The Detroit Tigers have signed utility man Matt Vierling back to a one-year deal, according to Jon Heyman. The deal is worth $3.255 million, and it retains a crucial piece for the Tigers, as they look to make another postseason push in 2026.
Matt Vierling, Tigers agree at $3.255M
— Jon Heyman (@JonHeyman) November 21, 2025
Vierling is a quality player to have in the lineup. What he provides offensively aside, he brings the ability to play all over the field for Detroit. This is something they seem to value greatly, as other versatile defenders like Zach McKinstry thrive within the Tigers organization.
Vierling only played 31 games in 2025, dealing with a nagging oblique injury. In that stretch however, he managed to play at third base and every spot in the outfield.
Having a player on your roster that can man that many positions is incredibly valuable, regardless of what the bat provides. While the injury made it difficult to get going at the plate in 2025, Vierling is not far removed from his career year in 2024.
Jul 21, 2025; Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA; Detroit Tigers left fielder Matt Vierling (8) looks on at the batting cage before the game against the Pittsburgh Pirates at PNC Park. | Charles LeClaire-Imagn Images
In the 2024 season, Vierling slashed .257/.312/.423 in 518 at-bats, with 16 home runs, and 57 runs batted in. Additionally, he showed even more defensive versatility, playing two innings at first base.
While Detroit won’t require Vierling to play first base with Spencer Torkelson still slotted in there, having the 29-year-old there just in case is never a bad thing.
Looking back at Vierling’s 2024 advanced profile on Baseball Savant, he showed a bat that limited chase and whiff very effectively. While this was the brightest part of his profile, he struggled to limit strikeouts effectively while walking at a below-average rate.
When looking into his advanced profile from this past season, while he wasn’t a qualified hitter, he still showed many of the same qualities from 2024.
When Vierling does get on-base it’s no easy task for defenses. Vierling ranked in the 87th percentile on Baseball Savant, with 28.8 feet per second sprint speed. Just another part of his game that makes this deal worth it for the Tigers.
Coming off of a season where he dealt with that oblique injury, it’ll be interesting to see how Detroit approaches using Vierling. According to FanGraphs projected Tigers starting lineup, Vierling would be the final bench piece for the Tigers.
After proving that he can be an effective all-around threat in 2024, it’s no wonder why Detroit is taking another shot on the former fifth round pick. He provides much needed depth at nearly every position. For under $4 million, there’s a lot of value gained for bringing Vierling back.
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