The Detroit Tigers designated right-handed pitcher Troy Watson for assignment this week, clearing a spot on the 40-man roster for outfielder Corey Julks, whose contract was selected from Triple-A Toledo after star outfielder Riley Greene landed on the 10-day injured list with a right hamstring strain.
Watson, 29, never reached the major leagues during his brief time on the roster, remaining with the Mud Hens after the club selected his contract on July 19.
That midsummer move had been made primarily to protect the organization from losing Watson to an overseas offer, reportedly from a KBO club.
The Tigers transferred reliever Will Vest to the 60-day injured list to create the necessary roster space, then immediately optioned Watson back to Toledo. Less than a month later, the need for Julks’ bat forced the club to reverse course.
Watson’s performance in the Tigers’ minor-league system had given the organization reason to keep him. In 2025 he posted a 2.75 ERA across Double-A Erie and Triple-A Toledo, logging 104⅔ innings with a strong ground-ball rate and solid strikeout-to-walk numbers.
He followed that up with another productive season in 2026, working primarily as a swingman. Through 55 innings at Toledo he carried a 3.27 ERA and 1.09 WHIP with 38 strikeouts against 18 walks. Including earlier rehab appearances, his overall minor-league numbers for the year stood at a 2.89 ERA over 65⅓ innings.
The former 15th-round pick of the Toronto Blue Jays had bounced between starting and relief roles throughout his career, a versatility that made him valuable depth for Detroit.
After arriving via a cash deal in 2024 and later re-signing on a minor-league contract, Watson had shown steady improvement in command and effectiveness, enough to keep him in the conversation for a potential big-league opportunity.
That chance never materialized.
Watson now has seven days to be traded, claimed off waivers, or outrighted back to the minors if he clears. Given his age and lack of major-league service time, he is likely to remain in the organization and continue pitching for Toledo.
For a player who has quietly compiled strong numbers over the past two seasons in the upper minors, the designation represents a temporary setback rather than a definitive end to his major-league hopes.
The Tigers, meanwhile, continue navigating the usual roster crunch of a competitive season, balancing immediate needs against the longer-term value of depth arms like Watson.
