Wenceel Perez Cut as Tigers Finalize Position Players Roster

The Detroit Tigers trimmed their spring roster on March 24, 2026, finalizing position-player decisions before their last exhibition in Scottsdale.

Manager A.J. Hinch announced a series of cuts that send several prospects and veteran depth players to Toledo or back to minor-league camp. This move keeps roster flexibility for the regular season and maintains depth in the Tigers’ farm system.

Tigers finalize position-player decisions ahead of the regular season

With the last spring workout and a spring training game against the Colorado Rockies coming up, Hinch shared how the roster would take shape. The moves focus on development for prospects in Toledo and give the big league club a leaner, more flexible bench as Opening Day approaches.

In the most notable move, outfielder Wenceel Pérez got optioned to Triple-A Toledo. He ended up as the odd man out among the position players.

Alongside Pérez, utility players Jace Jung and Trei Cruz were also optioned to Toledo. That keeps a strong pool of versatile infielders and outfielders in the minor leagues.

Position players moving to Toledo

The Tigers’ front office seems to be prioritizing depth at the minor-league level. They’re also leaving room for a few players to return to Detroit if needed.

Pérez’s move to Toledo shows a clear plan to let him keep refining his skills in real game situations. There’s a good chance he could get called up mid-season if injuries or performance shake up the roster.

Jung and Cruz can play multiple positions, which gives Hinch more options for pinch-hitting and defensive alignments as spring winds down.

These shifts highlight Detroit’s strategy to keep a flexible big-league roster without sacrificing the long-term development pipeline. The Tigers can react to performance in the final days of camp and in the early weeks of the season, which is probably the smart play.

Non-roster moves and pitching depth

Along with the position-player cuts, the Tigers also sent several non-roster players to minor-league camp. A few pitchers landed back on the development side as the club trims down its options before Opening Day:

• Max Anderson — infielder
• John Peck — infielder
• Tomás Nido — catcher
• Burch Smith — pitcher
• Sean Guenther — pitcher
• Ricky Vanasco — pitcher

Anderson, Peck, and Nido won’t be in big-league camp now, but they’ll stay in the system. They’ll get more chances to work on their game in the minors, which probably isn’t the worst thing for their development anyway.

Smith, Guenther, and Vanasco head back to the minor-league side too. That move keeps the Tigers’ pitching depth intact and opens up a little space on the spring roster for other arms to make a case for the bullpen.

Hinch announced these moves right before Detroit’s final spring training exhibition against the Rockies. That last game could still shake up the roster a bit, depending on how things go.

With Opening Day almost here, Detroit’s going to keep a close eye on performance. If injuries or slumps pop up, guys like Pérez, Jung, and Cruz could get a call, especially if the outfield or infield needs help.

 
Here is the source article for this story: Wenceel Perez is odd-man out in Tigers’ final position player cuts