Tigers Cut Three Pitchers from Spring Camp, Including Tyler Mattison

The Detroit Tigers trimmed their spring roster by moving three pitchers to minor-league camp. This move signals the club wants to build depth and groom potential late-inning arms in Triple-A Toledo.

Among the trio, right-hander Tyler Mattison grabs the spotlight. The Tigers say his ceiling is high, but he needs to sharpen command and consistency before he’s ready for big league pressure.

Spring Roster Shakeup: Tigers reassign three pitchers to minor-league camp

The Tigers announced on March 12 that they reassigned three pitchers — Tyler Mattison and Cole Waites (right-handers) and Bryan Sammons (left-hander) — to minor-league camp. All three are set to open the season with Triple-A Toledo, making it clear Detroit wants to keep developing their internal pitching pipeline in the minors.

Mattison, 26, is easily the most notable of the group, thanks to his upside as a possible late-inning reliever. The Tigers still point out he needs some fine-tuning.

Mattison pitched in four spring games, posting a 2.70 ERA with three walks and six strikeouts in 3 1/3 innings. His four-seam fastball averaged 93.9 mph, topping out at 95.4 mph, and he got whiffs 44.4% of the time.

He mixes in a slider and changeup, giving him a three-pitch combo teams love for bullpen work. Tigers manager A.J. Hinch said Mattison can get one-dimensional, leaning on his fastball, but he likes the deception and the breaking ball.

The organization non-tendered Mattison after 2025, then brought him back on a minor-league deal in December. Drafted in the third round in 2021 (No. 104 overall) out of Bryant University, Mattison lost time to Tommy John surgery in March 2024 and returned late in 2025.

In 19 Triple-A innings after his return, he posted a 3.79 ERA with 16 walks and 26 strikeouts. Detroit sees his command — that 18.4% walk rate in 2025 — as the main thing holding him back from a major-league debut.

Tyler Mattison: Command remains the final frontier for MLB-ready status

The stats paint a picture of a pitcher with late-inning potential, if he can command his pitches in tight spots. The Tigers’ staff summed it up: “He has plenty of stuff,” but the real challenge is refining command and consistency for MLB leverage situations.

His spring numbers show electric potential, but the real test will come in higher-leverage settings in the minors—and, if all goes well, in Detroit.

Mattison’s mix—mid-90s fastball, quality slider, and a workable changeup—gives him a solid foundation for attacking hitters. But his history of high walk rates in the upper levels keeps everyone focused on location and tempo.

That 2025 Triple-A line (3.79 ERA, 16 walks, 26 strikeouts in 19 innings) makes it clear: he needs more control, especially against hitters who punish mistakes.

• Development path: Toledo will be Mattison’s testing ground as he works to sharpen command and polish his secondary pitches.
• Role consideration: If he can improve his command, he might land in a late-inning relief role in Detroit, especially against righty-heavy lineups.
• Injury history: Recovering from Tommy John in 2024 still shapes his workload and development, so routine innings and command work are crucial.

Bryant University product’s journey to Detroit: A closer look at Mattison’s arc

Mattison came out of Bryant University in 2021 and landed with the Tigers in the third round. Since then, he’s been working his way up the organization, bit by bit.

He ran into trouble with Tommy John surgery, which kept him out for a while. Late in the 2025 season, he finally made it back and started to look like the pitcher Detroit hoped for when they picked him.

This spring, he showed off a fastball with legit velocity and a lot of swings and misses. That kind of stuff suggests he’s still got a high ceiling—if his command can ever catch up.

Detroit mostly sees Mattison’s command as the primary hurdle before he can take on late-inning jobs in the majors. He’s got a sneaky delivery and a breaking ball that’s better than average, which gives him a real shot.

But those walk numbers from 2025? They’re a problem. In tight games, he’ll need to nail down his control, work faster, and just be more precise overall.

If he can turn that spring success into solid, steady outings in the minors—and cut down on the walks—the Tigers might end up with a bullpen arm they can actually trust when it matters.

For now, Detroit’s keeping an eye on Mattison, Waites, and Sammons in Toledo. They’re not rushing anyone, just building up depth and hoping that, eventually, some homegrown arms can handle those big late-inning moments.

 
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