Tigers waive longtime catcher; additional moves expected before lockout deadline

Detroit Tigers catcher Grayson Greiner throws against the Pittsburgh Pirates during the second game of a doubleheader baseball game in Detroit, Wednesday, April 21, 2021. (AP Photo/Paul Sancya)
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The Detroit Tigers have waived longtime backup catcher Grayson Greiner.

The team announced Monday that Greiner had cleared waivers and elected free agency.

Greiner was a candidate to be non-tendered -- or not offered a contract for 2022 -- before Tuesday’s deadline, but the Tigers accelerated that decision by waiving him a couple days early.

The Tigers now have two open spots on the 40-man roster if they wish to sign any players in the final hours before Wednesday’s impending lockout.

Greiner, 29, was drafted by the Tigers in the third round out of the University of South Carolina in 2014. He spent parts of four seasons with the big-league club.

Greiner would have made a relatively modest $800,000 in 2022 if the Tigers had tendered him a contract through the arbitration process. He could still re-sign with the Tigers on a minor-league deal closer to spring training.

The Tigers have largely settled on a platoon of Tucker Barnhart and Eric Haase behind the plate in 2022. Jake Rogers will miss most or all of 2022 after undergoing Tommy John surgery. The only other catcher left on the 40-man roster, Dustin Garneau, is likely to be non-tendered on Tuesday.

Greiner made his Major League debut in 2018 and began the 2019 season as the everyday catcher. But injuries interrupted his campaign and he’s spent most of the last two seasons bouncing back and forth between Detroit and Triple-A Toledo.

In 477 career plate appearances, Greiner has a .201 average with a .583 OPS (57 OPS+).

Listed at 6-foot-6, Greiner is the tallest player ever to catch for the Tigers and tied for the tallest player ever to catch in the big leagues.

TIGERS’ 40-MAN ROSTER (38)

Left-handed pitchers (7): Tyler Alexander, Matthew Boyd, Miguel Del Pozo, Eduardo Rodriguez, Tarik Skubal, Gregory Soto, Joey Wentz.

Right-handed pitchers (14): Jose Cisnero, Angel De Jesus, Alex Faedo, Jason Foley, Michael Fulmer, Kyle Funkhouser, Rony Garcia, Bryan Garcia, Joe Jimenez, Alex Lange, Matt Manning, Casey Mize, Elvin Rodriguez, Spencer Turnbull.

Catchers (4): Tucker Barnhart, Dustin Garneau, Eric Haase, Jake Rogers.

Infielders (8): Miguel Cabrera, Jeimer Candelario, Harold Castro, Willi Castro, Kody Clemens, Isaac Paredes, Jonathan Schoop, Zack Short.

Outfielders (5): Akil Baddoo, Daz Cameron, Robbie Grossman, Derek Hill, Victor Reyes.

TIGERS’ OFFSEASON MOVES

Additions

Nov. 3: Acquired catcher Tucker Barnhart from the Cincinnati Reds for minor-league infielder Nick Quintana.

Nov. 7: Selected the contract of right-handed pitcher Elvin Rodriguez.

Nov. 16: Signed left-handed pitcher Eduardo Rodriguez to a five-year contract.

Nov. 19: Selected the contracts of infielder Kody Clemens and right-handed reliever Angel De Jesus.

Subtractions

Nov. 5: RHP Drew Hutchison and LHP Ian Krol elected free agency after being waived and outrighted to Triple-A Toledo.

Nov. 9: RHP Drew Carlton cleared waivers and was outrighted to Triple-A Toledo.

Nov. 19: Waived infielder Niko Goodrum, outfielder Jacob Robson and right-hander Nivaldo Rodriguez. Goodrum elected free agency. Robson and Rodriguez were outrighted to Triple-A Toledo.

Nov. 29: Announced that catcher Grayson Greiner had cleared waivers and elected free agency after being waived.

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