This story was excerpted from Jason Beck’s Tigers Beat newsletter. To read the full newsletter, click here. And subscribe to get it regularly in your inbox.

ATLANTA – Justyn-Henry Malloy came to this city four years ago, looking for an opportunity. He then had to leave it to get his ultimate one.

“This is kind of where things started to turn around for my career,” the Tigers outfielder said Monday. “I go from benchwarmer somewhere to then starter somewhere, and then turn into a professional and drafted by that city. There’s a lot of cool emotions.”

Malloy (Detroit's No. 6 prospect) was largely a reserve player at Vanderbilt over two seasons from 2019-20, and he needed playing time to show what he was capable of doing. A message from an old teammate led him to Georgia Tech, where his breakthrough season in 2021 put him on the radar of the pro team across town.

The Braves drafted him in the sixth round that July, then watched him hit his way up three levels of their farm system in 2022 during his first full pro season. But with a stacked lineup in Atlanta, that last step looked nearly impossible.

To take the final climb, Malloy had to leave the same town he had found opportunity in. A trade to the Tigers at the Winter Meetings in San Diego on Dec. 7, 2022, gave him that shot.

In another scenario, maybe Malloy could have been manning left field at Truist Park for the home team, potentially forcing a chance with his bat. But with Ronald Acuña Jr., Michael Harris II and Eddie Rosario in Atlanta’s outfield, it didn’t seem likely. And his previous position at third base was even tougher to crack.

“Obviously that guy over there is pretty good,” Malloy said, referring to Austin Riley. “So, it was kind of like, ‘Keep your head down and good things will happen.’”

They did, eventually. While the Tigers desperately needed more hitters in their farm system, the Braves needed relief help. With Joe Jiménez a year away from free agency, first-year president of baseball operations Scott Harris swung his first deal.

“I can’t speak for everyone when a trade happens,” Malloy said, “but the initial feeling is like, ‘Why don’t they want me?’ It’s just kind of a sad feeling, because you’re going into the unknown. But it didn’t take myself or my family very long, call it five or 10 minutes, to realize that this is a really good opportunity. And to have another organization want you badly enough to trade someone from their organization is a good feeling.”

Malloy represented the offensive philosophy Harris had been preaching, combining zone control with impact hitting. Still, even after combining 23 homers and 25 doubles with 110 walks at Triple-A Toledo last year, opportunity wasn’t handed to him. He had to repeat a stint with the Mud Hens and wait for a chance in Detroit, where Spencer Torkelson’s struggles finally opened a spot.

Malloy’s first two-plus weeks have shown the struggles of being introduced to Major League pitching that many rookie hitters are going through these days, but also the strengths that made him a valuable prospect in the first place. While he has as many walks as hits – six each in 42 plate appearances – half of his hits have gone for extra bases, including two home runs.

Malloy’s .692 OPS isn’t where he wants it, but he entered Tuesday with a 95 OPS+. The Tigers have so far shown ample patience to give him chances to build on it, allowing him the opportunity that he needs. And as he took left field Monday, he had some old friends watching.

“Tremendously hard worker, was always out early, always stayed late,” Georgia Tech head coach Danny Hall told Bally Sports Detroit. “Had a great knack for controlling the strike zone. Just so happy for him that it's worked out and he's playing in the big leagues.”