DETROIT – The Detroit Tigers have added a new outfielder to the spring training battle for their final bench spot.
Most of the position players who will make the Opening Day roster for Detroit are already set in stone. Jake Rogers, Spencer Torkelson, Javier Baez, Mark Canha, Parker Meadows, Riley Greene, and Kerry Carpenter will be in the starting lineup.
Colt Keith is likely to open the season as the starting second baseman, and Matt Vierling will either share the third base job with Zach McKinstry or have it all to himself. Either way, both will make the roster.
Andy Ibanez will compliment McKinstry as a right-handed utility player off the bench, and Carson Kelly will be the backup catcher.
That leaves just one spot left for Akil Baddoo, Justyn-Henry Malloy, Andre Lipcius, Ryan Kreidler, Eddys Leonard, or Wenceel Perez.
And now, you can add another name to that mix.
Tigers claim TJ Hopkins
On Tuesday afternoon, Feb. 20, 2024, the Tigers claimed 27-year-old outfielder T.J. Hopkins off waivers from the San Francisco Giants. Hopkins made his brief MLB debut with the Reds last season and was traded to the Giants on Dec. 19 for a player to be named later.
The Giants designated Hopkins for assignment on Feb. 13 after trading for Toronto’s Otto Lopez.
Hopkins struck out in 17 of his 44 MLB plate appearances last season (38.6%) in Cincinnati, but he had an excellent season with Triple-A Louisville.
In 94 games with the Bats in 2023, Hopkins hit .308 with a .411 on-base percentage and .514 slugging percentage. He walked 55 times compared to 94 strikeouts and finished with 16 homers, 18 doubles, and 102 hits overall.
It’s easy to see why president Scott Harris and general manager Jeff Greenberg were attracted to Hopkins. His 14% walk rate aligns with their offensive vision, and the 23.9% strikeout rate isn’t crippling.
Hopkins fits the mold of what the Tigers are looking for in their final bench piece. Since three of their four primary outfielders -- Meadows, Greene, and Carpenter -- are left-handed hitters, the player who earns the final bench spot is likely to be right-handed.
That could favor Malloy, a rising prospect with elite on-base metrics of his own, but Hopkins gives the Tigers a little bit of insurance in case Malloy struggles this spring.
Hopkins has plenty of minor-league experience in both corner outfield spots. He played six games in left and nine games in right for the Reds last year.
Although his previous numbers were solid, 2023 was a breakout season for Hopkins. He hit 21 homers and 26 doubles with a .792 OPS in 2022 while spending time at Double-A and Triple-A, and posted a .777 OPS at Double-A in 2021.
Hopkins was a ninth-round pick by the Reds out of the University of South Carolina in 2019.
Tigers designate Kolton Ingram for assignment
To make room for Hopkins on the 40-man roster, the Tigers designated Kolton Ingram for assignment. Ingram was selected off waivers from the Angels on Feb. 5, and the Tigers traded Nick Maton to the Orioles a couple of days later to make room for him.
Like Hopkins, Ingram had some appealing minor-league stats but struggled during a very brief MLB debut in 2023.
In 61 innings between Double-A and Triple-A last year, Ingram posted a 2.95 ERA and 1.23 WHIP with 77 strikeouts in 61 innings. He struck out 11.1 batters per nine in 198.2 career minor-league innings, but also walked 3.9.
