Tigers 30-man roster set: Beau Burrows, Kyle Funkhouser draw first big-league assignments

Cincinnati — In the end, Tigers general manager Al Avila stayed mostly true to his 40-man roster.

In putting together the club’s 30-man active roster ahead of the noon Thursday deadline, Avila included just two non-roster players — infielder Jordy Mercer and starting pitcher Dario Agrazal, who may end up being the Tigers’ No. 5 starter, at least until Daniel Norris is ready.

Three other non-roster players — pitchers Nick Ramirez and Shao-Ching Chiang and outfielder Jorge Bonifacio — made strong bids to make the team. Instead, rookie pitchers Beau Burrows and Kyle Funkhouser, as well as Rule 5 draft pick Rony Garcia, all on the 40-man roster, have drawn their first big-league assignments.

Mercer and Agrazal will presumably be added to the 40-man to fill spots vacated by outfielder Daz Cameron, who remains out with an undisclosed injury or illness and outfielder Troy Stokes, Jr., who is out with a wrist injury.

Pitcher Anthony Castro, center fielder Derek Hill and catcher Eric Haase were assigned to the club’s taxi squad and will remain with the team in Cincinnati, where the Tigers open the season Friday. They could be immediately activated if needed.

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Ramirez, Chiang, Bonifacio, shortstop Willi Castro and utility man Brandon Dixon were all assigned to the Tigers’ alternative training site in Toledo.

Both Avila and manager Ron Gardenhire have cautioned against getting too attached to any one version of the active roster. With 60 games in 66 days, it will be in flux for the next two-plus months. 

That said, here is the Tigers opening day roster: 

►PITCHERS (16): Dario Agrazal, Tyler Alexander, Matthew Boyd, Beau Burrows, José Cisnero, Buck Farmer, Michael Fulmer, Kyle Funkhouser, Bryan Garcia, Rony García, Joe Jiménez, David McKay, Iván Nova, John Schreiber, Gregory Soto, Spencer Turnbull

►CATCHERS (2): Grayson Greiner, Austin Romine

►INFIELDERS (7): Miguel Cabrera, Jeimer Candelario, C.J. Cron, Niko Goodrum, Dawel Lugo, Jordy Mercer, Jonathan Schoop

►OUTFIELDERS (4): JaCoby Jones, Cameron Maybin, Victor Reyes, Christin Stewart

►UTILITY (1): Harold Castro

chris.mccosky@detroitnews.com

Twitter: @cmccosky