Miguel Cabrera won’t stay idle for long. Less than two seasons removed from ending a 21-year Major League career, the 42-year-old slugger has signed to play for Tigres de Aragua in the Venezuelan Professional Baseball League (LVBP) for 2025-26, according to the Detroit Free Press.
The move reunites Cabrera with the club he starred for from 2000-08, overlapping his early years with the then-Florida Marlins and Detroit Tigers. Because the LVBP schedule runs from October through January, Cabrera can play competitive games without conflicting with his stateside commitments.
Miguel Cabrera to come out of retirement
A natural bridge to the World Baseball Classic
Cabrera was already confirmed as Team Venezuela’s hitting coach for the 2026 World Baseball Classic. Logging live at-bats in Venezuela should help him stay sharp while mentoring the next generation of Venezuelan talent.
Key Milestones Details
MLB career 2003-23 (Marlins, Tigers)
Notable MLB accolades 3,174 hits • 511 HR • 2× AL MVP • 2012 Triple Crown
Previous LVBP stint 2000-08 with Tigres de Aragua
New role Player, Tigres de Aragua (2025-26)
Additional role Hitting coach, Team Venezuela (WBC 2026)
What to expect this winter
Part-time duties: Reports indicate Cabrera will primarily fill a designated-hitter slot, giving Aragua a proven middle-of-the-order presence.
Fan impact: Attendance spikes are common whenever national icons return to the LVBP; Aragua’s ballpark in Maracay is likely to be packed.
No MLB implications: The winter-ball stint occurs entirely in the Major-League off-season, so Cabrera remains retired from MLB play.
The Bottom Line
Miguel Cabrera may have closed the book on his Tigers career, but he clearly isn’t finished with baseball. By joining Tigres de Aragua for the upcoming winter, the Venezuelan legend keeps competing, stays connected to his roots, and fine-tunes his skills before serving as a WBC coach. For fans in both Detroit and Venezuela, it’s one more opportunity to watch that classic opposite-field swing in action.