The Tigers signed first baseman/outfielder Bligh Madris to a new minor league contract, according to Madris’ MLB.com profile page. Evan Petzold of the Detroit Free Press reports that the deal includes an invitation to the Tigers’ big league Spring Training camp, and Madris will earn $800K in guaranteed salary if he makes Detroit’s active roster at any point next season.
Madris returns for his second consecutive season in the Tigers organization, and third stint overall in Motown. Initially claimed off the Astros’ waiver wire in November 2022, Madris was traded back to Houston a couple of months later. He spent the 2023 season with Triple-A Round Rock and made 12 big-league appearances with the Astros before rejoining the Tigers on another minors deal almost exactly a year ago.
His first proper stay in Detroit saw Madris appear in 21 games at the MLB level, hitting .269/.324/.358 over 75 plate appearances. This playing time came while Spencer Torkelson was figuring things out in Triple-A, as Madris ended up playing almost every day at first base after Gio Urshela and Mark Canha were both traded at the deadline, and before Torkelson was recalled in mid-August.
Madris has a .204/.273/.286 slash line over his 228 career PA in the majors, compiled with the Pirates, Astros, and Tigers over the last three seasons. His Triple-A numbers (.254/.346/.447 in 1603 PA) are much more solid, and the Tigers obviously seem to value Madris as a depth piece within their farm system. Madris has a minor league option remaining so he might again be spending most of 2025 in Toledo, and anything more than spot duty on the active roster could be difficult to achieve, since Detroit is if anything overloaded with left-handed hitters.
I like Bligh. I hope he gets more playing time. I think with some regular at-bat’s, he’ll become a good player in the majors.
If Tork is the answer, I don’t want to hear the question.
Tork is Chris Shelton 2.0
I wouldn’t be surprised if they signed Goldschmidt as an insurance policy on a 2 year deal with an option. The Tigers badly need an upgrade at the position, in terms of fielding, baserunning and putting the ball in play.
Hahahahaha
I’m not sure what’s funny about that. I agree that Goldschmidt would be a good fit. I like him better on a one-year deal though… maybe with a team option. I believe our 1B of the future is in our organization, whether it’s Torkelson, Briceno, Liranzo or even Jung, and we’ll have a better idea this season. Making a longer commitment than one year to a 1B free agent would be blocking one of those guys. That’s why signing Christian Walker doesn’t make sense to me. He’ll get 3-4 years. And Goldschmidt’s offense, as long as he plays relatively close to how he played last season, will be more than sufficient to help us reach the playoffs again. And we WILL sign a veteran player to mentor our super young club, whether it’s GoldSchmidt or someone else.
@ dkhits20
Greetings. My “ha ha ha ha ha” was directed @ Baseball Brian for his “don’t want to know the answer” joke. I also replied to the Goldschmidt idea, but I somehow I erased that post. Techno Neanderthal I am.
My post was essentially: I totally get the Goldschmidt idea for one or two years, but I think we have bigger needs than first base for whatever the allotted pool of money is. I think we need two starting pitchers, and that shortstop is probably an even bigger question mark than first base now. Sweeney had some terrific moments, but it is still unclear if he can hit consistently at this level. Sure would love a Jack Flaherty reunion, but he’s going to be expensive. Looking for the front office to pull off something similar to what KC did last winter in the pitching department…
Good luck to “Urban Bligh”
I suspect Tork still hasn’t figured things out, but Madris is a AAA player.
Tork will have a breakout year. 30 home runs was just practice.
Hopefully, Madris too, will prove himself. The Dodgers just don’t know how many pitching prospects to give up yet…….
If this guy’s nickname really needs to be ’Captain’.
*This guy’s…
It is isn’t already, something is really Madris…
I’ll see myself out
Good depth if injuries pop up.
That’s exactly what I thought as well. Madris must have liked how the Tigers worked with him this year, since he settled quite early for a minor-league contract with them.
Gruß,
BSHH
Need to get Sammons back.
Don’t want Madris, don’t want Baddoo.
I don’t see them tendering Baddoo a contract for what he’s due to get paid.
This was supposed to be a reply to West Village Tigers post and I flubbed it…
Palau’s gift to Major League Baseball.