Tigers Could Trade Talented Pitching Prospect To Help Upgrade Third Base

With the best record in the American League, things are going very well for the Detroit Tigers so far this season.

After bursting on the scene in the second half of 2024, the Tigers have continued to play extremely well.

Even though the team has some new faces contributing compared to their playoff run, Detroit has been able to prove that they are a legitimate contender.

This is a roster that has been built on a strong starting rotation led by Tarik Skubal, and a bullpen that can throw multiple pitchers at opponents to close out a game.

However, some of the biggest surprises and top contributors have come from the lineup.

After free agency settled, this was the unit that there was rightfully some concern about. However, they have exceeded expectations despite some key injuries.

While things are going well and the Tigers are playing great, they do still have a glaring hole at a position they failed to upgrade this offseason. Now, if they are going to make a change at third base that is significant, it will have to come via a trade.

Who Could Detroit Trade to Upgrade Third Base?

Kerry Miller of Bleacher Report recently wrote about the Tigers potentially looking to use prospect Troy Melton as a trade piece to help upgrade a flaw on their team.

“He's not their top pitching prospect, but he does have potential. And the Tigers potentially could turn him into a short-term solution to their third base woes.”

What might be most impressive about Detroit is the fact that they have one of the best records in baseball to go along with one of the best farm systems in the game as well.

That combination generally doesn’t happen, but it shows that the success of the Tigers could be for quite some time if they play their cards right.

While one of their top prospects likely won’t be on the table this summer to make an upgrade to the roster, a player like Troy Melton could be. The young pitcher is a borderline Top-10 prospect in the organization, but will provide some value if they decide to move him.

In eight starts so far this campaign, he has totaled a 3.77 ERA with an impressive 10.0 strikeouts per nine innings. At 24 years old, Meton has been in the farm system for the Tigers for several years now and might be ready to get his chance.

However, with a loaded rotation of young arms, that opportunity could be hard to come by.

If Detroit elects to try and make a trade to upgrade at the hot corner, Melton would be an excellent mid-tier prospect to move.