The Detroit Tigers have traded infielder Andre Lipcius to the Los Angeles Dodgers in exchange for cash considerations, the team announced Monday afternoon.
Detroit did not have to make any additional moves to complete the deal, but Los Angeles needed to free up a spot on their 40-man roster in order to add Lipcius. To do so, the Dodgers placed left-handed pitcher Clayton Kershaw on the 60-day injured list as he continues to recover from offseason shoulder surgery.
The Tigers designated Lipcius for assignment on Feb. 29 when they claimed infielder Buddy Kennedy off waivers from the St. Louis Cardinals.
In five Grapefruit League games at Spring Training, Lipcius was 1-for-8 with a double, a walk, an RBI and five strikeouts.
Detroit selected Lipcius in the third round of the 2019 MLB Draft. He had just strung together a decorated college career with Tennessee, capping things off with a .985 OPS as a junior.
Lipcius joined the Tigers for their major league Spring Training camp the following spring, and he debuted as the No. 24 prospect in their farm system later that year.
While he put up solid numbers in the minors, though, Lipcius never truly shot up the rankings and didn't make his MLB debut until September 2023. In 13 games with the Tigers, Lipcius hit .286 with one home run, four RBI and a .742 OPS, but his negative four defensive runs saved at third base dragged his WAR down to -0.3.
Lipcius has hit .248 with 18 home runs, 85 RBI and a .752 OPS in 182 career games at the Double-A level. In 144 career Triple-A appearances, however, Lipcius is a .281 hitter with 14 home runs, 82 RBI and an .800 OPS.
The 25-year-old Lipcius split his time between first, second and third base in 2023, in addition to a few starts in left field.
Given how crowded the Dodgers' major league roster is, Lipcius is likely to start 2024 in Triple-A, even despite his versatility in the field.
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