To clear a 40-man roster spot for reliever Kyle Finnegan, the Tigers have designated outfielder Justyn-Henry Malloy for assignment. It’s the first DFA in Malloy’s young career. He appeared in 52 games with Detroit last season.
Detroit acquired Malloy and lefty Jake Higginbotham from Atlanta in a December 2022 trade that sent right-hander Joe Jimenez to the Braves. Jimenez has dealt with injury issues, but has provided strong work in the Atlanta bullpen when healthy. The Tigers haven’t had much to show for their end of the deal. Malloy has hit .209 across 357 plate appearances in his two big-league stints with the club. He’s struck out at a massive 32.8% rate at the MLB level. Higginbotham spent two seasons in Detroit’s minor league system, topping out at Triple-A (one game). He signed with San Diego as a minor league free agent last offseason.
The Braves took Malloy in the sixth round of the 2021 draft. He zoomed through the system, reaching Triple-A in 2022. Malloy compiled a sterling 144 wRC+ across three levels that season. MLB.com ranked him seventh among Detroit’s prospects in 2023. He slugged 23 home runs at Triple-A in his first season in the organization. Malloy continued to do damage with Toledo in 2024, though his strikeout rate ticked up to 28%. He earned a promotion in June and spent the majority of the remainder of the season with the Tigers. Malloy showed some power with eight home runs, but he struck out at a massive 37% clip.
Malloy has a good sense of the strike zone, as evidenced by a career 12% walk rate and a sub-20% chase rate. It’s making contact when he does choose to swing that’s been the problem. Malloy had a hefty 36.6% whiff rate in 2024. He improved that number to 29.1% this past season, though that mark was still well below average. Malloy trimmed his strikeout rate to a reasonable 25.2% in 2025. Unfortunately, his batted ball metrics fell off. Malloy posted a decent 37.8% hard-hit rate in his debut year, but it tumbled to 31.1% this season. After recording a double-digit barrel rate in 2024, that mark plummeted to 4.1% this year.
Most of Malloy’s at-bats came as a DH or pinch-hitter in 2025. He’s totaled -4 Outs Above Average in his career. Malloy came up as a third baseman, but he’s only played the outfield since joining the Detroit organization. He was a bat-first prospect, and he’s trending toward a DH-only future.
Photo courtesy of Junfu Han, Imagn Images
Had high hopes for him. Hope he catches on somewhere else.
I don’t think he’ll end up on waivers. I think he has enough value to be traded. Perhaps he will be one piece in a big blockbuster trade.
Still no news. You’d think that if another team claimed him, there would be news of it somewhere. I have to guess he cleared waivers.
He is only 26. He will catch on.
Malloy was an all bat no glove prospect. We never seen much bat so I am good with this move.
I’d take a chance on him if I were a GM.
Well, Scott Harris did too.
He mashed in AAA this year and his bad numbers were all from the beginning of the year. 100% hope the Twins try to claim him he will be a pretty good player next year.
It’s the right move by the Tigers, they were never going to commit to him and while he could potentially become a solid regular, it was never going to happen in Detroit. I would think he gets claimed very quickly, seems a good fit for the Rockies or White Sox.
I think he would mash for the Rockies and could be there DH. They are so bad they should give him 400-500 AB’s to see what he can do.
One Adam 12 One Adam 12 Officer Justyn- Henry Malloy put on waivers
Reed- 1 Adam -12 clear
Tigers failed him.
Oh, please!
His limited defense is really what doomed him. Think he has a chance to be a decent bat but will never be average in field
He is a AAAA player, Tigers have better options.
Braves should go get him back on a minor league deal and see if we can bring back some of those skills that made him so good. Detroit isn’t exactly hitting home runs with their hitting talent development …
Detroit might indeed not be hitting home runs with their hitting talent development, but they do have some highly-rated offensive prospects now ‐ more than previously, I’d say. Let’s see how good they end up!
Gruß,
BSHH
and Atlanta would play him where?
McGonigle, Clark, Briceno, Lee, Anderson et al say otherwise. One guy not developing doesn’t mean the system is broken. Funny thing is his hitting developed just fine in AAA , it was his lack of fielding skills that really did him in.
Don’t forget Bryce Rainer I think he will end up being the best of the bunch if not just behind Kevin Mcgonigle also keep an eye on Chris Rodriguez could be a nice a plus average and power player.
Good call. How can I forget Rainer! Rodriguez looks good too and the more I read about Yost the nore i like him. Future on base machine like McGonigle. Cheers dude.
If Pat Burrell could play left field competently for years, so could Malloy. I’d let him split time with Brandon Marsh in LF in Philadelphia and let his face lefties until he gets his footing in the lineup.
Never really given a chance in Detroit…..
He had 200 ABS one year. He just didn’t develop there on offence or especially defence and others passed him on the depth chart and took the ops at DH, 1B, 3B and OF. Can’t play him over Perez, Keith, McKinistry, Carp, Jones or Tork. The biggest thing that killed him was Jahmai Jones developing last year into a lefty killer. It’s disappointing because I sure thought he was going to be a piece of the future there but unless he clears waivers his Tigers story is done.
Looked like he was going to do something @ MLB level, but could not get it going. He could end up back in the Tigers system on a minor league contract and not on the 40 man roster.
Advantage Braves on this deal.
Tigers could have extended Joe Jiminez.
Jimenez also had some injury problems with the Braves.
Some you win, some you lose, some are born to sing the blues.
DFA’d the wrong guy
Who would you have DFA’d?
Drew Anderson
Thayron Lirizano
LOL
Say what????
Man, i don’t think any former Braves prospects have worked out for anyone other than Langeliers in AA’s time as GM. Another reason he’s so good at his job. Flipping duds for legit players.
Agree. Trade with Atlanta and Tampa at your own risk!
Jones > Malloy
Scott Harris and Company may be on the cutting edge of front offices, but do they consider what impact their discount shopping will have on future quality free agents?
The Tigers had to pay extra for Pudge Rodriguez and Magglio Ordonez, but that helped other free agents realize that Detroit was an attractive destination.
What are future free agents thinking when they see the mediocre acquisitions of a team that has advanced to the ALDS two years in a row and possesses the best pitcher in the American League?
Don’t worry, Harris will continue to dumpster dive, and get rid of our rookies, that have shown promise…. Lol
What rookies who have shown promise did he get rid of? I have been one of the biggest JHen promoters on here and I agree with this move. Do you keep JHen over Jahmai Jones? Strap in because Jung could be next. Prospects fail to develop all the time. That type of cut just shows how much the system has improved in a short time. Guys like Lee, Anderson, McGonigle, Liranzo, Clark and Briceno are waiting in the wings to replace others on the roster if they don’t perform. In the next two years some of those guys will push people on the roster out, and some will never pan out.
Update: Bo Bichette is still available
I took a look through a baseball mag last night at RH hitters for SS, 3B, OF or DH who MIGHT be had in a trade (based on rumored availability or teams looking to cut payroll). Not a lot there, some are pipe dreams (SD players), some are nightmares (Castellanos or Skubal trade return) but some nice options too.
If it’s me I’m looking at Paredes (3B) or Yandy (DH) in trade. Mauricio and McLain are interesting young players too that might benefit from a change of scenery. For free agents Bichette if it’s long term and Geno short term only…I don’t think he is what they are looking for. Personally I’d love for the Tigers to blow us away and trade for Seager and sign Bellinger! That’s an all in move.
FA: Bichette, Bregman, Suarez, Andujar
TRADE: Robert, Machado, Tatis, Pages, Teoscar H, K. Marte (switch), Arenado, J. Walker, Reynolds (switch), McLain, Steer, Bohm, Castellanos, Mauricio (switch), L. Acuna, Vientos, Jung, Burger, Adell, Soler, Paredes, Walker, Meyers, Buxton, Yandy, Mayo, Mountcastle
I like those ideas. I didn’t realize Paredes was still so young. He’s just now moving into his age 27 season. That would be a pretty nice pickup. Can Yandy play 3B anymore? He seems like an AJ type player.
I think Yandy is more a DH/1B type now. Carp would have to split time with Wenceel in corner OF if they got Yandy. Paredes seems like a nice fit and can move around.
I forgot Bader on Hays on the FA list.