On Monday night, Dylan Smith became the second Alabama pitcher to make his Major League debut this season with the Detroit Tigers.

Following Chase Lee into the Detroit bullpen, “The Real Deal” worked two scoreless innings in the Tigers’ 13-1 victory over the Chicago White Sox in an American League game at Guaranteed Rate Field in Chicago.

“It was good to see Dylan on the mound,” Detroit manager A.J. Hinch said. “I’m sure he was nervous. The double-play ball was really good for him in both innings. It was just good to see him compete. He’s been dreaming of this since he got into pro ball, and here he is getting to make his debut after having to wait a few days. Perfect game for him, and we needed the two innings going into the bullpen game tomorrow.

“Those are super special. They don’t get old no matter how many you’ve been around. There’s only one first outing.”

Smith left Alabama as a third-round pick of the Tigers in the 2021 draft. In three seasons with the Crimson Tide, the right-hander struck out 131 in 121.1 innings. Smith had a 3-8 record with a 4.30 earned-run average in 33 games.

Smith started the 2025 season with the Erie SeaWolves of the Double-A Eastern League. In 12 relief appearances for Erie, he posted a 1.80 ERA with 27 strikeouts in 20 innings, during which he allowed only nine hits.

After striking out five in 2.1 innings in two games for the Triple-A Toledo Mud Hens, Smith joined the Tigers on Friday.

On Monday night, Smith took the mound in relief of starter Jack Flaherty with Detroit leading 10-1 in the seventh inning. Smith hit the first batter he faced – White Sox right fielder and former Auburn standout Joshua Palacios.

But after a foul popout by center fielder Luis Robert Jr., Smith got third baseman Josh Rojas to ground into an inning-ending double play.

In the eighth, Smith yielded a walk and a single with one out before first baseman Austin Slater’s double-play grounder ended the frame.

A former McAdory High School standout, Lee made his MLB debut with Detroit on April 22. “The Viper” has a 2-0 record with a 1.15 ERA in 12 relief appearances. In 15.2 innings, Lee has yielded eight hits and four walks while striking out 15.

At 40-21, the Tigers have the best record in Major League Baseball. Detroit plays the White Sox at 6:40 p.m. CDT Tuesday at Guaranteed Rate Field in Chicago.

Smith and Lee are among the seven players from Alabama high schools and colleges who have made their big-league debut in the 2025 MLB season. They are joined by Athletics outfielder Drew Avans of Thompson High School in Alabaster, Texas Rangers first baseman Blaine Crim from St. Paul’s Episcopal in Mobile, Washington Nationals pitcher Cole Henry from Florence High School, Tampa Bay Rays outfielder Chandler Simpson from UAB and Kansas City Royals second baseman/outfielder Tyler Tolbert from Hewitt-Trussville High School and UAB.

Mark Inabinett is a sports reporter for Alabama Media Group. Follow him on X at @AMarkG1.