​The Detroit Tigers have promoted Eduardo Valencia from Triple-A Toledo to the majors to serve as the club’s catcher. The move, announced on Thursday, July 9, comes after the team learned that starting catcher Dillon Dingler is dealing with a hand contusion. Dingler will remain off the injured list for now but is listed as day-to-day and has not been in the lineup. To clear a roster spot for Valencia, the Tigers designated Jahmai Jones for assignment. Valencia’s arrival fills a catching need while Dingler recovers, and Rogers will handle the catching duties in the interim as Valencia steps into the backup catcher role.
Jones, 28, enjoyed a breakout season in a limited role for Detroit in 2025, posting a slash line of .287/.387/.550 over 150 plate appearances, primarily as a designated hitter. He has been particularly effective against left-handed pitching, collecting 16 extra-base hits in 2025 and emerging as a go-to pinch hitter and platoon DH. However, Jones’s production dipped sharply in 2026. Among Tigers players with at least 100 plate appearances this season, he posted the lowest batting average (.137) and the lowest slugging percentage (.221), fanning in roughly one out of every three at-bats and hitting only two home runs in 57 games. “Jahmai obviously had a really tough run early this season,” Tigers manager A.J. Hinch said. “He had a hard time either getting on the fastball or sitting off-speed, and he found himself a lot of times in between, and the at-bats got less productive and he just looked less and less comfortable.”
Valencia, 26, will immediately assume the role of backup catcher, with Rogers continuing as the starter while Dingler is day-to-day. Valencia has yet to make his major league debut but has shown power in Toledo, slashing .267/.353/.486 with 16 home runs and 49 RBIs across 331 plate appearances in 2026. He has spent his entire professional career in the Tigers organization since 2018, providing the club with versatility at the position—catcher in 47 games, first base in 23, and designated hitter in six for Toledo this season. “He’s swinging really well, and he’s done a great job behind the plate, too,” said Dingler. “The biggest thing is just to try to get him as comfortable as possible, because I know when I came up, that was a big thing.”
In other news for Detroit, the club has continued to tweak its roster in an effort to shore up depth behind the plate while Dingler recovers. Valencia’s addition gives the Tigers a ready-made backup option who can step in on short notice and contribute offensively, with a track record of power and plate discipline at the minor league level. The organization will be watching closely to see how Valencia adapts to the big leagues and whether he can mirror the strong showing he posted in Toledo.
If you’re catching up during your lunch break, consider subscribing to our Sports Briefing newsletter for daily Detroit sports summaries. For any tips or questions, you can reach Christian at cromo@freepress.com. This update originally appeared in the Detroit Free Press as Detroit Tigers DFA Jahmai Jones, bring up Eduardo Valencia from Toledo for better SEO.