Detroit Tigers' Trey Sweeney proves he can play shortstop in MLB with 'steady' defense

Detroit Tigers shortstop Trey Sweeney fielded a ground ball in the sixth inning of Wednesday's game against the Los Angeles Angels , only to skip the throw to first base. He was charged with the first error of his MLB career.

The mistake was unexpected.

Sweeney, acquired from the Los Angeles Dodgers as part of the Jack Flaherty trade , has been practically perfect at shortstop since making his MLB debut in mid-August. The 24-year-old appears to be in complete control of his actions on defense. He has already produced plus-4 defensive runs saved in 79 innings.

"He's rock solid," manager A.J. Hinch said. "He's been very steady. He makes a lot of simple plays look simple. He's made a couple of difficult plays look very simple. He's showcased arm strength. He's showcased sure-handedness. He's done a nice job of just being a steady player, which is all you ask."

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When the Tigers acquired Sweeney, the scouting reports projected a world in which Sweeney might need to move to third base or second base. He isn't flashy, but he has proven to be a steady defender at shortstop. He makes plays to his right with arm strength, and he makes plays to his left with athleticism.

He is comfortable at shortstop, where he has been playing for his entire life.

"I've always felt like I had a good chance to play shortstop," Sweeney said. "I knew, especially in pro ball, that players move around, so I thought I might play some different positions here and there, but I've always felt good and confident to be able to play shortstop."

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Sweeney has logged more than 2,800 innings at shortstop since the New York Yankees selected him with the No. 20 overall pick in the 2021 draft out of Eastern Illinois.

His journey to becoming an MLB shortstop with the Tigers involved two trades in the span of less than eight months, going from the Yankees to the Dodgers in mid-December 2023 and from the Dodgers to the Tigers in late July 2024.

Sweeney described his journey as "a whirlwind" after making his MLB debut on Aug. 16 at Comerica Park. Within 10 games, though, he settled into his new life as a Tiger.

"It feels a little more normal," Sweeney said.

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In December 2023, the Yankees traded Sweeney to the Dodgers for left-handed reliever Victor González and second baseman Jorbit Vivas . In July 2024, the Dodgers traded Sweeney (and catcher Thayron Liranzo ) to the Tigers for Flaherty.

Sweeney found out about the first trade while working out at the gym in the offseason. As for the second trade, Sweeney was swinging in the batting cage before a Triple-A game when he missed a call from Dodgers director of player development Will Rhymes, a former Tigers player.

He saw the missed call upon returning to his locker in the clubhouse.

"At that point, I knew I probably got traded," Sweeney said. "I was kind of shocked at first, just because it happened to me pretty recently, too. That one really felt like it happened fast."

The next day, Sweeney reported to Triple-A Toledo as a member of the Tigers' organization. He had an acclimation day before slotting into the Mud Hens' lineup Aug. 2. Two weeks later, he was called up to play for the Tigers.

At the Triple-A level, Sweeney hit .267 with 15 home runs, 49 walks and 130 strikeouts across 107 innings with Oklahoma City (96 games) and Toledo (11 games).

"I feeling good when I was in Oklahoma City," Sweeney said. "I got traded, and I kept the momentum going and keeping feeling good in my at-bats. It just happened to be with a different team."

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In 10 MLB games, Sweeney is hitting .194 with one home runs, zero walks and eight strikeouts. He hit his first homer last week at Wrigley Field , but he hasn't contributed at the plate yet, in part because of swing-and-miss issues against breaking balls and offspeed pitches.

Sweeney, a left-handed hitter, also struggles to hit left-handed pitching, which could create a platoon with fellow shortstop Javier Báez in 2025, with Sweeney playing against righties and Báez facing lefties.

Offense aside, Sweeney remains steady on defense.

After the trade, Sweeney played 85 innings at shortstop without an error in Triple-A Toledo. He also has just one error in 79 innings with the Tigers, spanning 47 total chances.

He seems right at home in Detroit.

"It doesn't take long, especially because we're here with each other so long thought the day, every day," Sweeney said of learning his new teammates with the Tigers. "We had the plane ride (to Chicago) and the travel day, so we spent a lot of time together, and we've already played a decent amount of games. It didn't take too long to get comfortable."

Contact Evan Petzold at epetzold@freepress.com or follow him @EvanPetzold .

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This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: Detroit Tigers' Trey Sweeney proves he can play shortstop in MLB with 'steady' defense