This offseason, the Detroit Tigers have been among the teams with the most activity on the free agent market. Three recent marquee additions, Jack Flaherty, Andrew Chafin, and Kenta Maeda, will all be able to contribute right away to the squad on a major league level. To increase their depth options in the farm system, the Tigers have also signed 11 players, primarily pitchers, to minor league contracts.
Not with Detroit, but, a former Tiger was recently signed to a minor league contract. Niko Goodrum signed with the division rival Minnesota Twins on December 14, returning to MLB following a brief time in the KBO and rejoining the organization that drafted him. Goodrum played four seasons with the Tigers before getting DFA’d in 2021.
Niko Goodrum, once a promising talent for the Tigers, leaves free agency to join the division foe Twins.
Goodrum was outright granted free agency after playing in just 11 games for the Twins in 2017, and he subsequently inked a minor – contract with the Tigers. After making the Detroit Opening Day roster in 2018 after a strong spring training, he went on to appear in 131 games for the Tigers that season. In an unexpected and very promising rookie season, he batted.245/.315/.432 with 16 home runs and 53 RBI, earning him the title of Detroit Tigers Rookie of the Year.
He played in 112 games in 2019 and finished with identical stats, but in 2020 and 2021 he fell off significantly. Due to injuries and subpar play, he saw his playing time decrease until being outrighted once more, choosing to exercise his right to free agency, and agreeing to a minor level contract with the Astros for 2022. The Astros dismissed him following 15 unsatisfactory major league games in Houston, when he posted a.116/.156/.163 line. In December 2022, the Red Sox acquired him. His failure to make the major league roster in Boston brought him to the KBO, which brings us to the present day.
Although the Tigers will likely find it easy to let go of this rival signing, the Twins may see something in Goodrum that they can develop in their farm system. We can only wish Goodrum well for the time being. It might be a different matter if he manages to pull off the comeback of the century by returning to the majors and giving the Tigers some trouble when they try to win the division.
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