Tigers' top catching prospect leads list of non-roster invites

LAKELAND, Fla. -- The Tigers will have all three players from last summer’s Jack Flaherty trade in their Major League camp this Spring Training, including the guy they traded away. Top catching prospect Thayron Liranzo, who vaulted into MLB Pipeline’s Top 100 rankings at No. 82 on the strength of a dominant Arizona Fall League, is among 18 players who will be in camp as non-roster invites.

Liranzo, the sixth-ranked prospect on MLB Pipeline’s 2024 Tigers list, joins infielder Hao-Yu Lee (No. 8) -- another trade acquisition -- as the only ranked prospects to receive non-roster invites. Top prospect Jackson Jobe was already confirmed to be part of camp as a member of the 40-man roster, as are No. 5 prospect Jace Jung, No. 14 prospect Ty Madden, No. 18 prospect Trey Sweeney and No. 30 prospect Sawyer Gipson-Long. That means seven members of Detroit’s 2024 Top 30 prospect list will be in Major League camp, though others could make appearances in Grapefruit League games as extra players brought over from Minor League camp.

• Here is the Tigers' potential Opening Day roster

Flaherty re-signed with the Tigers last week. Sweeney, also part of the trade, reached Detroit a few weeks after the deal and will compete for playing time at shortstop in camp. President of baseball operations Scott Harris seemed to hint at Liranzo joining them in camp when asked about possibly seeing all of the players from the trade on the field together.

“Fortunately we’re in a situation now where we don’t have to choose between them anymore,” Harris said last Friday. “It’s going to be some pretty fun live [batting sessions] to watch in Spring Training when [Flaherty] is facing Sweeney and Liranzo.”

The way Liranzo has hit since joining the Tigers' system suggests he could surprise in such a matchup. The 21-year-old switch-hitter slashed .315/.470/.562 with five home runs and 20 RBIs in 26 games at High-A West Michigan, then backed it up by slashing .375/.492/.667 in 15 games at the Arizona Fall League. Nearly half of his hits at West Michigan went for extra bases, including seven doubles, and he drew more walks than strikeouts at both stops. The performance sent him vaulting up prospect rankings and put him squarely in Detroit’s long-term planning process.

Lee, acquired two years ago from the Phillies' system as the return in the Michael Lorenzen trade, hit .298/.363/.488 in 87 games at Double-A Erie, including 19 doubles, five triples, 12 homers and 56 RBIs. He also stole 16 bases in 17 tries before a back injury ended his season in mid-August.

Among those left off the camp invite list were four Tigers prospects on MLB Pipeline’s Top 100 list, including outfielder Max Clark (No. 2), middle infielder Kevin McGonigle (No. 3), shortstop Bryce Rainer (No. 4) and catcher/first baseman and Arizona Fall League MVP Josue Brice?o (No. 9). But while all of them have the talent to fit into camp, none have extensive time above Single-A. Clark leads the list with 34 games at West Michigan after a midseason promotion last year. Even Jobe had a cameo appearance at Erie before getting his invite to last year’s camp.

Liranzo has yet to reach Erie, but he spent the full season at High-A last year. Plus, the Tigers like to have catching depth in their Major League camp to help work with all of their pitchers during their throwing buildups. Detroit will have six catchers in Major League camp, including unranked prospect Eliézer Alfonzo and Minor League signings Tomás Nido and Brian Serven.

Other unranked prospects receiving invites included infielder Andrew Navigato, who hit .271/.363/.500 with 29 doubles, 21 home runs, 83 RBIs and 22 stolen bases in 128 games for Triple-A Toledo last year. The Tigers left him exposed to the Rule 5 Draft by not adding him to their 40-man roster, but they made a spot for him in camp.

Here’s the full list of non-roster invites:

• Pitchers: Jordan Balazovic, Dietrich Enns, Wilmer Flores, Matt Gage, Wilkel Hernandez, Ryan Miller, Ricky Vanasco, Brendan White
• Catchers: Eliézer Alfonzo, Thayron Liranzo, Tomás Nido, Brian Serven
• Infielders: Jahmai Jones, Hao-Yu Lee, Eddys Leonard, Andrew Navigato
• Outfielders: Akil Baddoo, Bligh Madris