Two hours before the first pitch, the stands are empty in Comerica Park. Heaters are blowing full blast in the Tigers' dugout. Music is blaring. And Niko Goodrum stands in left field, wearing a Tigers sweatshirt, the hood pulled over his baseball cap.
Goodrum tosses the ball back and forth, warming up with JaCoby Jones, his best friend on the team.
“He’s one of the most chill people I’ve ever been around,” Jones says. “He probably goes through the whole day saying 20 words, if that. He’s in chill mode, observing everything. We hang out a lot.