September call-up during the 2004 season for the Tigers. He made his big league debut on September 12 and struck out in his first at bat. On September 16, Raburn got his first hit, an RBI double on a pitch from Cleveland Indians pitcher CC Sabathia. Raburn spent the entire 2005 season with Toledo, posting a .253 batting average and hitting 19 home runs in 130 games. He committed the most errors (21) by any second baseman in the International League. During the postseason, he batted .348 and drove in 3 runs. He was rated by Baseball America as the 18th-best minor league prospect for the Tigers at season's end. Following the 2006 season, the Tigers chose to not add Raburn to the 40-man roster. This left him unprotected in the Rule 5 draft, allowing any team to add him for a cost of $50,000, provided he spent the entire season on a major league roster. Raburn was not selected and returned to the Tigers and their Triple-A affiliate Toledo Mud Hens. 2007 season Raburn returned to the major leagues for the first time since 2004 when Tigers utility infielder Neifi Pérez was suspended 25 games after testing positive for amphetamine usage. Raburn had a two-out RBI single in his first at bat of that season. On July 25 against the Chicago White Sox, Raburn went 4–5 with two home runs, a double and a single and had a total of seven RBIs. Raburn earned the 2007 Tigers Rookie of the Year award from the Detroit Sports Broadcasters Association. 2008 season For the first time in his career, Raburn started the season on Detroit's opening day roster. After getting into one game as a pinch runner, Raburn was sent down to Toledo on April 5. He made five appearances with the Mud Hens before rejoining the Tigers on April 13. During the 2008 season, Raburn made sporadic starts at third base, second base, and all three outfield positions. Manager Jim Leyland often employed Raburn as a late-innings defensive replacement in the outfield or as a pinch runner. Raburn hit his first career grand slam on June 28, 2008 against Colorado Rockies pitcher Jeff Francis. Raburn matched a career-best with a four-hit game during a Tigers–White Sox contest on August 5. 2009 season During spring training, Raburn spent time learning the catcher position, as well as first base, in an effort