After a great showing in spring training, rookie infielder Kevin McGonigle made the Detroit Tigers’ Opening Day roster, the team announced Tuesday. The Pennsylvania native is baseball’s No. 2 prospect behind Pittsburgh Pirates infielder Konnor Griffin.
The Tigers open Thursday at San Diego.
In 19 spring training games, McGonigle batted .250 with a .923 OPS, two doubles, a triple, two home runs and six RBI. McGonigle was a non-roster invite to spring training, so he must be added to the Tigers’ 40-man roster.
In three levels of Detroit’s organization last season (Class A to Class AAA), McGonigle batted .305 with a .991 OPS, 19 home runs and 80 RBI.
McGonigle models his playing style after Philadelphia Phillies second baseman Chase Utley, who was his favorite player growing up. Utley was a great hitter — a career .275 batting average and .823 OPS — and the six-time All-Star had great command of the strike zone, as McGonigle does.
Primarily a shortstop, McGonigle can also play third and second base. In 1,100.1 innings at shortstop in the minors, McGonigle had a .951 fielding percentage. In 101.1 innings at third base, McGonigle posted a perfect fielding percentage (1.000).
Tigers manager A.J. Hinch played McGonigle at third base toward the end of spring training to increase his chances of making the roster. McGonigle could be the Tigers’ starting shortstop or the third baseman.