The Tigers have agreed to a minor Frank Howard Jersey league pact with free agent right-hander , . He was designated for a signment by the Marlins last month and rejected what wouldve been his second career outright a signment in favor of free agency. Villalobos hasnt pitched in nearly a month now, so Detroit a signed him to their Rookie-level minor league affiliate to ramp back up before presumably heading to their Triple-A club in Toledo. Villalobos, 27 next week, made his big league debut with the Fish earlier this season and to sed 4 1/3 innings. He allowed one run on three hits and a pair of walks with three strikeouts in that generally sharp first MLB effort. Hes also logged 18 innings in Triple-A Jacksonville, recording a 4.50 ERA with a strong 26.5% strikeout rate but ugly 13.3% walk rate. Statcast measured his average fastball at 93.3 mph during that brief MLB run, and he also worked off a low-80s splitter and mid-80s slider. While Villalobos has never ranked as a high-end prospect in Miamis system, the former 14th-rounder was selected to the 40-man roster to shield him from the Rule 5 Draft on the heels of a 2022 season in which he posted a 2.86 ERA with a 32.7% strikeout rate (101 punchouts overall) against a 9.4% walk rate in 78 2/3 innings between Double-A and Triple-A. Hes since bounced to the Pirates organization and then right back to the Marlins via a pair of DFAs and waiver claims. Lack of prospect pedigree notwithstanding, Villalobos has sub-4.00 earned run averages and strikeout rates north of 25% in two seasons of action at the Double-A and Triple-A levels. He walked a calamitous 18% of his opponents in Triple-A last season but has dished out a free pa s to a le s-alarming (but still too high) 12.8% of his opponents between Triple-A and the big leagues this season. Hell be a project for the Tigers but could be a near-term bullpen option for them if he can continue to move past last years career-worst command i sues. Tyler Mahle Jersey
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