Veteran catcher Tomás Nido was designated for assignment by the Detroit Tigers on Tuesday, a move that was expected following the activation of catcher Jake Rogers from the injured list. Rogers will start Tuesday night’s game in St. Louis.
With this transaction, Nido could either be traded or placed on outright waivers. If he clears waivers, he’ll become a free agent. The Tigers would like to retain him as catching depth at Triple-A Toledo, if possible.
Over the past six weeks, Nido served as the backup to Dillon Dingler and performed well, batting .343 (12-for-35).
The 31-year-old joined the Tigers organization last September and appeared in three games for Toledo late in the 2024 season. Due to his late signing, he wasn’t eligible for postseason play but likely would have joined the team as an emergency option.
Originally drafted by the New York Mets in the eighth round in 2012, Nido gained recognition for his defensive skills and made his MLB debut in 2017. He became a dependable backup but saw a decline in 2023, struggling at the plate and dealing with vision problems, which led to a DFA and a stint in Triple-A. He had a brief return to the Mets in 2024 before being released in June, then signed with the Cubs, only to suffer a meniscus tear that led to his release in August.
If Nido joins another team or signs elsewhere, Brian Serven would move into the No. 3 catcher role in Detroit’s depth chart, behind Dingler and Rogers.
Nido’s final appearance for the Tigers came Monday night, when he pitched 1 2/3 scoreless innings in a lopsided loss to the Cardinals. If this marks the end of his time in Detroit, he leaves with a .343 batting average and a 0.00 ERA.
TIGERS’ 40-MAN ROSTER (38)
Left-handed pitchers (5):
- Sean Guenther
- Tyler Holton
- Bailey Horn
- Brant Hurter
- Tarik Skubal
Right-handed pitchers (16):
- John Brebbia
- Beau Brieske
- Alex Cobb*
- Jack Flaherty
- Jason Foley**
- Brenan Hanifee
- Jackson Jobe
- Tommy Kahnle
- Chase Lee
- Matt Manning
- Tyler Mattison**
- Casey Mize*
- Keider Montero
- Reese Olson*
- Tyler Owens
- Will Vest
* Currently on the injured list
** On the 60-day injured list
Here’s a paraphrased and organized version of your roster breakdown, with clarified injury designations and notes on 60-day IL players:
Catchers (2):
- Dillon Dingler
- Jake Rogers
Infielders (9):
- Javier Báez
- Jace Jung
- Andy Ibáñez
- Colt Keith
- Ryan Kreidler
- Zach McKinstry
- Trey Sweeney
- Spencer Torkelson
- Gleyber Torres
Outfielders (6):
- Akil Baddoo
- Kerry Carpenter
- Riley Greene
- Brewer Hicklen
- Justyn-Henry Malloy
- Matt Vierling — On 10-day or 15-day injured list
Not on the 40-man roster (60-day IL or minor-league IL):
Pitchers:
- Alex Lange — Right lat strain (surgery)
- Sawyer Gipson-Long — Tommy John surgery & hip issue
- José Urquidy — Tommy John surgery
- Ty Madden — Rotator cuff strain
Outfielders:
- Parker Meadows — Right upper arm inflammation
- Wenceel Pérez — Lower back inflammation
Players on the 60-day injured list do not count toward the 40-man roster limit.
