Former Yankees 1st-Round Pick Called Up to MLB by Tigers
The Detroit Tigers have promoted infielder Trey Sweeney to the major leagues, giving the former New York Yankees first-round draft pick his long-awaited shot at the big stage. Sweeney, 24, was selected 20th overall by the Yankees in the 2021 MLB Draft out of Eastern Illinois University, where he built a reputation as a disciplined hitter with sneaky power.
His professional journey has been anything but straightforward. After spending two seasons in the Yankees’ minor league system, Sweeney was traded to the Los Angeles Dodgers in December 2023 in exchange for reliever Victor González and infielder Jorbit Vivas. Assigned to Triple-A Oklahoma City, Sweeney turned in a solid campaign, batting .255 with 13 home runs and 62 RBIs in 96 games.
The next move came quickly. In July 2024, the Dodgers shipped Sweeney and catching prospect Thayron Liranzo to the Tigers in a deal for veteran pitcher Jack Flaherty. The change of scenery seemed to spark his bat—at Triple-A Toledo, he posted an eye-catching .381/.447/.667 slash line in just 11 games, adding 2 home runs, 9 RBIs, and 4 stolen bases.
On August 16, 2024, the Tigers called him up to their 40-man roster, and Sweeney made his MLB debut that night—fittingly against the Yankees, the organization that had first invested in him. In his rookie stretch with Detroit, he appeared in 36 games, batting .218 with 4 home runs and 17 RBIs.
Now entering the 2025 season, Sweeney has begun to find his footing. Through mid-July, he’s batting .216 with 9 homers and 44 RBIs. The Tigers view him as a potential long-term piece thanks to his combination of plate discipline, left-handed power, and defensive versatility at both shortstop and third base.
What began as a promising Yankees draft pick has evolved into a new opportunity in Detroit—one Sweeney hopes will mark the true start of his MLB career.
