It did not take long for Akil Baddoo to become a fan favorite. The Detroit Tigers‘ Rule V draftee impressed in spring training, showing the type of all around game that scouts had envisioned. The toolsy outfielder cracked the Tigers’ Opening Day roster, and on Sunday, received his first major league game action.
Baddoo made an immediate impact. Hitting in the ninth spot in the lineup, Baddoo belted a home run on the first pitch he saw, taking Aaron Civale‘s fastball to left center to provide a memorable start to his career.
Akil Baddoo. First MLB at-bat. Home run.
— Cody Stavenhagen (@CodyStavenhagen) April 4, 2021
Unbelievable.
Akil Baddoo starts Detroit Tigers career with a bang
It is easy to see why the Tigers were interested in Baddoo when he was available. Defensively, he has excellent speed and gets a great jump on the ball, allowing him to play all three outfield positions. He has displayed a solid batting eye with respectable power potential, although his hit tool had sometimes been called into question.
Baddoo had a solid minor league career. He posted a .249/.357/.422 batting line in his 1018 plate appearances, hitting 44 doubles, 21 homers, and 21 triples while stealing 47 bases. He struck out just 231 times while drawing 140 walks, showing the potential to be a solid fourth outfielder at the very least.
Although he had not played above High-A, and had only 29 games of experience at that level, Baddoo impressed in spring training. He posted a .325/.460/.750 batting line in 50 plate appearances, hitting five homers and stealing four bases while drawing ten walks. His 14 strikeouts may have been slightly concerning, but Baddoo offers enough in other areas where the Tigers were not worried.
Detroit needs all the talent they can possibly find. Their farm system is one of the best in the game, with the potential to have a dominant, home grown rotation. Their hope is to emerge from their rebuilding process in the next year or two, making a move to contend in the AL Central. Finding a player such as Baddoo can help expedite that timeline.
Akil Baddoo impressed the Detroit Tigers in spring training as he played his way onto the roster. His major league career has started as well as it could have.