The Tigers have re-signed right-handed pitcher Wilmer Flores and infielder/outfielder Eddys Leonard to minor league contracts, as reported by Evan Petzold of the Detroit Free Press. If Flores makes it to the majors, he will earn 1million,whileLeonardwillreceivetheleagueminimumof 760,000.
Neither player has major league experience, but both were part of the Tigers’ 40-man roster until recently. They both endured injury-plagued seasons this past year before being non-tendered by the Tigers last month, which allowed them to enter free agency without going through waivers. Now, they are returning in a non-roster capacity.
Flores, not to be confused with his older namesake, is a right-handed pitcher who will turn 24 in February. He showcased solid performance as a starting pitcher while progressing through the minor leagues and was added to the 40-man roster last year to protect him from being drafted in the Rule 5 draft, despite struggling towards the end of the 2023 season, where he experienced a drop in velocity.
In 2024, he transitioned to a primary relief role but struggled initially. According to Petzold, he missed over three months due to a shoulder injury, and his statistics were dismal during his appearances on the mound. Over 25 1/3 innings at the Triple-A level, he allowed 8.53 earned runs per nine innings with an 18% strikeout rate and a troubling 18.8% walk rate.
Leonard, a former Dodgers prospect, was added to their roster before the 2021 Rule 5 draft but was designated for assignment in the summer of 2023 and subsequently traded to the Tigers for cash. Petzold notes that he spent time on the injured list early in the year due to a left oblique strain and later a right hamstring strain. He participated in only 67 Triple-A games, posting a .263/.326/.455 batting line, resulting in a 101 wRC+. This season also marked the end of his final option year.
Although the Tigers opted not to keep either player on the roster after their struggles in 2024, they still have enough confidence in both to bring them back and hope they can find their footing in 2025. Flores will provide non-roster depth to the pitching staff, while Leonard adds versatility to the roster, having experience in all three outfield positions and the three infield positions to the left of first base.
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