LAKELAND, FL – Detroit Tigers center fielder Parker Meadows still has work to do if he wants to secure a spot on the 2026 Opening Day roster with less than two weeks remaining in spring training.
The flashes have been there, but consistency remains the goal as the final stretch of camp begins. What happens next will determine if he opens the season with the Tigers.
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If not, Meadows will be sent to Triple-A Toledo.
“It’s all adversity,” Meadows said. “That’s what we sign up for playing this game. With me, it’s coming every day like a new day and continuing to grind. I’m excited for the rest of spring, and I’m looking forward to playing hard.”
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Detroit Tigers center fielder Parker Meadows (22) prepares to take batting practice before the game against the Atlanta Braves during spring training at CoolToday Park in North Port, Florida, on Tuesday, Feb. 24, 2026.
Manager A.J. Hinch explained what Meadows needs to do to make the Opening Day roster – and it’s all about his offense. The focus isn’t on results in spring training but on finding consistency in timing and approach in every plate appearance.
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Meadows is still searching with less than two weeks left.
“There’s a lot of time left,” Hinch said, with Opening Day set for March 26 against the San Diego Padres at Petco Park. “Taking what he’s doing in the [batting] cage, which is really productive, and bringing it into the game is the first step.”
It comes down to two things.
Timing and approach.
That’s what Meadows is trying to unlock in camp.
“I’m getting into my back hip a little more because I’m spinning off balls early, and that’s mainly timing,” said Meadows, working closely with hitting coach Michael Brdar. “I’m reminding myself to stay in the back hip and rotate from there.”
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This spring, Meadows is hitting .111 (3-for-27) with three walks and nine strikeouts in 11 games.
The 26-year-old is making above-average contact – the product of a consistent approach – but delivering below-average exit velocity, a sign that his timing hasn’t been consistent. (Another example of that approach: He has swung just nine times on 48 pitches outside of the strike zone, with four coming in two-strike counts.)
Meadows still needs to figure out the timing of his swing.
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“The numbers don’t matter,” Hinch said. “The intent and the execution is key. He’s fouled off some pitches he knows he can hit. His hands have been wandering a little bit. His timing has been a little bit off. All of that, it’s hard to get those results.”
Detroit Tigers center fielder Parker Meadows bats during the first inning against the Toronto Blue Jays at Publix Field at Joker Marchant Stadium, Feb. 25, 2026, in Lakeland, Florida.
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The struggles this spring come against the backdrop of a broken 2025 season, when Meadows missed 60 games with a rare nerve injury in his arm and another 34 games with a quad injury. It was supposed to be his breakout season – until those injuries limited him to 58 games.
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He hit .215 with four home runs and a .621 OPS in 213 plate appearances and posted minus-1 defensive runs saved in 468 innings in center field.
“Health is the No. 1 goal right now for me, and I feel really good,” said Meadows, who showcased elite offense and defense in the second half of the 2024 season, “so as far as that aspect goes, you can’t ask for much more than that. I feel good, so I can’t complain too much.”
If top prospect Kevin McGonigle – a 21-year-old shortstop who hasn’t played above Double-A Erie – makes the Opening Day roster, the Tigers could option Meadows to Triple-A, keeping fellow outfielders Matt Vierling, Jahmai Jones and Wenceel Pérez on the roster and making Javier Báez the primary center fielder.
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But Meadows still has time to solidify his spot with Opening Day approaching, as long as he finds consistency in his approach and timing at the plate.
“Just continuing to get himself in a good hitting position and getting on time,” Hinch said. “Results are going to take care of themselves.”
Contact Evan Petzold at epetzold@freepress.com or follow him @EvanPetzold.
This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: Detroit Tigers’ Parker Meadows competing for 2026 Opening Day roster