Detroit Tigers Surprising Minor Leaguer Has Great Shot For Opening Day Roster

The Detroit Tigers could have a surprise addition to the roster given the injury situation.

Detroit Tigers infielder Jahmai Jones warms up before a Grapefruit League game against Philadelphia Phillies at Joker Marchant Stadium in Lakeland, Fla. on Saturday, Feb. 22, 2025. | Junfu Han / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

A common issue which will pop up for teams during spring training is some bad injury luck, and while it has not been the disaster for the Detroit Tigers it's been for some others, they certainly are no exception either.

For the Tigers, it's been the outfield which has taken the brunt of the bite from the injury bug.

Utility man Matt Vierling - who was widely expected to play a critical factor both at third base and in the outfield - has already been ruled out for Opening Day with a rotator cuff issue in his right shoulder. The team will hope he is able to return sooner rather than later, but starting the season on the injured list is never a good sign.

On top of Vierling, defensive stalwart center fielder Parker Meadows is also dealing with an issue in his right arm though it's a bit more murky with it being a nerve issue. Meadows has not been ruled out for the start of the season yet, but there's no a defined timetable for his return either.

As a result of a thinning outfield, Detroit is going to have to get creative with how they allign things at least at the start of the year.

One of the major beneficiaries of the situation could be an under the radar minor league signing the Tigers made early on in the offseason who has always been a quality player at the lower levels and never really received an extended chance in the big leagues.

When Detroit handed over Jahmai Jones a contract back in November, it did far from make waves. Looking a little bit deeper however, the Tigers may have had a bigger plan in mind. For one, Jones is a right-handed hitter who could balance out the lefty-heavy outfield as the fourth option even with everyone healthy and also has the versatility to play anywhere.

Jones has hit well throughout the spring, but his grand slam against the Philadelphia Phillies on Wednesday which he absolutely mashed may have been his best case yet:

JAHMAI JONES 430 FOOT GRAND SLAM ‼️ pic.twitter.com/9ndA4gauQD

— Detroit Tigers (@tigers) March 5, 2025

For the spring as a whole, Jones has a slash line of .278/.409/.722 with two home runs and eight RBI in just nine games and a total of 18 at bats.

At the Triple-A level over the last couple of seasons, he has been a consistent .850-plus OPS type player and has demonstrated an ability to hit professional pitching.

Jones' Big League stats are not impressive, however he has played just 69 career games over four seasons with four different teams, never being given the chance to establish himself at the Major League level.

Nobody expects Jones to become an every day player for the Tigers this season. He is absolutely capable though of helping the team out and has proven that this spring.

With still a couple of weeks left for the roster and injury situations to figure themselves out, Jones will have to keep hitting at the same level in order to strengthen his case.

For now though, Jones finds himself in a great spot.