Former Cardinal with Specific Skill Set Lands with Detroit Tigers

While his overall sklls have diminished a little, he can still do this one thing pretty well

Jul 2, 2025; Los Angeles, California, USA; Chicago White Sox outfielder Austin Slater (15) celebrates a two run home run during the third inning against the Los Angeles Dodgers at Dodger Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn Images | Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn Images

On Tuesday, a number of MLB teams were busy filling in the final spots of their rosters, with some teams like the A's bringing in a fifth starter at the buzzer, while other clubs, like the Detroit Tigers, signed veterans to minor-league deals with big-league incentives.

It was reported that the Tigers have come to terms on a deal with Austin Slater on just such a minor-league deal, which will pay him $2 million if he makes the team, and includes another $500K in performance bonuses. The former Stanford Cardinal spent last year with the Chicago White Sox after signing with them in the offseason, and then was traded to the New York Yankees at the deadline.

Slater ended up batting .216 with a .270 OBP in 65 games that included 148 at-bats. He was injured just days after joining the Yankees, landing on the IL for a month with a strained left hamstring. When he returned in September he played sparingly, and struck out in 12 of his 18 at-bats.

That all said, he does have a decent track record in his career, racking up a .248 batting average with a .336 OBP and a 100 OPS+ (league average) in eight years with the San Francisco Giants, and then short stints with a number of other teams.

Over the past three seasons, Slater has batted .233 with a .317 OBP and an 87 OPS+, so there has been a little bit of a decline from his peak years, but there is still a little bit left in the tank, and that is why the Tigers signed him.

How Slater fits with Detroit

Even in a down year in 2025, Slater still had one particular skill that could be of use for the Tigers, which is that he has still been decent against left-handed pitching. He ended up hitting .224 with a .290 on-base against them last season, and held a 100 wRC+ (100 is league average here, too).

The Tigers are a solid team that will be a popular pick to win the AL Central in 2026. In fact, FanGraphs gives them 58.8% odds to win the Central, and a 74.1% chance to make the postseason. The Seattle Mariners (78%) are the only team in the American League with a higher projected chance of playing in October.

With good teams, having a roster filled with league average or better players can be the difference between achieving their goals, or not. If Slater makes the club, then he would be a lefty specialist for them while also being able to play either corner outfield spot well with the glove. That can be a valuable player for a good team.

On the Tigers' projected roster over at Roster Resource, they have both Matt Vierling and Jahmai Jones making the Opening Day roster, while both are listed as platoon partners in the outfield against left-handed pitching. They would appear to be Slater's competition for a roster spot this spring.

The first Detroit Tigers spring game in Florida will be on Saturday, February 21 on the road against the New York Yankees.