It was announced earlier today on the Tigers PR Twitter account, that long time Tigers utility man Niko Goodrum, cleared waivers and has elected to test free agency.
The 29 year old, infielder & outfielder spent 4 seasons as a Detroit Tiger, playing a big role in the Tigers rebuild. The Tigers acquired Niko, after his 2017 rookie year with the Twins where he was very limited in play time. In that 2017 season, Niko, had just 17 plate appearances, one hit, and walked once. He became a minor league free agent, in 2018, and was signed by the Tigers that off-season. The move to sign with the Tigers, jump started Goodrum's career, he was a huge acquisition for a team that was in their lowest point in a tough rebuild. He instantly became nearly an everyday player in Detroit, from the moment he got there. With a 2018 roster that featured position players such as, Dixon Machado (Now plays in the KBO League), Pete Kozma (Free Agent), JaCoby Jones (Free Agent), Christian Stewart (Free Agent), James McCann (Plays for Mets), Josè Iglesias (Free Agent) Nick Castellanos (Free Agent), and Brandon Dixon (Now plays in Nippon professional baseball). Looking back at that roster it's easy to see why Niko made such a big impact upon arrival. In his first season as a Tiger, Goodrum, had 444 at bats (Still a career high), 109 hits (Still a career high), 53 RBI's (Still a career high), and 16 Homeruns (Still a career high). In his career Niko, racked up 1,332 at-bats, 306 hits, 151 RBI's, 171 runs scored, 136 walks, and a career batting average of .230
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Niko's leadership off of the field will be missed by the organization, Detroit, and the rest of the state. Goodrum talked many times about his drive to give back to the fans, after the Tigers gave him his big break. He did that every chance he could, and during the summer on a day off from baseball, Niko visited Flint, Michigan, to donate water to the residents. He loaded cars up with water himself, and talked with the fans before they left. He was joined by Akil Baddoo and Ian Krol earlier this summer. Baddoo and Krol helped with the donation. Goodrum is entering his 6th season in the league and is looking for his new home. For the Tigers the move allowed them to buy the contract's of 2nd baseman, Kody Clemens, and RHP Angel De Jesus.
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