Keith’s sophomore campaign last season was an improvement from 2024. He increased his walk rate from 6.5% to 10.3%, saw his ISO go from .120 to .157, and his wRC+ jump from 95 to 109. In fact, most of the underling numbers are trending in the right direction too.
But, it doesn’t quite feel like the breakout we have been waiting for. A platoon bat without a defensive home and 26 home runs across 285 games is, well, not the Colt Keith we all envisioned as a catalyst to the Tigers offense.
The good news? Keith is only 24 years old and still a developing player. He showed last season that improvement is continually happening and he is far from a finished product. As the Tigers enter 2026, Keith is going to have a larger role, and in order for the Tigers to reach new heights, Keith must as well.
Colt Keith’s Progression & Next Steps
In some ways, I think Keith has become underrated by Tigers fans. A blind resume of .256/.333/.413 with a 109 wRC+ as a 23-year-old would have fans excited if this player was acquired via trade. Our prior thought on what he would be are clouding the production we have seen.
Oh yeah, he can still be the player we all envisioned.
There’s no denying Keith’s rookie season was disappointing, but it wasn’t disastrous. He looked overmatched out of the gate, adjusted in a major way in May, struggled in June, then hit seven home runs in July; a yo-yo type season that at least provided plenty of reason to believe in a better 2025.