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Tigers sign ex-Royals outfielder for depth after Parker Meadows injury
TL;DR
The Detroit Tigers signed outfielder Tyler Gentry to a minor-league contract following Parker Meadows' injury. Gentry will join Triple-A Toledo after previously playing three MLB games with the Kansas City Royals in 2024.
Outfield depth has arrived.
The Detroit Tigers signed outfielder Tyler Gentry on Saturday, April 11, to a minor-league contract, assigning him to Triple-A Toledo – only one day after recalling outfielder Wenceel Pérez to replace injured center fielder Parker Meadows.
The 27-year-old has played three games in his MLB career, all with the Kansas City Royals in 2024.
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Tyler Gentry of the Kansas City Royals walks into the dugout after the sixth inning during a spring training game against Chicago Cubs at Surprise Stadium on March 5, 2024 in Surprise, Arizona.
The Royals selected Gentry with the No. 76 overall pick in the 2020 draft out of Alabama, designated him for assignment in late July 2025 to remove him from the 40-man roster and released him in late March 2026 at the end of spring training.
Gentry latched on with the Tigers exactly 18 days after getting dumped by the Royals.
In 2024, Gentry went 0-for-5 with two strikeouts across five plate appearances in three games for the Royals, which means he remains in search of his first MLB hit.
He spent all of 2025 in Triple-A Omaha, hitting .206 with nine home runs, 28 walks and 89 strikeouts over 86 games. He is a career .241 hitter with a .747 OPS in 336 Triple-A games.
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The Mud Hens have six outfielders on their roster.
There are three right-handed hitters in Gentry, Corey Julks and Ben Malgeri, two left-handed hitters in Max Clark and Cal Stevenson and one switch-hitter in Trei Cruz. Gentry, Julks and Stevenson have MLB experience – but only Cruz is a member of the Tigers' 40-man roster.
Of the six, Cruz is likely next up on the call-up list.
One problem: Cruz is hitting .170 with one home run, eight walks and 18 strikeouts across 13 games in Triple-A Toledo. The 27-year-old has spent time at shortstop, third base and left field.
Contact Evan Petzold at epetzold@freepress.com or follow him @EvanPetzold.
This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: Detroit Tigers sign Tyler Gentry to minor-league contract
Q&A
Why did the Detroit Tigers sign Tyler Gentry?
The Tigers signed Tyler Gentry to provide outfield depth after Parker Meadows was injured.
What is Tyler Gentry's MLB experience?
Tyler Gentry has played three MLB games, all with the Kansas City Royals in 2024.
Who replaced Parker Meadows in the Tigers lineup?
Wenceel Pérez was recalled to replace Parker Meadows after his injury.
