Tigers left fielder Troy Stokes, Jr. underwent surgery to repair a broken hamate bone in his hand, manager Ron Gardenhire announced earlier this week (h/t to Evan Woodbery of MLive). He is expected to miss the entire season.
This explains Stokes’ omission from the Tigers’ Summer Camp player pool. He remains on the 40-man roster, although it seems only a matter of time before he’s transferred to the 45-day injured list.
Originally a fourth-round pick of the Brewers in 2014, Stokes became a prospect of some note with his original organization. On his way up the minor-league ladder, Stokes offset high strikeout rates with a fair number of walks and an enticing combination of power and speed. Unfortunately, he struggled in his first crack at Triple-A in 2019, hitting .233/.341/.385 in the hitter-friendly Pacific Coast League.
It’s brutal news for the 24-year-old Stokes, whom the Tigers claimed off waivers from Milwaukee last September. He has yet to make his MLB debut but looked to have a shot at cracking a young, uncertain outfield in Detroit this season.
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