with 11 homers and 39 RBI at Toledo this season, but still has some positive things to draw on. Jung is posting an average exit velocity of 91.4 mph and a 22.8% chase rate with the Mud Hens. He’s also shown great patience with a 13.2% walk rate in the majors and an 18.4% walk rate at Triple-A.
The Tigers' lineup looks good right now, but Jung’s name should be on the radar down the stretch. Zach McKinstry has done a fine job holding down third base, but having a power-hitting phenom on the bench could be a great insurance plan in case of injury.
Those are the things that should be considered as the Tigers look to make a run in October and bring Jung back to Detroit in the near future.