5 Detroit Tigers Who Could Be with Different Clubs Next Season

The Detroit Tigers are no strangers to offseason change.

After a 2013 season in which the team had a tremendous shot at winning the World Series, general manager Dave Dombrowski retooled the team. In the process, he swapped out the likes of Jose Valverde, Prince Fielder, Jhonny Peralta and Joaquin Benoit for Joe Nathan, Ian Kinsler, Rajai Davis and Joba Chamberlain.

With the Tigers coming off of a disappointing (by their own standards) early playoff exit, the team will look to reload with an eye toward winning it all in 2015.

Detroit has already re-signed Victor Martinez and acquired Anthony Gose. In addition, the team could still re-sign Max Scherzer.

If one thing is certain, it is that the Tigers will be active in the offseason. To make additions, the team will have to let players go. Torii Hunter won’t be brought back, and major contributors such as Phil Coke, Chamberlain and Don Kelly could be lost via free agency.

Here are five Detroit players who could be with different clubs next season.

All stats courtesy of Baseball-Reference.com unless otherwise noted.

5. Hernan Perez

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Perez has played sparingly for the Tigers over the last three years, totaling 73 at-bats in 44 games. Yet he has made the team’s postseason roster the last two seasons.

The infielder owns a meager .205 career batting average in the majors, but at only 23 years old, he still has upside.

Adept at either middle infielder position, Perez has a career .288 line in Triple-A and shows the potential to be a solid two-way contributor at the major league level.

These positives are all well and good, but the caveat is that Perez barely played for Detroit this season. He garnered a minuscule five at-bats and was only recalled from Triple-A during September call-ups. Perez was passed up by Eugenio Suarez and Andrew Romine on the organizational depth chart.

Suarez and Romine didn’t exactly light the world on fire with their respective performances, so it’s curious as to why Perez was never called up. His .287 batting average and 43 extra-base hits at Triple-A in 2014 certainly don’t suggest a slump.

If the Tigers didn’t think Perez was ready to handle shortstop full time in 2014, then they certainly won’t give him the job in 2014. Defensive wizard Jose Iglesias missed 2013 due to injury and is back. Iglesias is a potential Gold Glove winner and elite defender.

Perez will be left to battle it out for a utility role, and the Tigers may find more value by dealing him to a team in need of a young, controllable middle infielder. Houston, Oakland, San Diego and the New York Mets could all be fits.

4. Eugenio Suarez

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Like Perez, Suarez will be battling for a utility role thanks to the return of Jose Iglesias. Also like Perez, Suarez is a young middle infielder with promise; however, with a logjam of players at his position, he could be on the way out.

The early returns for Suarez were very positive. In 80 at-bats throughout June, the shortstop hit .279 with three home runs, a triple, three doubles, eight runs batted in and an .849 OPS.

The rest of the way was a struggle. Suarez hit .226 in the second half and posted an ugly .463 OPS in September and October. Moreover, manager Brad Ausmus relied on Andrew Romine at shortstop down the stretch.

Thanks to Iglesias and the plethora of other middle infielders available to Dombrowski and Ausmus, the 23-year-old Suarez is certainly expendable.

Suarez may possess more potential than fellow infielder Romine, but because of that the Tigers should be able to get a comparatively more substantial return in a trade.  Teams that are potential fits for Perez could also be in the market for Suarez.

3. Andrew Romine

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Similar to Perez and Suarez before him, Romine’s chances of making next year’s roster are significantly hampered by Iglesias’ recovery.

Unlike his fellow middle infielders, Romine would bring less in a trade. Both Perez and Suarez are 23, while Romine is 28.

Of the trio, Romine is likely the best bet to make the roster. The former Angel has experience playing third base—something Perez and Suarez can’t claim. In addition, Romine is also a better defensive player and brings speed on the basepaths.

Still, if the Detroit brass feels that one of the other infielders possesses more long-term upside and could be a contributing piece in the future, Romine could be the odd man out.

Due to his age and career .236 batting average, he isn’t going to be a candidate to take over for Ian Kinsler when the second baseman gets older (this has been mentioned as a potential role for Perez).

Romine won’t start for most teams but could be a solid utility infielder. Any team in the market for a player of that skill set, or one seeking infield depth in general, could be in play for the former Angel.

2. Alex Avila

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Despite picking up Avila’s $5.4 million contract option for 2015, the team could still deal its catcher.

Avila has been beset by injuries after a 2011 season in which he garnered MVP votes and won a Silver Slugger. During that breakout campaign, he hit .295, drove in 82 runs and posted a .895 OPS—impressive numbers for a catcher.

It will be tough to deal Avila. Not only does his father work in the Tigers front office, but the catcher also works well with Detroit’s pitching staff. The Alabama product is also a plus defender behind the dish.

Injuries have turned the 2011 version of Avila into one who only managed to hit .218 and drive in 47 runs. His 2014 OPS was .686.

Likely the only value in moving Avila would be to shed his salary, as Detroit’s payroll continues to be one of the highest in the game. If Avila is moved, prospect James McCann could step in and be the full-time starter behind the dish.

1. Bryan Holaday

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If James McCann is transitioned to the big leagues, and the team chooses to keep Avila around, Bryan Holaday could be the odd man out.

Holaday took the backup-catching reins from Brayan Pena and as Alex Avila’s backup in 2014. His play wasn’t anything to get overexcited about. The former sixth-round pick didn’t exactly put up Yadier Molina-like numbers defensively. In addition, Holaday posted a .266 on-base percentage.

Even if Avila is traded, the Tigers could still move on from Holaday. McCann has solid upside, and the combination of McCann and a trade acquisition like Dioner Navarro of Toronto or Jason Castro of Houston could provide sufficient production at catcher.