How Rookie Tigers are Faring

By Joe Underhill

The Detroit Tigers opened the 2024 season with just two rookies in their opening day lineup: second baseman Colt Keith and center-fielder Parker Meadows.

Since Opening Day, the team has had four more rookies crack the lineup with three of them making their major-league debuts.

Outfielder Wenceel Perez, outfielder/designated hitter Justyn-Henry Malloy, shortstop Ryan Kreidler, and pitcher Keider Montero are the new freshman quartet.

This year was always supposed to be about the young guys getting experience, so the front office could figure out who would be a part of future teams that would be expected to compete for a spot in the playoffs. How the six rookies have fared — much like the Tigers season — has been a mixed bag.

The Tigers have introduced six rookies to Comerica Park fans this season.Photo byDan Schlossberg

Keith signed the largest contract in Tigers’ history for a player who had not yet made his major-league debut and the Tigers said they would give him time to adjust to the majors.

Of course, Keith not only needed to make the adjustment offensively, but also at a relatively new position, second base.

He struggled to start the year, hitting just .154 with virtually no power in his first 26 games. However, with the calendar turning to May, Keith heated up significantly, slashing .343/.388/.493 in 24 games.

He has cooled in June but is not looking over-matched at the plate.

Defensively he has also been a work in progress but is continuing to improve. He regularly makes above-average plays, leading to hope that he can be at least an average defender once he has the reps under his belt.

Parker Meadows was the other rookie to open the season on the 26-man roster. However, despite playing well-above-average defense in center, his bat didn’t even qualify as below-average.

In 85 plate appearances Meadows hit a painful .096 with a strikeout rate of 37.6%.

Since being sent down to AAA, he has fared much better offensively, lowering his strikeout rate to 21.1% while hitting .285 with eight home runs. Meadows will be back in Detroit before too long.

Wenceel Perez was a little bit of a surprise call-up when Andy Ibanez went on the IL.

Perez had been moved to the outfield due to throwing issues and was only hitting .212 when called up. However, since his major-league debut, he has hit .268 with a healthy .728 OPS+. Perez is a switch-hitter and he established himself as a valuable part of manager AJ Hinch’s bench.

Keider Montero is the only rookie pitcher so far to debut this season. He has made two appearances now for the Tigers, covering 8.1 innings.

In those innings, he has posted a K/9 rate of 11.42 but has given up nine earned runs and walked four. The ERA is high at 9.35 but Montero has shown some promise and if he can refine his command, he could leverage his strikeout ability in the bullpen (especially if the Tigers decide to trade a bullpen arm).

Justyn-Henry Malloy was the call-up when the Tigers determined that first baseman Spencer Torkelson needed some retooling at AAA. So far, Malloy has shown good plate discipline but has struggled with a low BABIP (.214) and, as a result, a batting average that will probably have him back in AAA when the Tigers decide either Meadows or Torkelson are ready to return to the show.

Malloy still should be able to be an above-average hitter and he needs the bat to be above-average, because his defense is still a struggle, albeit with a small sample size.

Kriedler was called up when Javier Baez needed a stint on the IL. One of the best defenders in the Tigers system, Kriedler has struggled with his offense amidst his own health issues. Kriedler will be back to the minors when Baez is healthy, but he is worth keeping an eye on as the Tigers decide what to do with Baez in the coming off-season(s).

Overall, the Tigers have seen some positives from their rookies and each has teased his potential. Much like the big-league team overall, there is significant work to be done to turn talent into results.

Joe Underhill is a high school administrator and diehard baseball fan and fan of the city ofDetroit. Follow Joe on Twitter @TransplantedDet and @transplanteddet.bsky.social or write joe.underhill@auburn.org.