Meadows, the Pirates’ No. 9 overall choice in 2013, was traded to Tampa Bay in July 2018 for Chris Archer, Tyler Glasnow, and Shane Baz. Meadows received an All-Star berth the following season as a result of the unbalanced trade.
Meadows’ average dropped last season, as you can see. In 2019, he hit .291 with a .922 OPS while hitting 33 home runs and driving in 89 runs during his All-Star trip.
Meadows joins a strong Tigers lineup that features Javier Baez, Jeimer Candelario, Spencer Torkelson, Akil Baddoo, and Miguel Cabrera, who has been a club staple for years.
In this Austin Meadows transaction, the Tampa Bay Rays acquire a former top prospect. Isaac Paredes, still only 23, was Detroit’s No. 6 prospect heading into the 2021 season. Since then, he’s gone down a cliff.
With that said, we’re talking about a player who can play three different spots in the infield. He’s also a professional. In 499 minor league games, he hit .272 with 52 home runs and 276 RBI.
Detroit decided it was time to trade Paredes for someone who could make an instant impact. Over the last two seasons, he has batted just .215 in 57 games with the Tigers.
How Much Is Austin Meadows?
Austin Meadows makes an annual average salary of $4,000,000