The Detroit Tigers are set to promote right-handed reliever Dylan Smith, following an initial report from Tigers Torkmoil. Although he is not part of the 40-man roster, the team has an opening in that area, meaning they will only need to perform a corresponding move in their active pitching lineup tomorrow.
This call-up comes as a particularly special gift for Smith, who celebrated his 25th birthday yesterday. After being drafted in the third round out of Alabama in 2021, Smith experienced challenges in his early minor league career, primarily due to injuries affecting his forearm and shoulder, which hindered his performance as a starter. However, the Tigers decided to transition him to a bullpen role this season, leading to a remarkable turnaround.
Since the shift, Smith has excelled at the upper minor league levels. He recorded an impressive 1.80 ERA with a significant 37% strikeout rate over 20 innings at Double-A Erie. Recently, he was promoted to Triple-A Toledo, where he has already made two appearances, throwing 2 1/3 scoreless innings and striking out five of the eight batters he faced. His fastball has been clocked at an average of 94 MPH during his time in Triple-A.
While Baseball America did not rank Smith among the top 30 prospects for the Tigers earlier this year, analysts at FanGraphs placed him at 35th in their evaluations during Spring Training, praising his plus slider and the excellent life on his fastball.
Smith’s impressive performance in the minors and his rapid ascent to the major leagues could signify an exciting new chapter for both him and the Tigers as they seek to enhance their bullpen depth. This call-up not only holds promise for Smith’s career but also demonstrates the Tigers’ commitment to nurturing talent within their system.
As he embarks on this new journey, there is a lot of optimism surrounding his ability to contribute to the team and further develop his skills at the highest level of competition.