Should Detroit Tigers call up MLB’s No. 2 prospect Kevin McGonigle?
On “Days of Roar,” Evan Petzold invites Chris Brown of “Tigers Minor League Report” to debate when the Tigers should call up their No. 1 prospect.
The Detroit Tigers signed infielder Kevin Newman — an eight-year MLB veteran — to a minor league contract and assigned him to Triple-A Toledo, where he was in the lineup Saturday, Aug. 23, as the shortstop for the Mud Hens.
Newman was released Aug. 2 by the Los Angeles Angels.
The 32-year-old hit .202 with two home runs, one walk and 23 strikeouts over 56 games for the Angels in 2025, registering a .481 OPS. He received playing time at third base, shortstop, second base and first base.
In his MLB career, Newman has played for the Pittsburgh Pirates (2018-22), Cincinnati Reds (2023), Arizona Diamondbacks (2024) and Angels (2025). He is a career .259 hitter with a .656 OPS across 672 games, spanning 2,343 plate appearances.
Newman doesn’t hit for power or draw walks, but he makes contact and limits strikeouts. He grades as an above-average defender at shortstop and second base.
He had the best season of his career in 2019 with the Pirates, when he hit .308 with 12 homers, 16 steals and an .800 OPS.
With the Mud Hens, Newman joins three players who have logged more than 100 innings at shortstop: Andrew Navigato (228⅓ innings), Gage Workman (183 innings) and Trei Cruz (112⅓ innings).
None of those three players have MLB experience.
Waiting on Ryan Kreidler
Ryan Kreidler — a 27-year-old utility player whom the Tigers selected in the fourth round of the 2019 draft — had been the Mud Hens’ leader with 365 innings at shortstop, but he was designated for assignment Friday, Aug. 22, to create room for left-handed reliever Drew Sommers to join the 40-man roster.
If Kreidler clears waivers, the Tigers could choose to keep him in Triple-A Toledo.
“This time of year, the only way you can really get players now is through the free agency side when guys are minor league free agents or through the waiver wire,” Tigers manager A.J. Hinch said before Friday’s game. “Generally speaking, I never think guys are going to get through waivers. There are so many teams that grab them and take them and stash them for a day or two, and then maybe they find themselves on waivers again.”
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From 2022-25, Kreidler hit .138 with two home runs, 16 walks and 67 strikeouts in 89 games for the Tigers. He served as their Opening Day center fielder in 2025.
“Kreidler can help a team,” Hinch said. “Obviously, we would love to keep him, but the 40-man is getting crowded as we get healthier and as we make decisions. I think it’s going to get harder and harder to make these decisions as this team gets better.”
The Pirates selected Newman with the No. 19 overall pick in the 2015 draft out of Arizona.
Contact Evan Petzold at epetzold@freepress.com or follow him @EvanPetzold.
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