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The Detroit Tigers have traded quarterback Carson Kelly to the Texas Rangers on Sunday night in exchange for two minor league players, according to multiple sources familiar with the agreement.
Kelly is batting .240 with seven home runs, 17 walks and 40 strikeouts in 60 games in his ninth MLB season. The 30-year-old is set to become a free agent after the 2024 season, so he’s on a two-month contract with the Rangers.
In return, the Tigers got the catcher. Liam Hicks And the right hand Tyler OwensAccording to a source, Owens is the best of the bunch and is expected to be a solid backup in the major leagues, with great potential for advancement.
More about it:How Midfielder Carson Kelly Went From Undrafted Player To Trusted Player In One Year
Now that Kelly has been traded, the Tigers will upgrade their catcher. Dillon Dengler According to multiple sources, the 25-year-old, who was selected No. 38 in the 2020 draft, is hitting .308 with 17 home runs, 30 walks and 61 strikeouts in 71 games at Triple-A Toledo.
Tigers roll with Dangler and Jake Rogers As their catcher duo for the final two months of the 2024 season. Dengler, already on the 40-man roster, has a .396 batting average with seven home runs in his last 13 games with the Mud Hens.
Owens, 23, has a 2.80 earned run average with nine saves and 35 strikeouts in 35⅓ innings in 26 appearances as a substitute with Frisco’s Class B team. He throws a fastball, slider and cutter. His fastball velocity is around 95 mph but has reached 99 mph.
Most importantly, his fastball generates swings and misses.
Owens is expected to develop into a major league relief pitcher, but he could be a candidate for an extended tenure as a starter in the future if he finds a way to improve his performance against left-handed batters and maintain his velocity in longer games.
Hicks, 25, is batting .260 with four home runs, 41 walks and 44 strikeouts in 80 games in the Frisco Division II. He makes smart pitching decisions and produces above-average contact rates, but the downside is poor contact quality. Poor contact quality will likely prevent him from developing into a top-level starter or reserve, giving him an edge in the Division III.
Prior to joining the Rangers, Owens was selected by the Atlanta Braves in the 13th round of the 2019 draft out of Trinity Catholic High School in Ocala, Florida. Traded to the Rangers for midfielder J.P. Martinez in January 2024.Meanwhile, Hicks was selected by the Rangers in the ninth round in 2021 out of Arkansas State University.
Trading Kelly to the Rangers — and getting two players in return, plus a promotion bonus for Dengler — is an organizational win for the Tigers, led by president of baseball operations Scott Harris.
Just 11 months ago, Kelly was cut by the Arizona Diamondbacks before joining the Tigers. The Tigers, led by Harris, identified Kelly, signed him and put together a player plan to help him improve, both offensively and defensively.
Now, the Tigers have capitalized on their ability to develop Kelly into a versatile catcher by trading him for a pair of minor league players, including one with clear expectations of playing in the Major League Baseball.
Contact Evan Petzold at [email protected] Or follow him @Evan Petzold.
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