Detroit Tigers Add Former Cardinal That Had a Noteworthy 2025 MLB Debut

Feb 28, 2025; Phoenix, Arizona, USA; Los Angeles Dodgers pitcher Jack Little against the Los Angeles Angels during a spring training game at Camelback Ranch-Glendale. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images | Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images

The Detroit Tigers are adding a new depth option to the bullpen mix this offseason, claiming former Stanford Cardinal right-hander Jack Little off waivers from the Pittsburgh Pirates this week. Little, 27, was a fifth-round pick by the Los Angeles Dodgers back in 2019, and he made his debut with the World Series winners this past season.

That debut was certainly a memorable one, as he ended up clearing the benches in a heated contest between the Dodgers and San Diego Padres. In his defense, there was a lot of bad blood building over the course of the series, with the two teams trading hit batsmen back-and-forth, and it looking like the two managers were going to fight each other at one point.

Little came in and struggled in his first inning of work, giving up four hits and walking one, which led to two more Padres runs scoring and San Diego taking a 5-0 lead.

Then he was sent out for another inning.

LIttle struck out Martín Maldonado to start the inning, but then a pitch up and in to Fernando Tatís Jr. hit him on the right wrist. In the moment, the Padres were scared they'd lost their superstar for the rest of the season. Plus, there had been a lot of other hit batters along the way this series.

After the benches cleared and cooler heads prevailed, Little finished his second inning of work with no further damage, then was optioned back to Triple-A, where he'd wait for a couple of weeks before his next opportunity in the bigs.

That would come on July 5 against Houston (another hated rival of the Dodgers), and he just worked an uneventful inning, striking out one in the process. He was designated for assignment by the Dodgers at the beginning of August, and picked up by the Pirates, who never called him up.

In his brief time with the PIrates Triple-A affiliate, Little was a much more effective pitcher in his 19 1/3 innings of work. His WHIP dropped from 1.36 to 1.03 thanks to his walk rate plummeting down to 3.8%. In 42 2/3 minor league innings with the Dodgers, he was walking 10.3% of the batters he faced, while also striking out roughly three percent more hitters.

He seemingly kept his same pitch mix and was throwing them at the same rates he'd been using them with the Dodgers, so perhaps there was a mental hurdle that was cleared for him with the Pirates.

In his three innings in the big leagues, Little held a 46.2% chase rate and a 32% whiff rate, both of which would have ranked at the top of baseball over more innings. There is certainly some upside here for the Tigers to uncover heading into the 2026 campaign.