Possible Detroit Tigers X-Factor Showing Signs of Breakout in Spring Training
The Detroit Tigers were one of the surprise teams of 2024 when they qualified for the postseason, stunned the Houston Astros in the Wild Card series and pushed the Cleveland Guardians to the limit in the ALDS.
They did it almost entirely with pitching, as the offense sputtered to a 24th-place finish in batting average, ranked 28th in on-base percentage and 22nd in slugging.
The Tigers took steps to address that this winter by bringing in former New York Yankees second baseman Gleyber Torres in free agency, but there are candidates already on the roster who can elevate the group by taking steps forward.
One of those players is former top prospect and new first baseman Colt Keith.
The team's fifth-round selection in the 2020 MLB draft spent significant time at second base in 2024, a campaign in which he produced a slash line of .260/.309/.380 while hitting 13 home runs and driving in 61.
The lefty has shown major flashes of his potential throughout spring training, including a big one in Saturday's game against the Philadelphia Phillies.
Detroit staged a two-out rally against Phillies ace and perennial Cy Young contender Zack Wheeler, and Keith came to the plate with two on and two out.
Facing as tough a customer as there is in Wheeler, Keith worked a 2-0 count and took advantage, slapping an RBI double to the opposite field gap to score both runs.
The 23-year-old, who began 2024 as the No. 22 prospect in the sport according to MLB Pipeline, is now hitting .306 this spring, an encouraging sign as he moves to a position where more offense will be required of him in the effort to accommodate Torres.
Keith's versatility all over the infield means that his athleticism should allow him to excel at first base defensively once he gets the hang of the basics of the position.
"I'm feeling better and better there every day," Keith told MLB Network's Hot Stove earlier this month. "I'm taking a ton of reps, and I'm throwing better and getting some game action, so it's only going to get better from here."
The Tigers have a lefty-heavy lineup with Riley Greene, Kerry Carpenter, Jace Jung and Trey Sweeney.
But Keith produced reverse splits in 2024, posting a .718 OPS against lefties and a .684 mark against righties. It was not a massive sample, but if it sticks this season, Keith could play a big role in preventing southpaws from carving through the team's lineup while still taking a leap forward overall.
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Kyle Morton has covered various sports from amateur to professional level athletics. A graduate of Fordham University, Kyle specializes in MLB and NHL coverage while having previous bylines with SB Nation, The Hockey Writers, HighSchoolOT, and Sports World News. He spent time working the beat for the NHL's Carolina Hurricanes and is an avid fan of the NHL, MLB, NFL and college basketball. Enjoys the outdoors and hiking in his free time away from sports.