Aviles Agrees to One-Year Deal with the Detroit Tigers

Mike Aviles is ready to roar into the new baseball season…

The 34-year-old Puerto Rican professional baseball player, a utility player, has agreed to a one-year Major League Baseball (MLB) contract with the Detroit Tigers, the team announced.

Mike Aviles

Aviles presumably will fill a utility role for the Tigers along with infielder Andrew Romine.

Tigers general manager Al Avila indicated at the winter meetings last week that a utility player was likely to be the last of the club’s offseason signings, although he did leave open the possibility of adding another bullpen arm.

Aviles spent the past three seasons with the Cleveland Indians. He batted .231 with five home runs and 17 RBIs in 98 games last season.

Aviles made multiple trips to the family medical emergency list in 2015 after his daughter Adriana was diagnosed with leukemia in May.

The eight-year veteran also has played for the Kansas City Royals and Boston Red Sox.

To create room for Aviles on the 40-man roster, the Tigers designated for assignment left-hander Kyle Lobstein.