DETROIT – The Detroit Tigers need a center fielder in 2017. Mikie Mahtook might be that guy.
Mahtook was traded to Detroit in January from the Tampa Bay Rays, and he's a favorite to replace Cameron Maybin in center for the Tigers.
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Mikie Mahtook, pronounced Mike-eee MAH-took, says people have trouble with his name. "It's constantly said wrong,'' Mahtook said. "I get May-took, Mah-hook, whatever. I don't think it's that hard.''
Mahtook is from Louisiana. He was drafted by Tampa Bay in 2011 out of LSU.
The right-handed hitter has played 106 major league games, batting .231 with 12 home runs and 30 RBI.
Mahtook has played in 524 minor league games, batting .272 with 33 home runs and 250 RBI.
Mahtook has twin sisters and a mother, who is a breast cancer survivor.
TampaBay.com profiled Mahtook in 2012, sharing the story of his father:
They called Michael Mahtook a "Gentle Giant," a fun-loving, unpretentious soul who packed some punch on the field for the Tigers in the early 1980s. He'd tell Mary Ann how much he looked forward to coaching Mikie in soccer and T-ball. He'd take Mikie to their favorite pizza place, push him on the swing set and teach him how to dive into the pool.
Then, just like that, he was gone. The elder Mahtook, fit and just 32 years old, was playing tennis with his brother Robbie, another former LSU player, when he collapsed on the court. Michael had cardiomyopathy, a disease that enlarged his heart.
"He was in perfect health — there were no signs," Mary Ann said. "That night, we were all meeting at the house to swim and cook and grill. Crazy."
Mahtook didn't get to know his father the way he wanted to, but his large family makes sure to give him a complete picture.
"We kept his memory alive in stories," Mary Ann said. "I think now, looking back, it was the healthiest thing to do. I never was afraid to say 'death' and 'Your dad is a guardian angel and he's in heaven.' He's still a big part of their lives."