Free-agent first baseman/outfielder Bligh Madris re-signed a minor-league deal to return to the Detroit Tigers organization over the weekend. Madris initially became a free agent after rejecting an outright assignment but will now return to Detroit. The 28-year-old left-handed hitter was drafted by the Pittsburgh Pirates in the ninth round in 2017 out of Colorado Mesa University and has appeared in three MLB seasons with the Pirates, Houston Astros and Tigers since debuting with Pittsburgh in 2022. Madris went 18-for-67 (.269) with a homer and five RBI in 21 games for Detroit in 2024 and has hit just .204/.273/.286 with two homers and 12 RBI in his 72 games played in the major leagues. He will represent outfield depth for Detroit yet again next year heading into spring training in February.
Outfielder/first baseman Bligh Madris has signed a minor-league deal with the Detroit Tigers for the 2024 season. The 27-year-old was a brief member of the Tigers organization in 2023 after being claimed off waivers from the Pirates but was ultimately traded to the Houston Astros in exchange for cash. Madris logged just 30 plate appearances in the big leagues with Houston in 2023, going 4-for-26 (.154) with four walks and four runs scored in that time. He didn't fare well in Triple-A, either, as he hit just .235 with 15 home runs, 12 stolen bases, and a .762 OPS in 100 games, production that graded out 16% below the league average, as per his 84 wRC+. He will compete for corner outfield reps alongside the likes of Riley Greene, Kerry Carpenter, Mark Canha, Akil Baddoo, and potential Austin Meadows in 2024.
The Houston Astros acquired outfielder Bligh Madris from the Detroit Tigers on Tuesday in exchange for cash considerations. Madris will be put on the team's 40-man roster, which now sits at 39 players. The 26-year-old made his major-league debut in 2022 with the Pittsburgh Pirates, playing in 39 games and hitting just .177/.244/.265 with a .509 OPS, one home runs, seven RBI, 10 runs scored and two stolen bases in 123 plate appearances. He was designated for assignment by the Tigers around two weeks ago and now finds his way to Houston, where he'll serve as organizational outfield depth in 2023. Madris could see time in the big leagues next season, but he'll likely be in the minors for the Astros.
Bligh Madris
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Tigers
