According to Efraín Zavarce from Beisbolplay.com, then confirmed by Daniel Álvarez-Montes of ElExtrabase, left-hander Enmanuel De Jesus has earned a spot on the Tigers 40-man roster.  The team has yet to confirm the news on Tuesday morning as Detroit is set to play Boston in Fort Myers. According to their reports, De Jesus was in conversations with another team while pitching for Team Venezeula in Asia. 

The Tigers signed De Jesus back in December as a non-roster invite with an invitation to spring training and he has taken advantage of it. 

De Jesus, 29, is a native of Valencia, Venezuela, who has taken quite the winding road to get here. He signed his first professional contract with the Boston Red Sox as an international free agent at just 16 years old back in August 2013, making his debut with the Dominican Summer League Red Sox. He spent several years climbing Boston's minor league ladder, including a standout 2015 campaign where he posted a 6–2 record and 1.74 ERA across the Gulf Coast League and Low-A Lowell. Wikipedia

After Boston released him following the 2020 COVID-shortened season, De Jesus bounced between organizations, resigning with the Red Sox, then spending time with the San Francisco Giants and Miami Marlins. He got his first taste of the majors in September 2023 with Miami Wikipedia, though the cup of coffee was a rough one.

Rather than fade away, De Jesus reinvented himself overseas. He spent the past two seasons starting in the KBO, pitching for the Kiwoom Heroes in 2024 and the KT Wiz most recently, a stint that helped sharpen both his arsenal and his command. The lefty works with a 93-94 mph four-seam/sinker combination, a cutter, and a changeup, all delivered from a low three-quarters arm slot. 

That refinement has been on full display this spring. De Jesus has tossed 6⅓ scoreless innings in Grapefruit League play with an excellent strikeout-to-walk ratio, and he turned heads on the international stage as well, striking out eight hitters over five innings for Team Venezuela in WBC play.  His minor league deal carries a value of up to $1.3 million should he make the major league roster and with this 40-man addition, that payday appears to be right around the corner.

De Jesus could make the team as the club's third left-handed reliever or begin the season in Toledo's rotation. It may make sense for him to start the year with the Mud Hens, considering the pitchers slotted to begin there, Ty Madden, Keider Montero and Bryan Sammons,  are the only three who have taken the mound this spring. Sawyer Gipson-Long has not thrown yet, and the same goes for Troy Watson, who is recovering from elbow cleanup surgery. To make room for De Jesus, Troy Melton has been placed on the 60-day IL according Evan Petzold of Freep.com, meaning he wont be able to pitch until late May. 

Given that the Tigers will need all the help they can get in the starting rotation, De Jesus could be a straightforward callup from Toledo to fill in. More clarity from the club is expected later Tuesday.

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