The Detroit Tigers have made their first move before the trade deadline, sending catcher Carson Kelly to the Texas Rangers, as reported by Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic. This move was anticipated, especially after Jake Rogers caught the last two games within 24 hours and top catching prospect Dillon Dingler had a rare day off with the Triple-A Toledo Mud Hens.
Kelly joined Detroit after being designated for assignment by the Arizona Diamondbacks in mid-August 2023. Following two years of poor offensive performance and injury issues, the Diamondbacks chose to commit to their top catching prospect, Gabriel Moreno. Scott Harris then signed Kelly to a contract with a $3.5 million club option for 2024, which was quickly exercised in the offseason.
Rangers acquiring catcher Carson Kelly from Tigers, source tells @TheAthletic.
— Ken Rosenthal (@Ken_Rosenthal) July 28, 2024
With the Tigers, Kelly adopted a knee-down setup behind the plate to improve strike calls at the bottom of the zone, enhancing his framing stats. He also made adjustments to his setup and swing, resulting in his best offensive season since 2019. Kelly has hit .242 with a .327 OBP and seven home runs, achieving a 107 wRC+ mark. His defensive metrics, including pop time, throwing, framing, and blocking, are all in the plus territory. Given his pending free agent status and Dingler’s strong performance in Toledo, it was clear that Kelly’s time with the Tigers was coming to an end.
The Rangers, aiming for a playoff return after their 2023 World Series win but hindered by primary catcher Jonah Heim’s tough season, found a suitable trade partner. In exchange for Carson Kelly, the Tigers received right-handed relief prospect Tyler Owens and catcher Liam Hicks.
Owens, 23, is a 5’10” reliever capable of reaching 99 mph with his fastball, which has strong underlying characteristics suited for a solid MLB relief profile. However, his secondary pitches and command have not developed as expected since being drafted by the Atlanta Braves in the 13th round of the 2019 draft. His cutter and slider show potential but are inconsistent. This season, Owens has reduced his walk rate and holds a 2.80 ERA in 26 Double-A appearances, though the Tigers will need to work to elevate him to a setup man role. He joined the Rangers from the Braves in a January deal. Owens isn’t ranked in Baseball America or MLB Pipeline’s top 30 for the Rangers’ farm system, and FanGraphs places him at 35th, though likely outdated.
Hicks, 25, is a left-handed hitting catcher standing at 5’9”. Known for his good bat-to-ball skills and low strikeout rates paired with high walk rates, he lacks power and is still developing defensively in his second year at the Double-A level. While the Tigers excel in coaching catchers, Hicks is likely to serve as an organizational catcher, potentially providing depth during injuries if he improves defensively.
Overall, the return is modest. The Blue Jays received a better deal for Danny Jansen, despite Kelly’s comparable value. With the Rangers possibly being the last team in need of a catcher at the trade deadline, the Tigers secured a potential future reliever and a depth catcher to facilitate Dillon Dingler’s call-up. While not an exciting start to the trade season, it’s assumed the Tigers have a plan for Owens, especially given the Rangers’ poor track record in pitcher development.
Here’s the most recent outing from new Tigers pitching prospect Tyler Owens. pic.twitter.com/MtHmIKQlCE
— Tigers ML Report (@tigersMLreport) July 29, 2024
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