Times change.
On the same day the Tigers announced their top pitching prospect will make his big-league debut this week, their former top pitching prospect was designated for assignment.
Detroit DFA'd 2015 first-round pick Beau Burrows on Tuesday as part of a flurry of moves that allowed the club to add Matt Manning to the taxi squad. The Tigers also designated for assignment Wilson Ramos, their starting catcher when this season began.
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With Jake Rogers and Eric Haase providing steady service behind the plate -- Rogers with his defense, Haase with his bat -- Ramos became expendable. He hadn't played since hitting the injured list May 24 with a lumbar sprain.
Burrows is a good reminder that not all top prospects make it. He struggled in the high levels of the minors and failed to make the most of his six outings in the big leagues.
Ramos got off to a hot start with the Tigers, briefly leading the majors in homers. But two stints on the IL phased him out of Detroit's plans.
By cutting Burrows and Ramos and placing Matthew Boyd (left arm discomfort) and Alex Lange (right shoulder strain) on the 10-day IL, the Tigers also opened roster spots for pitchers Miguel Del Pozo and Wily Peralta from Triple-A Toledo.
Peralta, an eight-year MLB vet who signed a minor league deal with the Tigers this offseason, is a candidate to start in Boyd's place Saturday against the Angels. Del Pozo will work out of the bullpen, where he's thrived this season in Toledo.
It remains to be seen whether Ramos and Burrows clear waivers and whether either one accepts the ensuing assignment to Triple-A.