Tigers finalize deals with 4 undrafted free agents
DETROIT -- Better late than never, the Tigers on Wednesday officially announced their first batch of undrafted free-agent signings. In addition to Loyola-Marymount first baseman Trevin Esquerra, whose agreement was reported last week, the Tigers signed University of Florida outfielder Austin Langworthy, College of Central Florida right-hander Carson King and Wake Forest outfielder DJ Poteet.
Langworthy becomes the third Gator to enter the Tigers' farm system, joining Alex Faedo and Logan Shore. The left-handed hitter was a teammate of Faedo as a freshman on the 2017 College World Series champions, which began Langworthy's four-year run in the starting lineup, a total of 198 games. He batted a combined .270/.369/.413 with 36 doubles, 19 home runs and 106 RBIs. He also appeared in 18 games as a pitcher, posting a 1-3 record and 3.34 ERA (12 earned runs in 32 1/3 innings), striking out 17 and walking seven.
Prior to the 2020 MLB Draft, Langworthy ranked No. 13 on Perfect Game’s list of top seniors in the class, and he recently ranked No. 15 on Baseball America’s list of college seniors in the undrafted free-agent pool. He was previously drafted by the Reds in the 31st round in 2016.
Playing three summers with Falmouth in the Cape Cod League, Langworthy earned an all-star nod in 2018 when he batted .206/.336/.422 with seven home runs and 16 RBIs. That home run total tied for second in the league for the season.
• Tigers sign No. 1 overall pick Spencer Torkelson
This browser does not support the video element.
Poteet bypasses his senior season to turn pro, having just celebrated his 22nd birthday in June. Though he batted .233 in three seasons with the Demon Deacons, he excelled at working walks, drawing 76 over 424 career at-bats for a .357 on-base percentage. He walked (20) almost as many times as he struck out (21) while batting .282 with two home runs and 13 RBIs last summer in the Perfect Game Collegiate Baseball League. Following a solid freshman campaign, in which he was tied for the team high with nine homers, he was named a freshman All-American by Collegiate Baseball and ranked No. 43 on Perfect Game’s list of top college sophomores heading into 2019.
This browser does not support the video element.
The Tigers know King from his 2019 season at Florida Southern College in Lakeland, where he made 12 appearances and posted a 3-6 record and a 7.09 ERA (37 earned runs over 47 innings) with 41 strikeouts. He finished his collegiate career with the Patriots, appearing in four games during this shortened 2020 season.