This is part of a 30-article series looking at each team’s depth chart headed into spring training. Detroit Tigers Rotation 1. Justin Verlander 2. Rick Porcello 3. Max Scherzer 4. Jeremy Bonderman 5. Nate Robertson 6. Armando Galarraga 7. Dontrelle Willis 8. Zach Miner 9. Phil Coke 10. Eddie Bonine 11. Alfredo Figaro 12. Phil Dumatrait 13. Brooks Brown 14. Luis Marte 15. Casey Crosby While there’s an ace at the top of the rotation and a new stud closer in the pen, the Tigers still have plenty of uncertainty when it comes to their pitching staff. Bonderman will enter camp as the clear favorite for the fourth spot in the rotation if he shows his arm is sound. Robertson and Galarraga would seem to be the chief competitors for the fifth spot, but the door will be open in case Willis surprises. Miner should be the fallback if everyone else struggles. Bullpen 1. Jose Valverde 2. Joel Zumaya 3. Ryan Perry 4. Phil Coke 5. Bobby Seay 6. Fu-Te Ni 7. Zach Miner 8. Armando Galarraga 9. Nate Robertson 10. Brad Thomas 11. Dontrelle Willis 12. Eddie Bonine 13. Daniel Schlereth 14. Casey Fien 15. Robbie Weinhardt 16. Jay Sborz 17. Enrique Gonzalez 18. Phil Dumatrait 19. Zach Simons 20. Luis Marte 21. Josh Rainwater The Tigers will have more pitchers than roster spots if everyone gets through camp healthy. That could result in a return to Triple-A for Galarraga and walking papers for Willis. There are an awful lot of health question marks here, though. If Zumaya breaks down or Perry pitches his way back to the minors, then Galarraga might get a look as a setup man. Schlereth and Weinhardt are two others who could climb the list in a hurry.
Catcher 1. Gerald Laird 2. Alex Avila 3. Robinzon Diaz 4. Mike Rabelo First base 1. Miguel Cabrera 2. Jeff Larish 3. Ryan Strieby 4. Kory Casto Second base 1. Scott Sizemore 2. Ramon Santiago 3. Ryan Raburn Third base 1. Brandon Inge 2. Ramon Santiago 3. Ryan Raburn 4. Jeff Larish 5. Don Kelly Shortstop 1. Adam Everett 2. Ramon Santiago 3. Brent Dlugach The Tigers appear to be leaning towards keeping the 23-year-old Avila as a part-time catcher, but they do have the option of letting him play regularly in Triple-A and going with Diaz as the backup to Laird. It could well come down to how Laird performs offensively this spring. Left field 1. Ryan Raburn 2. Carlos Guillen 3. Wilkin Ramirez 4. Clete Thomas 5. Don Kelly Center field 1. Austin Jackson 2. Casper Wells 3. Clete Thomas 4. Ryan Raburn Right field 1. Magglio Ordonez 2. Clete Thomas 3. Wilkin Ramirez 4. Ryan Raburn 5. Don Kelly Designated hitter 1. Carlos Guillen 2. Magglio Ordonez 3. Jeff Larish 4. Ryan Strieby I considered holding off on the Tigers until the very end just to see if the Johnny Damon deal would get done. Damon would top the depth chart in left field and push Raburn back into a utility role, which would seem to be for the best. Raburn hit like a regular last year, but the Tigers need another hitter they can rely on. With two rookies and the injury-prone Guillen in the lineup, Raburn would still be set to play a major role.
