Tigers’ Colt Keith settling in as ‘much-improved’ third base defender

As starts and innings build for Colt Keith as the Detroit Tigers‘ primary third baseman, he is feeling increasingly comfortable with his glove at the far left corner of the infield.

Keith has grown from a negative defensive player at third base in 2025, according to defensive metrics such as outs above average (OAA), defensive runs saved (DRS) and fielding run value (FRV), to slightly positive in those three metrics in 2026.

His improvements have given manager A.J. Hinch more options to mix and match players in other positions. When Javier Báez, Detroit’s ultimate defensive chess piece, came off the 60-day IL on Tuesday, July 28, Hinch mentioned the solid defense on the left side of the infield from Keith and rookie shortstop Kevin McGonigle would allow him to use Báez primarily as a center fielder, a position of weakness for the team all summer.

“I’m looking at a much-improved Colt Keith at third base, Kevin at shortstop, which makes center field more of a decision point,” Hinch said before Tuesday’s win over the Baltimore Orioles.

It hasn’t been a jump to the top of the league leaderboards in third base defensive metrics, but Keith now sits 14th in the FRV leaderboard at his position, compared to 63rd in 2025.

Constant repetitions at third, Keith said, have been key. As he’s played more at third base, he has grown comfortable enough that his instincts and athleticism instantly take over on contact. He also picks the brains of Báez and second baseman Gleyber Torres, two veteran infielders, for any tips he can gather.

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“The biggest thing is slowing the game down overall,” Keith told the Free Press before Wednesday’s extra-inning loss. “When I was a rookie, things were going really fast. Every muscle was tense in my body. It is hard to play good defense like that. So, slowing the game down over the years has really helped a lot. And just getting reps over and over in the big leagues.”

Keith is also doing a better job of understanding the scouting report and positioning himself before the pitch is thrown, Hinch said. That positioning helps Keith’s instincts kick in faster at a position where the ball comes quickly.

Hinch also credited Keith’s improvement at fielding ground balls with just his glove hand, instead of trapping it with both hands like he frequently did as a rookie.

“He’s turned more one-handed,” Hinch said. “When he first got here, he was very two-handed, and that creates clunkiness in how you move. So, trusting that he can make one-handed plays either to his left or to his right has been a major step forward.

“I think the pre-pitch gets him off the ball and allows him to make the first move. It is important because it allows you to make an instinctual move, trust your eyes and your reaction time. That consistency, plus the one-handedness, I think has turned him into a very reliable defender.”

Keith has still played only half the innings at third base (627) as he has at second base (1,271) in his three-year MLB career. He has not played a single inning at second base this year, with most appearances coming at third and a handful at first base. Last year, he split his time relatively evenly between the three positions as one of Hinch’s chess pieces.

He still prepares for the potential of playing in different infield positions, but has grown comfortable playing as an everyday third baseman.

“For me, I’ve got to be ready to play first base, second base and third base,” Keith said. “I’m doing my best to be prepared for that. I think in an ideal world, I’d love to play one position all the time. But that doesn’t really help the team win in a maximum way.”

Contact Jared Ramsey at jramsey@freepress.com.

This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: Tigers’ Colt Keith settling in as ‘much-improved’ third base defender