Eight former Detroit Tigers players have recently signed with new teams, including Willi Castro (Minnesota Twins), Niko Goodrum (Boston Red Sox), Sergio Alcantara (Chicago Cubs), James McCann (Baltimore Orioles), Tucker Barnhart (Chicago Cubs), Austin Romine (Cincinnati Reds), Grayson Greiner (Texas Rangers), and Christin Stewart (Chicago White Sox). These players include utility men, shortstops, and catchers, and they have all played for the Tigers in the past, with varying levels of success.
- Utility man Willi Castro signed a minor league deal with the Minnesota Twins. Castro, 25, was acquired by the Tigers in 2018 and saw limited success in the 2020 and 2021 seasons. He became a free agent after the Tigers chose not to offer him a contract for the 2023 season.
- Another utility man, Niko Goodrum, agreed to a minor league deal with the Boston Red Sox. Goodrum, who turns 31 in February, played for the Tigers from 2018-2021 and hit .232 with a .707 OPS in 376 games. He became a free agent after the Tigers did not tender him a contract following the 2021 season.
- Shortstop Sergio Alcantara signed a minor league deal with the Chicago Cubs, his second stint with the organization. Alcantara, 26, is known for his defense and played for the Padres and Diamondbacks.
- James McCann, the Tigers’ primary catcher in 2022, was traded to the Baltimore Orioles by the New York Mets. McCann, 32, played for the Tigers from 2014-2018 and revitalized his career with the Chicago White Sox before signing a four-year deal with the Mets.
- Tucker Barnhart, another former Tigers catcher, has agreed to a two-year deal with the Chicago Cubs. Barnhart, who turns 32 this week, was acquired by the Tigers in a trade with the Cincinnati Reds in 2021.
- Austin Romine, a former Tigers catcher, signed a minor league deal with the Cincinnati Reds. Romine, 34, was the Tigers’ primary catcher in the COVID-shortened 2020 season and has also played for the New York Yankees.
- Grayson Greiner, a third Tigers catcher, signed a minor league deal with the Texas Rangers. Greiner played for the Tigers from 2018-2021 and hit .204 with a .564 OPS in 174 games.
- Outfielder Christin Stewart signed a minor league deal with the Chicago White Sox. Stewart, 27, played for the Tigers from 2018-2021 and hit .202 with a .688 OPS in 192 games.
Detroit Tigers Players By the Numbers
- Willi Castro was acquired by the Detroit Tigers in 2018 and earned about $1.7 million in 2023
- Niko Goodrum played for the Tigers from 2018-2021 and had a .232 batting average and .707 OPS in 376 games
- Sergio Alcantara had big league stints with the Cubs, Padres, and Diamondbacks in addition to the Detroit Tigers
- James McCann played for the Tigers from 2014-2018 and signed a four-year, $40 million deal with the Mets before being traded to the Orioles
- Tucker Barnhart was acquired by the Tigers in a trade with the Cincinnati Reds in 2021 and is a two-time Gold Glove winner
- Austin Romine was the Tigers’ primary catcher in the COVID-shortened 2020 season and hit .238 with a .659 OPS in 35 games
- Bobby Wilson played for the Tigers in 2019 and 2020 and hit .225 with a .604 OPS in 52 games
