The Tigers are in settlement with catcher Brian Serven on a minor league deal, reviews Aram Leighton of Simply Baseball (X hyperlink). Serven, a PRIME shopper, will likely be in huge league camp as a non-roster invitee.
Serven, 29, joins the fourth group of his profession. A fifth-round decide of the Rockies in 2016, he acquired to the massive leagues six years later. The Arizona State product appeared in 62 video games as a rookie, hitting .203/.261/.332 in a backup function. He solely made 11 appearances the next season, spending the majority of the 12 months in Triple-A on optionally available task. Colorado positioned him on waivers final winter.
The Cubs claimed Serven and briefly carried him on their 40-man roster. Chicago designated him for task round one week later. He landed with the Blue Jays on one other declare. Toronto ran him via waivers on the finish of January however reselected his contract after Danny Jansen broke a bone in his wrist in Spring Coaching.
Serven spent the vast majority of the season on Toronto’s 40-man. He solely made 28 huge league appearances, hitting .159/.243/.222 throughout 71 journeys to the plate. Serven confirmed significantly better on-base abilities within the minors. The appropriate-handed hitter put up a .265/.390/.379 slash over 40 Triple-A contests. His total offensive monitor report is middling, although, and the Jays designated him for task once they claimed Tyler Heineman off waivers in September. Serven elected minor league free company at season’s finish.
Jake Rogers will open the season as A.J. Hinch’s major catcher. Dillon Dingler is the one different catcher on the 40-man roster. He debuted this previous season and struggled to a .167/.195/.310 batting line in his first 27 MLB contests. Dingler nonetheless has a pair minor league choices remaining, so the Tigers may flip to a extra skilled backup if they need the previous second-round decide to proceed taking part in commonly in Triple-A. Detroit may proceed in search of higher minors depth, however there’s a good alternative proper now for Serven to play his method into the backup function.