The Detroit Tigers chose not to make any moves in Wednesday’s Rule 5 Draft at the MLB Winter Meetings, but their farm system was impacted as they lost two prospects to other teams.
The Miami Marlins selected catcher Liam Hicks from the Tigers with the No. 3 pick, while the Chicago Cubs picked third baseman Gage Workman at No. 13. Workman, a fourth-round pick by the Tigers in the 2020 MLB Draft, was drafted by the Texas Rangers the following year.
Detroit left both players exposed in this year’s Rule 5 Draft by not adding them to the 40-man roster before last month’s deadline. Instead, the team opted to protect three right-handed relievers: Tyler Owens, Tyler Mattison, and Chase Lee.
Owens and Hicks were both part of the trade that brought Carson Kelly to Detroit at the MLB Trade Deadline. However, the Tigers chose to protect Owens, largely because of his strong performance at Double-A Erie, including his contributions during the regular season and playoffs.
Workman, who is a left-handed hitting infielder, had an impressive 2024 season with Double-A Erie, posting a .280/.366/.476 slash line with 18 home runs, 29 doubles, and 89 RBIs in 556 plate appearances. He also made 74 starts at third base and 47 at shortstop. Workman, ranked as Detroit’s No. 29 prospect by MLB Pipeline, was a versatile player for the Tigers.
Hicks, who had a short stint with Detroit after being acquired from the Rangers, played 33 games with Double-A Erie in 2024, posting a .272/.414/.368 slash line while splitting time between catcher and designated hitter. He did not rank among Detroit’s top 30 prospects per MLB Pipeline.
After Hicks was selected by the Marlins in the Rule 5 Draft, reports surfaced suggesting that the 25-year-old catcher might be traded again, this time to the Tampa Bay Rays, though no deal has been confirmed.
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