MLB Insider Expects Detroit Tigers Prospect Hao-Yu Lee to Make Big Leap in 2025

Hao-Yu Lee, who came over in a trade with the Philadelphia Phillies in 2023, could see action at second and third base with the Detroit Tigers once he gets promoted.

Detroit Tigers infielder Hao-Yu Lee works out at third base during spring training at TigerTown in Lakeland, Florida. | Junfu Han / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

The Detroit Tigers have no shortage of infield options on their roster, and yet they still made a play for Alex Bregman when he was hanging around in free agency.

Now that Bregman is a member of the Boston Red Sox, though, perhaps an infielder already in Detroit's system could get an unexpected shot to contribute this season.

MLB Network's Jon Morosi went on "Hot Stove" Wednesday to discuss some players to watch in spring training, now that every team has started full-squad workouts. Morosi singled out Tigers infield prospect Hao-Yu Lee, who he thinks could make his MLB debut and make an impact in the big leagues in 2025.

"I think he's one of the top 100 prospects in the game," Morosi said. "You think about the profile, the way he plays second base, it reminds me a bit of a Tadahito Iguchi type, I think a really good bat-to-ball. I think he is someone that can really make excellent contact, loud contact, as a right-handed hitter. Maybe even a bit of a Placido Polanco that we saw with the Tigers years ago."

An emerging name to watch in the Tigers organization... Hao-Yu Lee 👀@jonmorosi | #MLBNHotStove pic.twitter.com/zqof08p7me

— MLB Network (@MLBNetwork) February 19, 2025

Lee finished 2024 ranked as the No. 8 prospect in Detroit's farm system, per MLB Pipeline.

The Philadelphia Phillies signed Lee out of Taiwan in 2021. Two years later, the Phillies flipped him to the Tigers in exchange for Michael Lorenzen at the trade deadline, at which point he was ranked as their No. 5 prospect.

Lee spent all of 2024 in Double-A, batting .298 with 12 home runs, 56 RBIs, 16 stolen bases and an .851 OPS in 87 games. He also made an appearance at the All-Star Futures Game last summer, seeing action at third base.

The 22-year-old is a second baseman by trade, and the Tigers signed Gleyber Torres to man that position earlier this offseason. Torres' arrival bumped former top prospect Colt Keith to first base after he had spent his rookie year at second.

As for third base, that job is expected to go to another top prospect in Jace Jung. The Tigers also have a handful of utility men on the roster in Andy Ibáñez, Matt Vierling and Zach McKinstry who could fill in at both positions if need be.

For Lee to carve out a consistent role in Detroit's infield, at least one player would have to get traded or injured. He hasn't even taken a single at-bat in Triple-A, after all, so it is unlikely he will earn an Opening Day roster spot over any of those players with MLB experience.

Still, there is hype building around Lee, and the Tigers wouldn't have gone after Bregman if they thought their infield depth chart was set in stone.

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