Tigers Designate Justyn-Henry Malloy For Assignment

The Detroit Tigers made a notable roster move by designating outfielder Justyn-Henry Malloy for assignment. They needed to open a 40-man roster spot for reliever Kyle Finnegan.

It’s a decision that shows the organization’s immediate bullpen needs. There’s also a sense that patience with Malloy’s bat is running out, since he hasn’t turned minor league promise into consistent big league results.

Tigers Clear a Roster Spot for Kyle Finnegan

To make room for Kyle Finnegan on the 40-man roster, the Tigers DFA’d Justyn-Henry Malloy. This move highlights just how quickly depth charts can shift when a team’s trying to contend.

Finnegan’s addition boosts a bullpen that Detroit clearly sees as vital to its short-term plans. Malloy’s DFA is the first of his career, after he played 52 games with Detroit last season.

For a player who was once viewed as a lineup fixture, this is a sharp turn. It suggests the organization doesn’t see him as part of its long-term core anymore.

The Trade Tree: Malloy, Higginbotham, and Jimenez

Malloy landed in Detroit back in December 2022. The Tigers acquired him and lefty Jake Higginbotham from the Braves in exchange for reliever Joe Jimenez.

At the time, it looked like a classic upside play—Detroit gave up an established bullpen arm for prospects. Looking back, the trade has favored Atlanta. Jimenez has delivered strong bullpen production when healthy, while the Tigers haven’t seen much big-league impact from Malloy or Higginbotham.

Malloy was supposed to headline the return. His struggles to earn a regular major league spot have dulled the deal’s shine for Detroit.

Malloy’s Offensive Profile: Power, Patience, and Whiffs

Malloy’s time with the Tigers is a story of tools that never quite translated. On paper, his mix of power and plate discipline looked like the makings of a modern middle-of-the-order bat.

But on the field, contact issues kept that blueprint from turning into real production. Over 357 MLB plate appearances in two stints with Detroit, Malloy has hit just .209 with a hefty 32.8% strikeout rate.

That much swing-and-miss doesn’t leave much room for error, even for a player with his raw power.

From Fast-Riser to Fringe Option

A sixth-round pick in 2021, Malloy shot through the minors and reached Triple-A by 2022. That year, he posted a 144 wRC+ across three levels, slugged 23 homers at Triple-A, and climbed to seventh on Detroit’s prospect list in 2023.

His trajectory at that point suggested a big league breakout was coming soon. The power kept showing up—he hit eight big-league homers in 2024, so the pop was real.

But the strikeout concerns only got worse, climbing to 37%. That’s a level that seriously limits on-base potential, even for power hitters.

Detroit gave him a shot, but the improvement just didn’t come fast enough.

Plate Discipline vs. Contact Problems

The weird thing about Malloy’s profile? His approach is actually pretty solid. He’s got a career 12% walk rate and a sub-20% chase rate—he sees the zone well and doesn’t expand much.

In theory, that’s the kind of foundation teams want. But even as his strikeout rate improved to 25.2% in 2025, the quality of contact dropped off.

His hard-hit rate fell to 31.1% and his barrel rate slid to 4.1%. He just wasn’t squaring the ball up with the same authority, so patience alone couldn’t carry his offensive value.

Defensive Limitations and Role Uncertainty

Malloy’s defense hasn’t helped his case, either. He started as a third baseman, then moved to the outfield, but he hasn’t graded out well there.

The numbers tell the story. With a mark of -4 Outs Above Average, Malloy is clearly a bat-first type.

Most of his recent big league playing time has come at DH or as a pinch-hitter. That usage narrows his path to a roster spot, especially these days when teams want more versatility from their bench.

If you’re a DH-leaning corner bat, you really have to mash to stick around. And for Malloy, that hasn’t happened yet.

What DFA Limbo Means for Malloy’s Future

By designating Malloy for assignment, the Tigers have basically put him on the open market. Now, any other club can claim him and try to unlock the offensive upside that once made him a top-10 organizational prospect.

For Detroit, this move shows they’re focused on immediate bullpen help with Finnegan. They’re clearly willing to move on from what used to be a promising piece of the Joe Jimenez trade.

Malloy’s at a crossroads here. He could get a fresh start somewhere else, or maybe he’ll end up resetting in the minors if nobody claims him off waivers.

The tools are still there, sure. But honestly, time—and now roster space—just aren’t on his side in Detroit anymore.

 
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