The Detroit Tigers knew they needed to ugprade third base coming into this season.
They went after Alex Bregman in an aggressive way before ultimately coming up short.
That resulted in Zach McKinstry and Andy Ibanez making the Opening Day roster, with Jace Jung shockingly being optioned to Triple-A Toledo to begin the year after he was called up during mid-August of last season and was part of the team's magical run to the playoffs.
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Jung eventually was promoted this year, getting his contract selected on April 21. But after less than a month, the Tigers sent him back down to the minors following a stretch of 18 games where he went 5-for-45 with no extra-base hits and just three RBI, striking out 15 times and walking seven.
At this stage, it's hard to envision there being a place on this roster for the 12th overall pick of Detroit in the 2022 draft, something that would have been crazy to even think about just a few months ago.
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However, the Tigers seem set on adding another option at the hot corner, and that has made Clay Snowden of Just Baseball list Jung as someone who should be a change-of-scenery candidate.
"He's closer to a three-true-outcome player, but a lefty bat who will be 25 years old all of next year with first-round pedigree should have some teams interested in acquiring him for a relief pitcher or something of that nature," he wrote.
Moving on from Jung this early in his career would be surprising, but if Detroit doesn't think he can become an impact player for them, then using him to acquire an additional arm -- whether that's a reliever or a starter -- might be the best course of action.
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This should be something to monitor going forward.
With the Tigers having a surplus of young players, someone notable is going to get moved.
And Jung could very well be the one.
For more Tigers news, head over to Tigers On SI.
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