Former Phillies prospect who was traded at 2023 deadline set to make major-league debut for Tigers

Former Phillies infield prospect Hao-Yu Lee is set to make his major-league debut for the Detroit Tigers, the club announced Friday. He’ll bat eighth and play third base against left-hander Ranger Suárez and the Red Sox at Fenway Park.

Lee, 23, was dealt to the Tigers by Philadelphia at the 2023 trade deadline in exchange for pitcher Michael Lorenzen. The right-hander had two incredible starts for the Phillies after the trade, including a no-hitter in his first start at Citizens Bank Park with the team, but Lorenzen had a 5.11 ERA in red pinstripes and was not included in the postseason rotation.

Signed out of Taiwan in 2021, Lee reached High-A in the Phillies’ system and had a .773 OPS in 64 games at Jersey Shore in 2023 before he was traded. The 5-foot-9, right-handed hitter was never billed as a future star, but the Phillies still gave up a fairly intriguing minor leaguer to get Lorenzen, a rental swingman who did not pitch that well in Philadelphia.

Lee hit 14 home runs with a .243 batting average and a .748 OPS for Triple-A Toledo last season. He’s had a slow start in the minors so far in 2026 as he’s dealt with an injury, but he was needed by the Tigers as third baseman Zach McKinstry hit the 10-day injured list with inflammation in his left hip and abdomen.