Could Detroit Tigers Infielder Be a Key Trade Piece This Offseason?
The Detroit Tigers have entered the offseason with high expectations after a great 2024 campaign.
It was an amazing season for the Tigers last year, as they were able to snap a lengthy playoff drought and defeat a powerhouse in the American League during the postseason.
Detroit exceeded all expectations after being sellers at the trade deadline, as they traded away some talented players. However, they went on a great run led by their ace Tarik Skubal and a very deep bullpen.
Even though the Tigers had a lot of success in 2024, this is a team that is still very young with a lot of potential for the future. With a strong young core in place, Detroit is in excellent position to sustain and build upon this success.
While they had a great season, there are still areas that this team can improve. As shown in the playoffs, the Tigers could use some more help in their starting rotation and could use some power in their lineup.
Recently, Mark Feinsand of MLB.com spoke about infielder Jace Jung being a potential trade candidate this offseason.
"Colt Keith’s emergence at second base this season means Jung is ticketed to play third base in Detroit, possibly in a platoon with Matt Vierling. The jury is still out on whether Jung, a first-round Draft pick in 2022, can stick at the hot corner long-term, so if the Tigers look for an alternative at third, they could find a team that sees him as a fit for them at second."
The emergence of Keith at second base was a great sign for Detroit, as he is a young player that they can look to build around. While the emergence of Keith was good, that makes another young player in Jung a bit expendable now.
The young infielder got his first cup of tea in the majors in 2024, and performed pretty well. In 94 plate appearances, he totaled a .241 batting average, and an impressive .362 on-base percentage. For such a young hitter, Jung really showed a good eye and a lot of patience at the plate, which is generally the sign of a good hitter.
While Jung might end up being a good player, the Tigers really don’t have anywhere for him to get at-bats currently. They could entertain the idea of him splitting time with Matt Vierling at third base, but that wouldn’t help either one of those players develop. Ideally, third base is also a position that the team looks to really improve.
Even though he is unproven, he should have some trade value as a prospect and could be used in a potential deal to improve the team in the short-term.
