Parker Meadows of the Detroit Tigers bats during the Spring Training game against the Washington Nationals at Publix Field at Joker Marchant Stadium on March 8, 2023 in Lakeland, Florida. The Tigers defeated the Nationals 2-1. (Photo by Mark Cunningham/MLB Photos via Getty Images)
The Detroit Tigers No. 10 prospect according to MLBpipeline.com, outfielder Parker Meadows, has been called up to the major leagues from Triple-A Toledo on Sunday, prior to the first game of their three-game home series against the Chicago Cubs.
Meadows, 23, was born in Atlanta and drafted by the Tigers in the second round with the 44th overall pick in the 2018 Major League Baseball Amateur Draft out of Grayson High School in Loganville, Georgia. The Tigers signed him to a contract with a $2.5 million signing bonus, which at the time was well above the $1,625,000 slot value. Meadows was committed to Clemson University prior to signing.
According to Jason Beck of MLB.com, “Meadows will remain under the 45-day limit for players to retain rookie qualification for next season. The only way he would lose that would be if he exceeded 130 MLB at-bats this year, an unlikely scenario with just 38 games left.”
This season, Meadows has played in 113 games for Triple-A Toledo, batting .256 over 517 plate appearances with 115 hits, 27 doubles, seven triples, 19 home runs, 65 RBI, 19 stolen bases, and 57 walks with a .812 OPS.
Meadows broke through at spring training and made the 40-man roster with his brother Austin Meadows, making them teammates for the first time in their baseball careers.
During spring training, Meadows played in 21 games with 41 at-bats, batting .317 with 13 hits, three doubles, five home runs, 11 RBI, four walks, 14 strikeouts and a 1.134 OPS.
Last offseason, Meadows played in the Arizona Fall League with the Salt River Rafters, suiting up in 24 games and making 76 plate appearances, batting .224 with 15 hits, three doubles, one triple, three home runs, seven RBI, two stolen bases, and seven walks.
During the 2022 season, Meadows split time between High-A West Michigan and Double-A Erie, playing in 127 games with 556 plate appearances and batting .270 with 131 hits, 25 doubles, seven triples, 20 home runs, 58 RBI, 17 stolen bases, and 56 walks. He was named an Eastern League Postseason All-Star and was nominated for the MiLB.com Organization All-Star Award.
In the 2021 season, Meadows split time between Low-A Lakeland and High-A West Michigan, playing in 97 games with 420 plate appearances batting .210 recording 77 hits, 16 doubles, two triples, eight home runs, 45 RBI, nine stolen bases, 37 walks, and 102 strikeouts.
Meadows will be alternating in the Detroit outfield defensively with Akil Baddoo, Matt Vierling, Zach McKinstry, and Nick Maton.
The Tigers are 57-67 in the American League Central Division and are seven and a half games back of the first place Minnesota Twins at 65-60.
The Chicago Cubs, at 64-59, in the National League Central Division are still in the mix for the division title, where they are three games back of the first-place Milwaukee Brewers (68-57). The Cincinnati Reds (64-61) are also still in the race for the NL Central.
Tigers manager AJ Hinch will have starting pitcher Alex Faedo (2-4, 5.16 ERA) go up against Cubs starting pitcher Javier Assad (2-2, 3.11 ERA) on Monday in the first game of their home series at 6:40 p.m. EDT.
