Detroit ships prospect Justyn-Henry Malloy to Tampa Bay for cash. The Tigers shuffle their roster, making way for a new reliever.
The JHEN era is over in Detroit. Tigers PR announced this morning that Justyn-Henry Malloy was traded to Tampa for cash considerations. Malloy was designated for assignment to make room for reliever Kyle Finnegan.
Justyn-Henry Malloy was acquired by the Detroit Tigers from the Atlanta Braves at the 2023 trade deadline as part of the deal that sent reliever Joe Jiménez to Atlanta. A former first-round pick (13th overall) by the Braves in the 2021 MLB Draft out of Georgia Tech, Malloy was viewed as a polished college bat with strong plate discipline and on-base skills, though his defensive home remained a question.
Scouts long viewed Malloy as a bat-first prospect built around plate discipline and raw power. He features above-average bat speed and a mature approach that allows him to wait on pitches and work deep counts, though he can be beaten in the strike zone, particularly by breaking balls and changeups. When he stays back and uses the whole field, the offensive profile plays, but early opening in his swing can lead to weak contact.
Malloy shows above-average raw power, with most of his home-run damage coming to the pull side, and projects for average to above-average game power if the approach fully translates. A well below-average runner, his defensive limitations have pushed him off third base and into a corner-only profile, where his arm strength is adequate but range remains limited. Overall, evaluators saw a path to a potential major league regular if the on-base skills and power outweighed the defensive constraints.
Malloy spent most of his time in the Tigers’ system at Double-A Erie and Triple-A Toledo, where he continued to draw walks and show power to the pull side, but struggled with consistency and defensive fit, primarily seeing time at third base and the corner outfield. The Tigers value versatility in their players and after giving Malloy plenty of opportunities to stick, they decided to move on.
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