Detroit Tigers 2025 roster prediction 4.0: Who replaces Parker Meadows, Matt Vierling?
Opening Day is just 10 days away.
The Detroit Tigers, led by president of baseball operations Scott Harris and manager A.J. Hinch, won't finalize their 26-man roster on March 23, the last day of the Grapefruit League schedule in spring training. Instead, they're expected to make their decisions after exhibition games in San Francisco on March 24-25.
The 2025 season opener is set for March 27 against the Los Angeles Dodgers at Dodger Stadium.
Here's a look at our fourth version of how the Tigers should fill their 26-man 2025 Opening Day roster, now that both center fielder Parker Meadows (right musculocutaneous nerve issue) and right fielder/third baseman Matt Vierling (right shoulder strain) have been ruled out for the start of the season:
Catcher: Jake Rogers
Jake Rogers — a Gold Glove finalist last season — enters this season as the No. 1 catcher, but will he still be the primary catcher when the season ends?
That depends on backup catcher Dillon Dingler.
Dingler, 26, needs to be focused on getting comfortable at the plate in the big leagues. When everything clicks, he has more upside than Rogers on offense because he makes more contact while consistently hitting the ball hard. For now, Rogers is more advanced on defense, but Dingler is catching up to him.
First base: Colt Keith
We're going to find out a couple of things about Colt Keith within the first month of the regular season: Can he actually play first base, and is he going to hit for power?
On defense: There has been a mix of good and bad from Keith at first base in spring training, which is to-be-expected as he learns the position, but he doesn't look as comfortable as other first basemen on the 40-man roster.
On offense: Keith is hitting the ball harder more consistently in spring training, following an 87.8 mph exit velocity last season that ranked in the 23rd percentile, but he still isn't pulling the ball for home runs like he did at the upper levels of the minor leagues.
Second base: Gleyber Torres
The Tigers have no choice but to play Keith at first base after promising newcomer Gleyber Torres that he would be their everyday second baseman.
Torres, 28, is showing so many signs of being a steady presence at the top of the batting order, likely as the No. 2 hitter. This spring, he is hitting .292 with three home runs, seven walks and six strikeouts in 11 games, all while playing clean defense at second base.
Something to monitor: Would Torres be open to moving to third base if it better fits the Tigers' roster needs? He previously declined to switch positions with the New York Yankees and turned down an offer from the Washington Nationals in free agency because they wanted him at third. If needed, could the Tigers convince Torres to do what's best for the team?
Shortstop: Trey Sweeney
The Tigers haven't suggested that Trey Sweeney will be optioned to Triple-A Toledo. Despite his ongoing struggles at the plate, he appears poised to open the season as the primary shortstop as an above-average defender.
In 2024, Sweeney hit .218 with a .269 on-base percentage and a .642 OPS over 36 regular-season games, then struggled in the postseason, hitting just .091 with a .192 OBP and a .283 OPS in seven games. So far in 2025, he’s hitting .212 with a .278 OBP and a .611 OPS through 13 spring training games.
That's still better than Javier Báez, right?
Third base: Zach McKinstry
For the first time, I'm predicting Jace Jung won't make the Opening Day roster. The Tigers initially envisioned Jung as their everyday third baseman after missing out on Alex Bregman in free agency, but something has changed recently — now, Jung appears to be on the outside looking in.
If Jung gets cut, the Tigers will platoon at third base, with McKinstry facing right-handers and Andy Ibáñez handling lefties. Therefore, Ibáñez would start Opening Day against Dodgers lefty Blake Snell, but McKinstry would see more action overall with the abundance of right-handed starters.
The other scenario: If Jung makes the team, McKinstry would get more time in right field, Kerry Carpenter would serve as the primary designated hitter, and either Spencer Torkelson or Justyn-Henry Malloy could be sent to Triple-A Toledo.
Outfield: Riley Greene (LF), Wenceel Pérez (CF), Kerry Carpenter (RF)
The outfield changed dramatically when Vierling and Meadows were ruled out for the start of the season with injuries. Both players won't be eligible to return from the 10-day injured list until April 6, meaning the Tigers will be without them for at least eight games.
The construction of the outfield — without Vierling and Meadows — depends on what happens at other positions, like Jung at third base. But Pérez is locked in as the center fielder (and possibly the leadoff hitter) despite his below-average defense. Meanwhile, Carpenter projects to receive more playing time in right field despite being limited by injuries in each of the past two seasons.
The bad news: There isn't a timetable for Vierling or Meadows to return from their injuries.
Designated hitter: Spencer Torkelson
A designated hitter spot opens up if Carpenter plays mostly in right field, which hinges on McKinstry's role — and ultimately, all of that is tied to Jung's roster status. If things break his way, Spencer Torkelson will be on the Opening Day roster for the fourth season in a row, despite a .221 batting average and .693 OPS over 361 MLB games, spanning 1,469 plate appearances.
By signing Torres for second base and shifting Keith to first base, the Tigers moved on from Torkelson this offseason, fast-tracking the 2020 No. 1 overall pick to Triple-A Toledo. But injuries (and Jung's struggles on offense) have allowed Torkelson to secure short-term role as the designated hitter.
Bench: Dillon Dingler (C), Andy Ibáñez (INF), Justyn-Henry Malloy (DH/LF/1B), Javier Báez (SS/3B)
When the Tigers face a left-handed starter, like Snell on Opening Day, expect to see Ibáñez at third base (instead of McKinstry), Malloy in left field (instead of Carpenter) and Báez at shortstop (instead of Sweeney), with Ibáñez as the projected leadoff hitter in Game 1.
Malloy is still vying for a roster spot, along with Torkelson and Jung.
The Tigers are lined up to face right-handed starters Yoshinobu Yamamoto and Tyler Glasnow in the other two games of the opening series against the Dodgers. In those matchups, the trio of Ibáñez, Malloy and Báez could serve as pinch-hitters against left-handed relievers. The Dodgers are expected to have four or five lefties in their bullpen.
Rotation: Tarik Skubal (LHP), Jack Flaherty (RHP), Reese Olson (RHP), Jackson Jobe (RHP), Casey Mize (RHP)
Tarik Skubal, Jack Flaherty and Reese Olson are locked into the starting rotation.
Four pitchers are competing for the final two spots: Jackson Jobe, Casey Mize, Kenta Maeda and Keider Montero. It looks like a three-way race between Jobe, Mize and Maeda, with Montero likely heading to Triple-A Toledo.
Some things to consider: Jobe, the top pitching prospect in baseball, has two starts above Double-A Erie and is set to make $780,000. Mize is finally generating whiffs with his secondary pitches, with $2.34 million guaranteed. Maeda has one walk and 19 strikeouts in 12⅔ innings this spring, with $10 million guaranteed.
The decision — two spots for three starters — could go down to the wire.
Bullpen: Kenta Maeda (RHP), Tommy Kahnle (RHP), Jason Foley (RHP), John Brebbia (RHP), Will Vest (RHP), Beau Brieske (RHP), Tyler Holton (LHP), Andrew Chafin (LHP)
If Jobe or Montero don't make the Opening Day rotation, they'll report to Triple-A Toledo as starters. If Mize doesn't make the rotation, he will likely be sent to Toledo as a starter too.
What happens if Maeda doesn't make the rotation?
In that case, Maeda is expected to join the major league bullpen, as the Tigers haven't shown a willingness to eat the $10 million owed to him in 2025, the final year of his contract.
Another bullpen situation to monitor is Andrew Chafin, an 11-year MLB veteran who hasn't thrown a pitch faster than 90.3 mph in three spring training appearances, even though his sinker/four-seamer averaged 91.7 mph last season. He signed a minor league deal, so if he doesn't increase his velocity over the next week, a spot could open up for Brenan Hanifee, Brant Hurter or Sean Guenther to make the Opening Day bullpen.
Contact Evan Petzold at epetzold@freepress.com or follow him @EvanPetzold.
Listen to our weekly Tigers show "Days of Roar" every Monday afternoon on demand at freep.com, Apple, Spotify or wherever you listen to podcasts. And catch all of our podcasts and daily voice briefing at freep.com/podcasts.
This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: Detroit Tigers Opening Day roster without Parker Meadows, Matt Vierling
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