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Detroit Tigers All-Time Roster

Updated 02/23/2022

This is the Detroit Tigers all-time roster. The roster consists of one starter and one bench player for each infield position and one starter and one bench player for each outfield position. Hitters had to have a minimum of 1,500 plate appearances. For pitching, I selected five starting pitchers and three relief pitchers. Starting pitchers had to start at least 75 games during their time with the franchise to qualify. Relief pitchers had to accumulate a minimum of 150 innings pitched to be eligible.


  • Catcher – Bill Freehan
    • Age: 19, 21 – 34
    • Years: 1961, 1963 – 1976

    Bill Freehan
    WAR wRC+ G PA AB R H 2B 3B HR RBI SB CS BB SO BA OBP SLG OPS
    44.8 113 1774 6899 6073 706 1591 241 35 200 758 24 21 626 753 .262 .340 .412 .752

  • First Base – Miguel Cabrera
    • Age: 25 – 38
    • Years: 2009 – 2021


    Miguel Cabrera
    WAR wRC+ G PA AB R H 2B 3B HR RBI SB CS BB SO AVG OBP SLG OPS
    50.5 144 1867 7921 6931 1056 2145 414 7 364 1281 22 10 877 1338 .309 .387 .529 .916

  • Second Base – Charlie Gehringer
    • Age: 21 – 39
    • Years: 1924 – 1942

    Charlie Gehringer
    WAR wRC+ G PA AB R H 2B 3B HR RBI SB CS BB SO BA OBP SLG OPS
    80.5 124 2323 10237 8860 1774 2839 574 146 184 1427 181 89 1186 372 .320 .398 .480 .878

  • Third Base – George Kell
    • Age: 23 – 29
    • Years: 1946 – 1952

    George Kell
    WAR wRC+ G PA AB R H 2B 3B HR RBI SB CS BB SO BA OBP SLG OPS
    22.8 120 826 3734 3303 503 1075 210 35 25 414 34 27 337 107 .325 .382 .433 .815

  • Shortstop – Alan Trammell
    • Age: 19 – 38
    • Years: 1977 – 1996

    Alan Trammell
    WAR wRC+ G PA AB R H 2B 3B HR RBI SB CS BB SO BA OBP SLG OPS
    70.7 111 2293 9375 8288 1231 2365 412 55 185 1003 236 109 850 874 .285 .350 .415 .765

  • Outfield – Ty Cobb
    • Age: 18 – 39
    • Years: 1905 – 1926

    Ty Cobb
    WAR wRC+ G PA AB R H 2B 3B HR RBI SB CS BB SO BA OBP SLG OPS
    144.9 168 2806 12105 10591 2088 3900 665 284 111 1804 865 154 1148 329 .368 .424 .516 .940

  • Outfield – Al Kaline
    • Age: 18 – 39
    • Years: 1953 – 1974

    Al Kaline
    WAR wRC+ G PA AB R H 2B 3B HR RBI SB CS BB SO BA OBP SLG OPS
    92.7 134 2834 11597 10116 1622 3007 498 75 399 1583 137 65 1277 1020 .297 .378 .480 .858

  • Outfield – Harry Heilmann
    • Age: 19, 21 – 34
    • Years: 1914, 1916 – 1929


    Harry Heilmann
    WAR wRC+ G PA AB R H 2B 3B HR RBI SB CS BB SO AVG OBP SLG OPS
    68.1 145 1991 8390 7297 1209 2499 497 145 164 1442 111 64 792 498 .342 .410 .518 .928

  • Starting Pitcher – Hal Newhouser
    • Age: 18 – 32
    • Years: 1939 – 1953
    Hal Newhouser
    WAR ERA- G GS W L ERA IP CG SHO SV R ER BB SO K% WHIP
    58.7 76 460 373 200 148 3.07 2944 212 33 19 1181 1003 1227 1770 14.2% 1.31

  • Starting Pitcher – Justin Verlander
    • Age: 22 – 34
    • Years: 2005 – 2017
    Justin Verlander
    WAR ERA- G GS W L ERA IP CG SHO SV R ER BB SO K% WHIP
    56.0 82 380 380 183 114 3.49 2511 23 7 0 1057 975 766 2373 22.8% 1.19

  • Starting Pitcher – Dizzy Trout
    • Age: 24 – 37
    • Years: 1939 – 1952
    Dizzy Trout
    WAR ERA- G GS W L ERA IP CG SHO SV R ER BB SO K% WHIP
    44.3 80 493 305 161 153 3.20 2591.2 156 28 34 1101 922 978 1199 10.9% 1.34

  • Starting Pitcher – Mickey Lolich
    • Age: 22 – 34
    • Years: 1963 – 1975
    Mickey Lolich
    WAR ERA- G GS W L ERA IP CG SHO SV R ER BB SO K% WHIP
    46.7 96 508 459 207 175 3.45 3361.2 190 39 10 1415 1289 1014 2679 19.2% 1.22

  • Starting Pitcher – Tommy Bridges
    • Age: 23 – 36, 38 – 39
    • Years: 1930 – 1943, 1945 – 1946
    Tommy Bridges
    WAR ERA- G GS W L ERA IP CG SHO SV R ER BB SO K% WHIP
    51.6 80 424 362 194 138 3.57 2826.1 200 33 10 1321 1122 1192 1674 13.8% 1.37

  • Relief Pitcher – John Hiller
    • Age: 22 – 27, 29 – 37
    • Years: 1965 – 1970, 1972 – 1980
    John Hiller
    WAR ERA- G GS W L ERA IP CG SHO SV R ER BB SO K% WHIP
    31.1 75 545 43 87 76 2.83 1242 13 6 125 438 391 535 1036 19.9% 1.27

  • Relief Pitcher – Mike Henneman
    • Age: 25 – 33
    • Years: 1987 – 1995
    Mike Henneman
    WAR ERA- G GS W L ERA IP CG SHO SV R ER BB SO K% WHIP
    12.8 74 491 0 57 34 3.05 669.1 0 0 154 266 227 250 480 16.9% 1.31

  • Relief Pitcher – Willie Hernandez
    • Age: 29 – 34
    • Years: 1984 – 1989
    Willie Hernandez
    WAR ERA- G GS W L ERA IP CG SHO SV R ER BB SO K% WHIP
    8.6 74 358 0 36 31 2.98 483.2 0 0 120 175 160 138 384 19.4% 1.12

Bench

  • Catcher – Lance Parrish, 1977 – 1986
  • First Base – Hank Greenberg, 1930, 1933 – 1941, 1945 – 1946
  • Second Base – Lou Whitaker, 1977 – 1995
  • Third Base – Travis Fryman, 1990 – 1997
  • Shortstop – Donie Bush, 1908 – 1921
  • Outfield – Sam Crawford, 1903 – 1917
  • Outfield – Bobby Veach, 1912 – 1923
  • Center Field – Chet Lemon, 1982 – 1990
  • Starting Pitcher – Jack Morris, 1977 – 1990
  • Starting Pitcher – Jim Bunning, 1955 – 1963
  • Starting Pitcher – Frank Lary, 1954 – 1964
  • Relief Pitcher – Doug Brocail, 1997 – 2000

5 Comments »

  1. Fun exercise. My first reaction was “no Mickey Cochrane?” But then I noticed he didn’t have the requisite plate appearances. Still, no Lance Parrish? Jack Morris? As much as I loved Gibby, you could make a good case for Willie Horton. Also – seeing this underscores how chronically weak the Tigers bullpen has been thorough the years!

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  2. Fun exercise. My first reaction was “no Mickey Cochrane?” But then I noticed he didn’t have the requisite plate appearances. Still, no Lance Parrish? Jack Morris? As much as I loved Gibby, you could make a good case for Willie Horton. Also – seeing this underscores how chronically weak the Tigers bullpen has been through the years!

    Like

  3. Except where its obvious, everyone’s selection will be personal opinion. In 1987, Alan Trammell had the greatest single season as a Tiger SS. Still, I think Billy Rogell is the Tigers greatest overall SS. He was a good hitter as well as a high range defender. However, for the greatest Tiger team, Ownie Bush is one of the greatest lead off hitters ever, he also is one of the highest defensive range SS ever.

    Of the all time teams, the Tigers have one of the weakest bullpens.

    C Lance Parris, Bill Freehan, Mickey Cochrane, Ivan Rodriguez

    1B Hank Greenberg, Rudy York, Norm Cash
    2B Charlie Gehringer, Lou Whitaker, Placido Polanco
    3B George Kell, Miguel Cabrera
    SS Ownie Bush, Billy Rogell, Allan Trammell, Harvey Kuenn, Carlos Guillen

    LF Bobby Veach, Rocky Colavito, Heinie Manush
    CF Ty Cobb, Ron LeFlore
    RF Harry Heilmann, Al Kaline, Sam Crawford, Magglio Ordonez

    DH Rusty Staub, Willie Horton, Victor Martinez

    SUB Tony Phillips, Mickey Tettleton

    SPL Micky Lolich, Hal Newhouser, Earl Whitehill, Harry Covelesky
    SPR Justin Verlander, Jack Morris, Jim Bunning, Hooks Dauss, Dizzy Trout, Tommy Bridges, George Mullin

    RPL John Hiller, Willie Hernandez, Jamie Walker
    RPR Terry Fox, Mike Henneman, Aurelio Lopez

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  4. Tigers have the 2nd greatest all time team after the Yankees. Not just if you add up WAR, but by position and depth. Plus Miggy plays 3b. Freehan best catcher in AL in the 60s. He made 11 straight all star games and should be a HOFer.
    P Newhouser, Verlander, Bridges, Scherzer, Lolich, Mclain, Morris, Hernandez
    C Freehan, Parrish, Cochrane, Rodriguez
    1B Greenberg, Cash, York, Fielder
    2B Gheringer, Whitaker
    3B Cabrera, Kell
    SS Trammell
    OF Cobb, Kaline, Heilmann, Crawford, Manush, Colovito, Veach, Gibson, Horton

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