The Detroit Tigers head into the 2023 season with a few safe bets on their roster. Left-hander Eduardo Rodriguez will be the team's Opening Day starter, barring a massive surprise.
Tigers fans will also see a lot of Miguel Cabrera this season as the designated hitter. Cabrera is calling it a career after 2023, and he will get every opportunity to chase any milestones within his reach.
And as the sun sets on the team's past, we will also get a great look at its future. Riley Greene will receive the bulk of the playing time in center field as the team's former top prospect looks to build off a solid debut campaign.
Beyond that, there are a lot of uncertainties. Detroit has open roster spots across the diamond, up for anyone to claim as their own. With that in mind, here are three Tigers position battles to keep an eye on in Spring Training.
3. Detroit Tigers bullpen
When the Tigers were contenders, their bullpen was a massive weakness. However, their bullpen has actually been a strong point in recent years. However, with recent trades of Gregory Soto and Joe Jimenez, that may not be the case.
There are a few virtual locks for the Tigers in their bullpen. Right-handers Alex Lange, Jason Foley, and Jose Cisnero are likely to make the Opening Day roster out of Spring Training. Beyond that, it's a toss-up.
The Tigers just added veteran closer Trevor Rosenthal to the team. Perhaps he fills the same role in Detroit. Right-hander Mason Englert is a Rule 5 pick that Detroit could certainly keep around.
Left-hander Tyler Alexander is another pitcher who has a decent chance of making the roster. However, Detroit also has left-handed options in veteran Chasen Shreve and 26-year-old Tyler Holton.
There are a ton of options for Tigers manager AJ Hinch, and so few spots. It'll be interesting to see which pitchers win a spot in the bullpen as Opening Day inches closer.
2. Catcher
The Tigers swung a trade with the Cincinnati Reds last season for Tucker Barnhart. However, that didn't work out, and he has signed with the Chicago Cubs. Entering 2023, Detroit's catching situation is also wide open.
Former top prospect Jake Rogers returns from injury and has impressed this spring. He has three home runs and has looked great offensively. He is on the fast track to locking down one of the two catching spots.
Eric Haase will be on the Tigers roster in some capacity, we just don't know what capacity exactly. The Michigan native is a catcher by trade but possesses the ability to play a corner outfield spot.
Behind those two, Detroit has Donny Sands and Andrew Knapp. Sands joined the Tigers in the Soto trade with the Philadelphia Phillies. Knapp, 31, is a veteran journeyman who spent last season with the San Francisco Giants organization.
The Tigers have no clear starter on the roster, let alone a backup. This is certainly a position battle Detroit fans should keep their eyes on.
1. Third base
The most obvious position battle for Tigers fans to watch this Spring Training is at third base. Jeimer Candelario is no longer on the team. He signed with the Washington Nationals after being non-tendered.
There is a good chance no player plays 100 games at the hot corner in Detroit. The most obvious candidate to start here is Nick Maton, another player brought in via the Soto trade.
Matt Vierling, the last of the three players acquired in that deal, could also see time at third. However, he figures to be a regular fixture in the outfield beside Riley Greene and Austin Meadows.
Andy Ibanez is another option, though he is not with the Tigers right now. He is representing Cuba at the World Baseball Classic, which officially kicked off on Tuesday.
Other possibilities include Tyler Nevin and veteran infielder Cesar Hernandez. Nevin could make the roster on his versatility alone. He can play the corner spots both on the infield and in the outfield.
Hernandez is a different story, however. He is a second baseman by trade, but Detroit has given him some reps at the hot corner. The veteran infielder certainly seems more comfortable at second base, though, so he may not factor into this conversation.
The Tigers did not add any third basemen available on the free-agent market this winter. As such, they find themselves in a bit of a pickle heading into the 2023 season. The coming months will tell if Detroit has a viable third baseman on the roster, or if a move needs to be made at the hot corner.
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