Detroit Tigers Unexpectedly Cut Ties With Young Infielder Acquired at 2023 Deadline

The Detroit Tigers have finalized their Triple-A roster for 2025, and unexpectedly decided to release a young infielder they traded for in 2023.

Detroit Tigers infielder Eddys Leonard bats against pitcher Tarik Skubal during spring training at TigerTown in Lakeland, Fla. on Tuesday, Feb. 18, 2025. | Junfu Han / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

The Detroit Tigers have begun to finalize their minor league rosters as Opening Day for many of the feeder teams has arrived. This has led to some surprising cuts and roster decisions that have been made public right before the first games start up. While many players have landed roster spots where they were expected to be, some have been released altogether and will have to find a new team as things ramp up.

One of the players who ended up being released was infielder Eddys Leonard, as was reported by Evan Woodbery of MLive Media Group. He also notes that Leonard was in photos for the Mud Hens as recently as March 27, so this was clearly a cut that happened late into the process.

Leonard is a versatile infielder having played second base, third base, and shortstop at various points in his career. He unfortunately had difficulties with injuries including a hamstring setback later in 2024. After the 2024 season he was designated for assignment and then the Tigers decided to non-tender him, allowing him to hit the open market before re-signing on a minor league deal.

2024 was a solid year for him as well, in Triple-A he would slash .263/.326/.455 with 35 runs, 26 RBI, 10 home runs, and 74 strikeouts to 17 walks in 67 games. The strikeout ratio was one of the biggest flaws in his game across many levels of the minor leagues and is one of the likely reasons why Detroit decided to cut ties.