DETROIT – Leave no stone unturned.
The Tigers are going to take a flier on a 27-year-old, Detroit-raised right-hander who has spent four seasons pitching in three different independent professional leagues.
Jalen Evans announced on his Instagram page Thursday that he was signing a minor-league contract with the Tigers. He has been assigned to High-A West Michigan and is not expected to get a camp invite.
“From starting off playing on the west side of Detroit to signing with my hometown team and representing my city is still crazy to me,” he wrote. “To get to this point has been the furthest from easy. I’ve dealt with plenty of failure, rejection and doubt along the way but by the grace of God I never stopped pushing forward and he never let me quit on myself.”
The Warren Mott graduate played collegiately at NAIA Texas Wesleyan and then spent 2021 and 2022 pitching for Cleburn (Texas) in the American Association and 2023 for Billings in the Pioneer League.
He did not play in 2024 but returned last season, pitching 22.2 innings for Windy City in the Frontier League.
He’s listed at 6-2, 200 pounds and he’s struggled to throw strikes. The last two seasons he pitched, covering 68 innings, he walked more batters (55) than he struck out (43).