Player: Erick Aybar
Born: January 14, 1984 in Bani, Dominican Republic
Position: Shortstop
Bats/Throws: Switch/Right
Drafted: Signed as an amateur free agent by the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim in 2002.
Career Highlights:
- MLB All-Star in 2014 as a member of the Angels
- 2011 American League Gold Glove Award winner at shortstop
- Career .274/.314/.374 hitter in 11 big league seasons with LAA/ATL
Tigers Outlook: Aybar was traded from the Atlanta Braves to the Detroit Tigers in exchange for Mike Aviles and minor leaguer Kade Scivique. He’s got great range at the shortstop position and can contribute with the bat offensively as well. In 11 MLB seasons, Aybar has carried a steady bat from both sides of the dish and also carries a .972 fielding percentage at shortstop. With a hamstring injury ultimately landing every day shortstop Jose Iglesias on the DL, the move to bring in Aybar was a depth move by general manager Al Avila. Look for Aybar to man the shortstop position with Dixon Machado backing him up until Iglesias’ hamstring is well enough to get back to playing baseball for the Tigers.
Here’s a little glimpse of what to expect for the Detroit’s newest acquisition.
