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Tigers' Thayron Liranzo: Added for Rule 5 protection
Rotowire
The Tigers selected Liranzo's contract from Double-A Erie on Tuesday, Cody Stavenhagen of The Athletic reports.
With that, Liranzo is now ineligible to be selected in next month's Rule 5 Draft. Liranzo endured a harsh dose of reality in his first go at the Double-A level in 2025, as he limped to a .206/.308/.351 slash line in 88 games. However, the Tigers clearly still believe that he will contribute eventually between catcher, first base and DH.
With Detroit pushing toward the postseason, Liranzo is a possible candidate to get traded before the deadline, particularly if the Tigers don't want to move their high-end prospects, Jason Beck of MLB.com reports.
The Tigers have a well-stocked farm system, headlined by the likes of Max Clark, Kevin McGonigle and Josue Briceno, as well as Bryce Rainer, who is out for the season due to a dislocated shoulder. While Detroit appears to be a World Series contender this year, it appears unlikely that the team is motivated to trade any of its elite prospects, and Rainer may be hard to move due to his injury. Liranzo is a legitimate prospect in his own right, but he's likely a notch below the aforementioned players, which could make him a target for other clubs. He and Briceno are also both catchers, so the Tigers could view Liranzo as expendable if the right offer comes along. The 22-year-old is slashing .233/.351/.404 with 10 home runs across 65 games for Double-A Erie.
Liranzo will participate in spring training with the Tigers as a non-roster invitee, Jason Beck of MLB.com reports.
Liranzo, who came over to Detroit last summer in the trade that sent Jack Flaherty to the Dodgers, is considered Detroit's top catching prospect. He's only 21 and has yet to appear at the Double-A level, so his MLB debut is probably not coming soon, but he could make a good impression this spring. For the time being, the Tigers figure to roll with Jake Rogers and Dillon Dingler behind the plate. Liranzo should be on the radar in dynasty formats.
The Tigers acquired Liranzo and infielder Trey Sweeney from the Dodgers on Tuesday in exchange for right-hander Jack Flaherty, Robert Murray of FanSided.com reports.
Liranzo is known for his raw power and impressive patience at the dish, although his production at Single-A last season (155 wRC+) was more noteworthy than what he has done this season in his age-20/21 season at High-A. Liranzo slashed .220/.344/.356 with seven home runs, a 15.6 percent walk rate and a 26.1 percent strikeout rate in 74 games with High-A Great Lakes. Sometimes hitters wait to get going at the plate until the weather warms up in the Midwest League, but Liranzo has a .627 OPS since the start of June. He gets mixed reviews for his defense behind the plate and got 24 starts this season at first base in addition to his 43 starts at catcher for Great Lakes.
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