Making the case for the Tigers next call-up

(stats as of August 15, 2025)

The Detroit Tigers made a concentrated effort to grab pitching at the trade deadline, for better or for worse. But because of that, there may not be a lot of pitching mentioned in this article. There will inevitably be some call-ups before the end of the year. That may be due to poor performance or a part of September call-ups.

But without further ado, the categories:

Sooner than later: Players with a high chance to don a Tigers uniform before the end of the season, not guaranteed, but will get the first looks (beyond the usual suspects in Triple-A, Ryan Kreidler, Justyn Henry-Malloy, Jace Jung, etc.). 

Longshot, but still possible: Players who would need to overperform, but will likely end up in Spring Training with a chance to make the big league roster in 2026, or at some point during the season.

A year or two away, but the chances are never zero: Players who would fit into the above category next year, but may have a special skillset needed for a playoff push in September.

Sooner than later

Hao-Yu Lee – I would not be surprised to see Lee up if the bats struggle again at some point in Detroit. He’s a pure hitter. Lee uses the whole field with easy power to all fields as well. This season, he has one of the more impressive Prospect Savant profiles in the Minor Leagues; he’s been walking at a 12.2% rate and strikes out at a 21.7% rate, which would be about league average in MLB.

So far, in Toledo, Lee hasn’t missed a lot in the middle of the zone, which is something that has been a theme with some recent players who have come up and down from Triple-A to the Majors. He, at times, can struggle with four-seamers, but generally is a good hitter. Lee has been rotating between second and third base this season, and has performed better as a second baseman, but he isn’t known for his fielding prowess, either. 

Trei Cruz –  Cruz is having a sneaky good season between Erie and Toledo and brings athleticism and versatility. If you asked me even a month ago, I don’t think there was much of a chance, not because he played poorly, but because there are just so many players ahead of him between those previously mentioned. He’s quickly turned that narrative around, at least in my eyes. 

Cruz has an .855 OPS, with an OBP of .405. He’s swiped 13 bags and clubbed 10 home runs, so he brings a bit of a power/speed combination along with his positional versatility. He’s becoming an option more and more with his recent stretch; he’s put up a 1.093 OPS in August with four XBHs in 31 ABs and 12 walks. He’d fit in well at Comerica Park. 

He’s a switch-hitter but doesn’t offer much from the right side; he’s put up just a .687 OPS against lefties. He’s walking at a 17.3%  rate (would be second in MLB) between both levels, which would be first in the entire International League, but he’s at a 19% rate through 25 Triple-A games. His 154 wRC+ during his time in Erie still ranks second in all of Double-A (132 wRC+ in Triple-A). 

Matt Seelinger – This is a name I haven’t seen mentioned a lot, but Seelinger is having a great season. He’s fresh off learning a brand new knuckle curve-type pitch that finds ridiculous movement and drops something like a cross between a curveball and a splitter. He gets great rise from his fastball that has averaged out at 92.7 with 18.53 IVB (Induced Vertical Break).

At this point, it’s becoming ridiculous.
Matt Seelinger with another month of straight dominance in AAA.

14IP
22K
3 ER
3 BB

FB 75% strikes up to 95 MPH, CT 40% whiff, & CB that is 60% Str/46% whiff/.176 Avg Agg.

Gets out both RH/LH at a high clip and can roll out of bed and… pic.twitter.com/9n7rtwGj7M

— Baseball Performance Center (@The_BPCsj) August 13, 2025

Seelinger is on the older side; he’s 30 and has yet to appear in the majors, and there may be some worry about that. For a team that’s struggling with the bullpen right now, I think it’s well worth a shot.

He’s pitched 50 and 2/3 innings this season between Erie and Toledo, and has put together a combined ERA of 1.78 (2.90 FIP), fans batters at a rate of 32.3% in total (35% in Toledo), walks batters at an 8.2% rate and ranks in the 89th percentile (according to Prospect Savant) in whiff rate at 35.3%. 

I say that to say this: the Tigers need someone who can induce swings and misses. Seelinger may not be the savior, but he’s putting together a legitimate argument to be on the MLB roster before the season concludes. 

Longshot, but still possible

Kevin McGonigle – Okay, this is where things get interesting, and I may take some heat, but that’s okay. McGonigle is a player with a genuine argument to be the number one prospect in all of baseball, and in my opinion, probably should be. 

From a pure hitting standpoint, he is far beyond his years and most of his peers. McGonigle is striking out just 10.5% of the time across three levels (A, A+, AA), which would put him at eighth in MLB. He also walks at a 13.9% clip. 

McGonigle is in rare air in terms of prospects I’ve watched. He has a compact, but powerful swing. He is on the shorter side, too. But he’s well-built and is showing more power potential than people thought. He’s up to a 1.035 OPS and an eye-popping 194 wRC+  on the year and has done nothing but rake so far in Erie.

I mean, seriously… five home runs, seven doubles and two triples in 91 ABs (.582 SLG), I don’t want to be that guy. But he’s that good. If he continues to hit at this level throughout the month, I wouldn’t be surprised to see McGonigle in Triple-A, or even bypassing that level altogether if the Tigers start to falter with the bats. His ridiculous approach and bat control lead me to believe he has a chance to be an immediate impact. I would predict at this point, with a good spring, he’ll be on the Opening Day roster in 2026.

Max Anderson – Anderson has come onto the scene in 2025; it’s by far the best year he’s had as a professional. He brings some defensive versatility, though it’s not necessarily high-level defense; it’s serviceable. I think this is a long shot because Anderson just arrived in Toledo.

He’s been an extra base hit machine this season, though. Anderson has 25 doubles, two triples, and 14 home runs in 378 ABs. Anderson makes a lot of contact and strikes out at just a 14.7% clip. One of the issues, though, despite a solid approach, is his lack of walks. He walks just 6.8% of the time.

But, overall, it’s not out of the realm of possibility, as I mentioned, Anderson has a 144 wRC+ this season between the two levels. If he continues to hit well, he may be on the shortlist to end up in Detroit by the season’s end.

A year or two away, but the chances are never zero

Max Clark – Before anyone comes to me, clamoring that I called for an immediate call-up of Max Clark, just look at the category. Max Clark will likely not be in Detroit this season, and maybe not even next.

The reason I have Clark in the not-quite-zero section is different than what many may expect. It’s not because he’s been hitting well, even though he has. Clark has been an on-base machine between High-A and Double-A. He carries a .418 OBP, and has walked at an 18.1% rate between both levels as well (although, he’s down to a respectable 13.3% rate in Erie). He has enough power, too. But more importantly, he sprays the ball all over the field, and that would come to his benefit in Comerica Park’s daunting dimensions to left and right-center field. 

It’s not that I think he’d hit at the level he’s hitting at right now, and keep up his 154 wRC+ pace. I think asking a 20-year-old to come up and hit right away is too much and not feasible. But I think his bat would bring enough value to help his case.

It’s not because of his glove, either. Despite him being a good outfielder, with a chance to be a Gold Glove Award winner. It’s not the main reason, though; hitting just okay and playing great outfield defense has its value. 

It’s because of his speed. Plain and simple. The Tigers are dead last in steals throughout the entire MLB. Clark has 70-level speed, and one could argue he’s faster than that. He’s been a net positive base stealer this season, even though he’s only stolen 17 bases.

Again, this is all hypothetical, and rushing Clark would be an act of pure desperation. And by no means is that a slight to Clark as a prospect, because I do think he can be an All-Star-level player within the next five years. He’s pretty damn good.

Rushing a prospect, unless you’re the Los Angeles Angels, is not common and is not suggested. Adjusting to the pitching as a 20-year-old would be extremely difficult. 

But in this scenario, Clark would be taking at-bats where he can get them, and soaking up big league clubhouse experience while providing an option to steal more bases, and overall wreaking havoc on the basepath. While unlikely, it would be fun, wouldn’t it?

Eduardo Valencia – Of the two players in this category, Valencia is more likely. He’s in Toledo already, and he can play catcher, a premium position. The Tigers signed Valencia back in 2017, and at 25, he’s come up through the system with up-and-down years, and he’s at a career high in plate appearances as a professional in 2025. 

Valencia has put together a nice offensive season thus far and hasn’t slowed down after getting to Toledo. He doesn’t walk much and strikes out a fair amount, but his output doesn’t suffer from either of those things. 

He’s got 14 home runs, nine doubles, and a triple between Erie and Toledo with an .879 OPS. He’s also put up 149 wRC+. 

Since he’s got to Toledo (20 games), Valencia has a 46.9% hard hit rate while slugging .523. In a small sample size overall, he’s hitting for more power than he was in Double-A (.231 ISO for Toledo, .196 for Erie). 

But, I have him in the long-shot category. His biggest holdup will now be the relationship Jake Rogers has with the pitching staff as a solid defensive catcher and veteran presence. Not only that, Valencia hasn’t been particularly great behind the plate, though it can be hard to judge players in Triple-A without any access to metrics and limited game tape.

He’s allowed eight passed balls in 28 games at catcher between both levels, and has only caught 13% of baserunners stealing. His bat carries value, but he’s limited to just first base and/or catcher. But, in the event of an injury or a development in his ability behind the plate, he’d certainly be on the shortlist.