Mark Canha, acquired by the Detroit Tigers from the Brewers early in the summer, was a sparkplug for the team’s youthful roster, whose mean age fell precipitously with Miguel Cabrera’s retirement.
Entering his tenth major league season this year, Canha is Detroit’s second-most-tenured MLB player this season, behind Javier Báez.
Canha was brought in as a seasoned leader and a reliable top/middle lineup bat. Although Canha’s job description still includes teaching, AJ Hinch has stated that he wants him to be a player first and a teacher second (subscription required). The Tigers need Canha to teach. With an OBP of.305 in 2023, the Tigers were the
Canha, meanwhile, finished his career with a.349 OBP and had a.355 OBP in 2023 while playing for the Mets and Brewers. One of the main things that drew the team to him was his patience at the plate, and it appears that the Tigers’ spring training has already highlighted this trait.
Canha took many pitches on the outside corner during a live BP against Andrew Chafin (subscription required), which made Chafin ask, very incredulously, “How in the (heck) did you take that?”
