DETROIT – Every year, there’s at least one under-the-radar player who emerges for the Detroit Tigers in spring training.
The first one who comes to my mind is Akil Baddoo in 2021. When the Tigers selected him from the Twins in the Rule 5 draft, nobody knew who he was because he hadn’t played above Single-A.
But then he hit .325 with a .460 on-base percentage, 10 walks, and five home runs in spring training. He was so good that the Tigers had to put him on the Opening Day roster. And that certainly worked out.
Last year didn’t go so well. The spring star was Nick Maton, who hit .313 with a 1.067 OPS and five homers right after the Tigers acquired him from the Phillies in the Gregory Soto trade. He’s no longer with the organization.
We’re only six games into the 2024 spring training schedule, but there’s a candidate for this year’s breakout player.
If you haven’t paid much attention this week, you probably haven’t heard of Eddys Leonard. He’s a 23-year-old utility infielder who the Tigers acquired from the Dodgers for cash last season.
A.J. Hinch has found multiple at-bats for Leonard in four of a possible five spring training games (Leonard couldn’t have played in both split-squad games Tuesday because they were at the same time). In other words: The manager clearly wants to take a nice long look.
So far, Leonard is 4-for-10 with two doubles, one walk, and no strikeouts. For an organization that’s placing such an emphasis on commanding the strike zone, Leonard’s ability to put the ball in place is a very good sign.
And he’s not making weak contact, either.
Here are the recorded exit velocities from Leonard’s balls in play:
- 106.1 mph line-out on Feb. 27.
- 105.6 mph double on Feb. 28.
- 104.4 mph double on Feb. 24.
- 101.5 mph groundout on Feb. 27.
- 96.9 mph single on Feb. 24.
- 85 mph line-out on Feb. 28.
- 83.2 mph fly out on Feb. 24.
Statcast data wasn’t available for the Feb. 25 game against the Rays, but Leonard grounded out twice and hit a sharp single up the middle into center field.
In MLB, “hard-hit” is defined as 95 mph or harder, so five of Leonard’s seven recorded balls in play would qualify, and four of those were over 100 mph.
His defensive versatility can only help. Leonard played shortstop on Feb. 24 after entering the game as a pinch runner. He started at shortstop the following day, but then entered as a replacement for Colt Keith at second base on Feb. 27. He got a second start at shortstop on Wednesday.
Leonard played 13 games in the outfield at Triple-A Toledo after the trade last season -- 10 in center and three in left. He also spent time at shortstop, third base, and second base.
The Tigers clearly believe Leonard will fill a super-utility role someday. That likely won’t be on Opening Day -- Andy Ibanez, Matt Vierling, and Zach McKinstry have a firm grip on the available bench spots -- but Leonard figures to make an impact on the Tigers at some point this season.
If there’s an injury to Vierling or McKinstry, who both have infield and outfield experience, Leonard is on the 40-man roster and most likely to step into that role. If an injury to the starting lineup forces Ibanez or Vierling into a starting job, Leonard could come up as a bench bat.
It’s only been a handful of exhibition games, but we can already see why the Tigers had interest in Leonard. Scott Harris has a bit of a reputation for making minor additions that pay off -- like Ibanez, Michael Lorenzen, and Tyler Holton.
Leonard looks like yet another shrewd move.
