97.1 The Ticket -- The Tigers aren't going to waste much time at all bringing one of their newest assets to the Major Leagues.
General Manager Al Avila says the 24-year-old power hitter could join the team as soon as this weekend.
"Quite frankly, after the game is over, I am going to have a conversation with (manager Ron Gardenhire) and the staff about him and the possibility of just sending him straight to the big leagues," Avila said on a conference call during Wednesday's win over the Angels.
The Tigers have Thursday off after the win gave Detroit its first series win since the last week of May. Avila said he planned on talking with the staff about potentially having Demeritte join the club Friday in Texas, which could add a unique note to Demeritte's career, potentially making his debut against the team that drafted him.
The Rangers drafted him in 2013 and he spent parts of three seasons at the Single-A level with the organization before being traded to Atlanta at the 2016 trade deadline.
It took him two seasons to rise to the Triple-A level, where he logged a .286 batting average, a .944 OPS, 20 home runs and 74 RBIs in 96 games with the Gwinnett Braves this season.
"He’s been around a little bit, he’s had some experience and we feel that he’s ready to be tested at the big league level," Avila said on the conference call. "There’s a lot more that goes into it than that, that’s why I’ve got to talk to the staff."
While a decision on Demeritte's starting team could be decided in the coming hours, Avila says he talked to him and told him if he is not called up this weekend, that move would likely come soon after.
The Tigers also received the 21-year-old Wentz, who ranked as Atlanta's No. 7 prospect, according to MLB Pipeline. He has a 4.72 ERA, a 1.31 WHIP and about a strikeout per inning over 20 starts in Double-A this season.