DALLAS -- The Winter Meetings had just started Monday when Tigers president of baseball operations Scott Harris preached patience.

¡°I will say, we always seduce ourselves into thinking like the Winter Meetings is like the finish line in the offseason,¡± Harris said. ¡°In most offseasons, it¡¯s not even the halfway point. We have a long way to go in the offseason.¡±

In the end, the Tigers left the Hilton Anatole with a veteran starter in Alex Cobb, signed to a one-year, $15 million contract, but also laid the groundwork for more. Barring a successful bid for Japanese sensation Roki Sasaki, who¡¯s expected to choose his destination once the upcoming international signing period begins next month, Detroit¡¯s starting pitching group is largely set. It¡¯s not flashy, but it allows Harris and general manager Jeff Greenberg to focus on their other needs ¨C particularly hitting -- heading into the holidays and the rest of the Hot Stove season.

BIGGEST REMAINING NEEDS

1. Adding a bat: With a deep rotation, offense is the Tigers¡¯ biggest priority, and they¡¯re less picky about the position than they are about the bat. Third base has been the more obvious opportunity, and they¡¯ve been in the mix for Alex Bregman, according to MLB.com¡¯s Mark Feinsand. Harris also noted the potential of DH at-bats if they wanted to add a first baseman alongside Spencer Torkelson.

¡°We can fit offensive performers in many different ways into our group, given the versatility that we built this roster with,¡± Harris said. ¡°We want to improve our offense this offseason. We feel like we have enough versatility to rearrange some of the pieces to fit just about any profile here.¡±

2. Relief help: There¡¯s enough depth in starting pitching that the Tigers can shift roles for a pitcher or two without sweating an injury. But they could use more strikeouts in a bullpen that relied more than most last season on outs in play. That doesn¡¯t necessarily mean adding a lockdown closer, but it could involve adding a talented but inconsistent arm that they believe their coaches and instructors can improve.

¡°Would I like to add to the bullpen? Yes, I would,¡± Harris said Monday. ¡°But we do have quite a bit of pitching right now, which is going to be really helpful.¡±

3. Catching depth: The Tigers are committed to Jake Rogers and Dillon Dingler as their catching duo for next season, but there isn¡¯t much depth behind those two. Liam Hicks, who was on Detroit¡¯s taxi squad for the postseason as essentially Detroit¡¯s third catcher, went to the Marlins in the Rule 5 Draft on Wednesday. The likely solution is a veteran backstop on a Minor League contract with a non-roster invite to Spring Training.

RULE 5 DRAFT

The Tigers, who do not have an open spot on their 40-man roster, were ineligible to select a player in the MLB portion of the Draft, but drafted Mets High-A infielder Junior Tilien in the Triple-A phase. The 22-year-old hit .232/.302/.331 in 109 games at High-A Brooklyn this past season with six home runs and 42 RBIs.

Detroit lost two prospects in the Major League phase. Hicks drew interest from the Marlins and Rays, but Miami had the higher pick. The high-contact right-handed hitter batted .272/.414/.368 with two homers and 14 RBIs in 33 games for Double-A Erie, helping the SeaWolves to their second straight Eastern League title.

• Every pick of this year's Rule 5 Draft, plus 1st-round analysis

Another SeaWolves player, versatile infielder Gage Workman, went to the Cubs after a renaissance season in Erie. The former fourth-round pick from the 2020 Draft hit .280/.366/.476 with 29 doubles, 18 homers, 89 RBIs and 30 stolen bases while cutting his strikeout rate to 27.5 percent from 38.8 percent a year earlier. He was on the outside of the Tigers¡¯ roster picture, but his pick takes a potential left-handed hitting utility player out of the mix.

GM¡¯S BOTTOM LINE

¡°We¡¯re a playoff team now, and everybody feels that. So we have to both find ways to get better internally through growth and development, but also find ways to add players like Alex Cobb, who can add something that we can¡¯t access from within.¡± -- Harris