ORLANDO, FL — The “knuckle puck” is staying with the Detroit Tigers.
Right-handed reliever Matt Seelinger has re-signed with the Tigers on a minor-league contract with an invitation to MLB spring training, according to a person with knowledge of the agreement who spoke Wednesday, Dec. 10, on condition of anonymity because the deal had not yet been announced.
Seelinger, 30, throws one of the most unique pitches in baseball – the knuckle puck, a hybrid that blends characteristics of a curveball, screwball and splitter.
He will earn $780,000 if he makes the MLB roster.
In 2025, Seelinger registered a 2.74 ERA with 25 walks and 75 strikeouts across 65⅔ innings in 47 games for Double-A Erie (11 games) and Triple-A Toledo (36 games).
Seelinger has been in the organization since June 2024, when the Tigers purchased his contract from the Long Island Ducks of the Atlantic League, an independent league.
He climbed from Double-A to Triple-A in July 2025.
With Toledo, Seelinger threw three pitches: 44.2% fastballs, 28.9% cutters/sliders and 26.9% knuckle pucks.
His fastball averaged 92.5 mph and maxed out at 95.1 mph, while both his cutter/slider and knuckle puck generated whiff rates around 45%. Opponents hit just .151 with a .170 slugging percentage against the knuckle puck, though they performed better against his fastball and cutter/slider.
Before the Tigers, Seelinger pitched in the minor leagues for the Pittsburgh Pirates, San Francisco Giants, Tampa Bay Rays and Philadelphia Phillies. The Pirates selected him in the 28th round of the 2017 draft from Farmingdale State College.
He perfected the knuckle puck in 2024 in the independent league.
With the Ducks, Seelinger put himself on the Tigers’ radar by logging a 0.44 ERA with eight walks and 31 strikeouts across 20⅔ innings in 21 games. His performance – thanks to the knuckle puck – ultimately led to the Tigers purchasing his contract.
Seelinger could make his MLB debut in 2026.
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