Tigers Outfielder Akil Baddoo Clears Waivers, Assigned to Triple-A Toledo

The Detroit Tigers have announced that outfielder Akil Baddoo has cleared waivers and been outrighted to Triple-A Toledo. This decision came after Baddoo was designated for assignment last week as part of the corresponding move to accommodate the signing of Alex Cobb.

Baddoo first made headlines in 2021 as a Rule 5 success story, boasting a .259/.330/.436 slash line with 13 home runs across 461 plate appearances during his debut season. Despite this strong start, the left-handed outfielder has struggled to replicate his early success over the past three seasons. Between 2022 and 2023, Baddoo's performance dipped to a .212/.302/.331 slash line across 178 games. He spent most of the 2024 season on optional assignment, appearing in only 37 MLB games and posting a .137/.220/.301 line while striking out in 32.9% of his 82 plate appearances.

Baddoo's strikeout issues extended to Triple-A as well, where he struck out at a 26.5% clip over 377 plate appearances with Toledo. While he maintained a solid 12.7% walk rate, resulting in a respectable .340 on-base percentage, his overall offensive contribution was roughly league average for the International League.

Given these struggles, it was somewhat surprising that the Tigers offered Baddoo an arbitration contract with a projected salary of $1.6 million. As Baddoo looks to regain his form in Triple-A, the Tigers will continue to assess his development and potential contributions to the major league roster.