Detroit Tigers 2026 Roster Projection

The 2026 Detroit Tigers have created a buzz following their signing of star pitcher Framber Valdez and future Hall of Famer Justin Verlander. The Tigers are coming off back-to-back ALDS losses, and coming into 2026, they seem to be pushing the chips forward with back-to-back Cy Young winner Tarik Skubal's looming free agency. So, as Spring Training ramps up and the Tigers figure out what the roster will look like, this season has very few mysteries at this point in time.

"Justin Verlander 2008" by SD Dirk on Flickr is licensed under CC BY 2.0.

Now that the Tigers have made the postseason for consecutive seasons for the first time in over a decade, the roster has more solutions and the questions for the first time in about that long as well. A few tough decisions will need to be made, primarily regarding the consensus number-two prospect in baseball, Kevin McGonigle, and the final few bullpen spots (a Spring Training tradition across Major League Baseball).

Starting Rotation (5)

The starting rotation had a few question marks before the announcement of Reese Olson's injury and the signings of Valdez and Verlander. Skubal, Flaherty, and Mize were already locks. This rotation is certainly the best in the division and arguably the best in baseball.

The storylines will be whether Skubal can win another Cy Young, whether Verlander plays as he did at the end of 2025 (2.87 ERA in the final 11 games), and whether Flaherty and Mize can solidify the back end. Mize made his first All-Star game last season, but he had a 5.54 ERA in 13 appearances after the All-Star break. In 2024, Flaherty had a 3.17 ERA and 3.1 WAR before his 2025 campaign, in which he posted a 4.64 ERA and 0.8 WAR. Of course, Valdez will be the prized new addition with his 3.6 WAR average over his eight-year career.

Projected 2026 Statistics per Baseball Reference

Player	ERA	Win-Loss	Ks	BBs
Tarik Skubal	2.69	13-6	205	38
Framber Valdez	3.57	12-9	166	59
Casey Mize	4.06	10-7	129	41
Jack Flaherty	4.21	9-11	172	54
Justin Verlander	4.28	7-10	125	50

Bullpen (8)

The first six spots in this bullpen are practically locks (Kenley Jansen, Will Vest, Kyle Finnegan, Tyler Holton, Brant Hurter, and Drew Anderson). After that, the conversations can get started. Jansen is 24 saves shy of 500, and before the late starting pitching additions was the Tigers biggest add this offseason. Vest, Finnegan, and Holton have shown in the past that they can pitch at an elite level. Hurter provides an additional lefty. While Anderson was originally signed as a starter, his $7M contract will see him in the bullpen. Having a player who can pitch strong middle relief shouldn't hurt this team.

Finally, Keider Montero showed in the 2025 postseason (allowed zero runs and one hit in 5.1 innings) that he can be a huge weapon out of the bullpen. The Tigers may decide they like having him as a spot starter and send him to Toledo, but if the team's "go for it" approach signifies anything, it's that they'll risk losing him as an option there to solidify this bullpen.

Projected 2026 Statistics per Baseball Reference

Player	ERA	Win-Loss	Ks	BBs
Kenley Jansen	3.60	4-4	58	22
Will Vest	3.49	4-4	66	22
Kyle Finnegan	3.90	4-5	46	21
Tyler Holton	3.27	5-4	66	20
Brant Hurter	3.38	5-3	63	22
Drew Anderson	N/A	N/A	N/A	N/A
Keider Montero	4.33	6-4	90	35
Brenan Hanifee	3.51	3-3	49	17

Infielders (4)

Spencer Torkelson, Gleyber Torres, and Colt Keith are locks. Torres had an All-Star season before a hernia slowed him down, and Spencer Torkelson solidified himself at first base last season. Colt Keith got moved around quite a bit, but it appears that third base is where he is going to end up this season. Keith is among the most likely Tigers to have a breakout season in 2026.

The mystery is at shortstop. Right now, it appears to be a platoon between Javier Baez and Zach McKinstry. Many would like to see the organization's top prospect, Kevin McGonigle, claim that spot, but he still has a hill to climb. His inclusion would likely involve taking Wenceel Perez's spot (see below). Baez revived his reputation in Detroit last season, making the All-Star game as a center fielder and largely leading the team in the postseason (.810 OPS and five of the team's 29 RBIs).

Projected 2026 Statistics per Baseball Reference

Player	OPS	HRs	RBIs
Spencer Torkelson	.761	24	68
Gleyber Torres	.749	17	62
Colt Keith	.744	14	53
Javier Baez	.630	11	54

Outfielders (5)

The Tigers outfield has a lot more depth than the infield, especially if you throw in Matt Vierling and Zach McKinstry. However, this season will see a lot of Parker Meadows, Riley Greene, and Wenceel Perez in the field, while Kerry Carpenter takes on more DH responsibilities. However, Greene may see a lot of DH as well, especially with the return of Matt Vierling.

This possibility, along with the aforementioned McGonigle possibility, puts Wenceel Perez in a tough spot because of the number of outfielding options. Perez doesn't field as well as Vierling or Meadows, nor does he hit as well as Greene, Carpenter, or Jahmai Jones, who solidified himself as the team's right-handed pinch-hitting specialist with a stellar end to the season (1.324 OPS in final 18 games). Perez had his moments in 2025 but struggled to end the season. A.J. Hinch heavily values his switch-hitting ability, but he has a lot to contend with going into the season, especially with another left-handed bat (McGonigle) fighting for a spot on the team.

The question mark here remains whether or not Meadows can establish himself at the plate. His potential power and his speed have yet to show in the Majors for a prolonged stretch, but his stellar play in center field will give him another opportunity to find it. Carpenter and Green are among the team's best hitters, with Greene being one of the faces of the franchise after making his second All-Star appearance in 2025.

Projected 2026 Statistics per Baseball Reference

Players	OPS	HRs	RBIs
Riley Greene	.814	26	82
Kerry Carpenter	.810	23	66
Parker Meadows	.710	9	32
Jahmai Jones	.792	10	36
Wenceel Perez	.724	13	46

Catchers (2)

This position provides the simplest prediction for this roster. Dillon Dingler established himself as the team's catcher of the now and the future, winning a Gold Glove along the way. Despite his impressive season, he remains among the most likely candidates for a breakout season in 2026. Dingler's offense could go to the next level this season, providing some additional pop to the lineup.

Jake Rogers is a solid backup and will likely get to catch some games for the player he was traded for (Justin Verlander). Rogers has some pop in his bat and will hopefully provide that in his reserve role this season.

Projected 2026 Statistics per Baseball Reference

Player	OPS	HRs	RBIs
Dillon Dingler	.719	12	54
Jake Rogers	.671	11	37

Utility (2)

The Tigers will have lots of optionality in the field this season, but Zach McKinstry and Matt Vierling will lead the way. McKinstry made the All-Star Game and won the Silver Slugger for utility players last season. He struggled down the stretch, as did most of Detroit's players, but his versatility in the field makes him a valuable asset. Matt Vierling missed most of last season, but the Tigers will be happy to have his bat back in the lineup. He'll help keep Greene and Carpenter healthy in the outfield and should have time at third base against lefties. His return puts the Tigers in a bind in the outfield. If his return knocks Perez off the roster, it could open a spot for McGonigle.

Projected 2026 Statistics per Baseball Reference

Player	OPS	HRs	RBIs
Zach McKinstry	.696	10	43
Matt Vierling	.718	8	31

2026 Detroit Tigers Possible Call-ups

Kevin McGonigle will get the most attention if he is sent down to Toledo, but Troy Melton may have the biggest case against getting snubbed. Melton finished the season strong and provided a strikeout option out of the bullpen in the postseason. While his inclusion in the bullpen remains a possibility, his potential remains highest as a starting pitcher, and he will likely take on the mantle of the sixth pitcher (called up for doubleheaders and the like). Trey Sweeney and Jace Jung will also likely spend time in Detroit this season. The number of bullpen arms that could see action is probably too large to list here, but Dylan Smith and Bailey Horn would be among the first up.

Projected 2026 Statistics per Baseball Reference

Player	ERA	W-L	Ks	BBs
Troy Melton	3.63	3-3	51	19
Dylan Smith	3.77	2-2	28	11
Bailey Horn	4.22	2-2	30	13

Projected 2026 Statistics per Baseball Reference

Player	OPS	HRs	RBIs
Kevin McGonigle	N/A	N/A	N/A
Trey Sweeney	.642	10	42
Jace Jung	.676	5	21

Stats provided by Baseball Reference

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