The Tigers are in settlement with catcher Brian Serven on a minor league deal, stories Aram Leighton of Simply Baseball (X hyperlink). Serven, a PRIME shopper, shall be in huge league camp as a non-roster invitee.
Serven, 29, joins the fourth group of his profession. A fifth-round choose 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 yr in Triple-A on non-obligatory 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 a lot better on-base expertise within the minors. The correct-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 after 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 main 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 might flip to a extra skilled backup if they need the previous second-round choose to proceed enjoying recurrently in Triple-A. Detroit might proceed in search of higher minors depth, however there’s a good alternative proper now for Serven to play his manner into the backup function.
