The Detroit Tigers played October baseball for the first time in ten years last season, largely due to a young core of talented players breaking out. Their starting lineup in their final postseason game featured five homegrown talents, with three more entering off the bench. The Tigers are poised to build on that success with lineup stability they haven’t had in years. Colt Keith bounced back from a slow start to finish with a 1.8 WAR (12th among 2B). Jace Jung and Trey Sweeney made the most of their limited time in the Majors, and are in pole position to retain their spots in 2025.
It’s a similar story in the outfield too. Parker Meadows, Kerry Carpenter and Riley Greene (all Tigers’ draft picks) will be key to the success of Detroit. The trio combined for 51 home runs and 159 RBIs last season. Tarik Skubal has grown into one of the game’s best pitchers and will be hoping for a repeat of his 2024 Cy Young-worthy campaign.
Their current roster is proof that the Tigers have drafted and developed talent effectively in the last decade. More contributors are on the way though. Detroit has built a system flush with potential impact arms and advanced bats. Here are the top 15 names dynasty managers should know about in the Tigers’ next wave of young talent.
- NL East: Phillies, Mets, Marlins, Nationals
- NL Central: Reds, Cardinals, Brewers, Pirates, Cubs
- NL West: Diamondbacks, Dodgers, Giants
- AL East: Red Sox, Yankees, Orioles, Rays, Blue Jays
Top Tigers Prospects
The Top Tier
1) Max Clark, 20 Y/O OF
MiLB Stats (A, A+): .279 AVG/.372 OBP/.421 SLG/9 HR/29 SB/19.2 K% /12.4 BB%
Max Clark has been labeled as a “phenom” ever since breaking onto the scene via social media right after COVID. Videos featuring Clark on YouTube during his junior and senior seasons in high school routinely eclipsed 100,000 views, with at least two breaking the 1 million threshold. The hype was warranted, as Clark hit .646 with a 2.023 OPS in 28 games with Franklin (IN). The Tigers didn’t let Clark fall far in the 2023 draft, picking him with the third selection. Since being drafted, he’s demonstrated the tools that made him one of the most hyped prospects in recent memory.
In his first 23-game stint as a professional, he put up a 111 wRC+ with two homers and five steals. Clark was even better in 2024. Clark’s 129 wRC+ ranked 14th among hitters 20 years old or younger, adding nine long balls and 29 steals with an 87% success rate. Clark possesses a smooth lefty swing that allowed him to hit more than 50% of his balls in play in the air (24% line drive). However, he swings A LOT. Clark swung at over 40% of pitches he saw last season, and while it didn’t kill him (79.1% contact, 8.5 SwStr%), it should be something he focuses to improve on before reaching the higher levels. Clark’s ceiling is a consistent 20-homer, 40-steal threat. Even if he falls short of that though, he has the tools to be an elite dynasty asset in the future.
2) Jackson Jobe, 21 Y/O SP
MiLB Stats (AA, AAA): 91.2 IP/2.36 ERA /25.6 K%/12.0 BB%
MLB Stats: 4.0 IP/0.00 ERA /12.5 K%/6.3 BB%
The former first-round pick made waves in spring training after his four-seam fastball was clocked at 102 miles an hour in his first outing. Ever since then, Tigers fans have been clamoring for their top farm arm to make his Major League debut. They got their wish in September, as Jobe joined the team in September for their postseason push. He made two appearances before the playoffs, allowing just one hit while facing 16 batters. Jobe was included on the playoff roster for both the Wildcard and Division Series, but he struggled mightily. He gave up three runs in just 1.2 crucial innings for the Tigers. However, playoff experience for a top prospect for a team on the rise, and ahead of schedule, likely is seen as a net positive.
Despite being used out of the bullpen in the Majors last season, he will get a chance to earn a rotation spot in the future. He started all 21 games he appeared in before his promotion, and was dominant. While there are some concerns about in-game longevity (6.0 IP in just four games), his stuff will play. His four-seamer can reach as high as 100 miles per hour with 17 inches of iVB. His sweeper/cutter combo is filthy. The former moves ~17 inches horizontally, while the cutter moves 12 inches less and is seven miles per hour faster. That trio of offerings will generate a ton of strikeouts at the next level. Jobe will likely be sent to AAA to open the season will a May/June target for promotion. However, there is a legitimate chance that he could start the season in the back half of Detroit’s rotation.
3) Kevin McGonigle, 20 Y/O 2B/SS
MiLB Stats (A+): .309 AVG/.401 OBP/.452 SLG/5 HR/22 SB/8.5%/14.0 BB%
McGonigle made waves in the PitcherList Discord server last week after Baseball Prospectus listed him at No. 6 overall in their top 101 prospects. While I’m not quite as high on him as they are, it’s easy to see why the 20-year-old infielder is so highly rated. McGonigle was the only hitter his age in the minors (min. 300 PAs) to have an OPS of at least .800 and strike out less than 10% of the time. He possesses an elite bat-to-ball tool (88.5 contact %) and makes good contact (26.6% line drive, 35% fly ball). His 144 wRC+ ranks at #9 among minor league hitters 20 years old or younger, among other top prospects like Roman Anthony and Xavier Isaac. McGonigle’s counting stats would have been even better, but a hamate fracture in August ended his season.
His future in the infield is still uncertain though. He’s been projected as both a second baseman and a shortstop. McGonigle spent the vast majority of time at short, making seven errors in 367 innings of work, but will likely move across the infield at the higher levels. Detroit’s major league roster lacks a true shortstop outside of Trey Sweeney (more on him later), but there are plenty of impact bats on the infield. McGonigle, especially coming off an injury, will not be rushed through the levels. However, he has demonstrated an advanced offensive approach that could allow him to reach the Majors within the next two seasons.
4) Bryce Rainier, 18 Y/O SS
MiLB Stats: N/A – 2024 Draft
Harvard-Westlake High School has a reputation for producing Major League talent. The California school can boast Max Fried, Lucas Giolito, Jack Flaherty, and Pete Crow-Armstrong as just some of the professional players who started on that team. The next top prospect to hail from there? 18-year-old shortstop Bryce Rainier. He broke onto the scene as a freshman, albeit on the mound, winning MaxPreps’ National Freshman of the Year Award. While he’s since moved away from pitching, the athleticism and 95+ mile-per-hour arm he possesses will serve him well. After three more stellar seasons, Rainier became one of the most desired high-school bats in the draft. He garnered some whispers as a possible #1 overall pick, but the Tigers will not complain that they were able to snag him at pick #11.
Rainier arguably has the most raw potential of any hitter on this list. At 6’3″, he has the frame to grow into a true power threat, especially with his smooth lefty swing. However, scouts have had questions about his bat-to-ball tool, which could limit his effectiveness. There’s no question that he has the arm strength to stick at short, so his fielding ability will determine his future defensive home. Rainier will be one of the most interesting prospects to follow in his professional debut next season. For now, Tigers fans should be excited about a young, projectable shortstop with a power-hitting frame and a rocket arm.
5) Jace Jung, 23 Y/O 3B
MiLB Stats (AA, AAA): .257/.377/.454/15 HR/3 SB/22.1 K%/16.5 BB%
MLB Stats: .241/.362/.304/0 HR/0 SB/30.9 K%/16.0 BB%
The former Texas Tech Red Raider was a mainstay in PitcherList’s weekly Stash List articles during the season. Jung spent the vast majority of the season waiting for a promotion in AAA before finally getting the call to the show in mid-August. The numbers he posted in the minors could argue that his promotion was overdue. Jung hit 15 homers in 95 games and posted a 122 wRC+. His approach at the plate remained consistent, and his 16% walk rate would rank third in MLB over a full season. Jung will have to cut down on the 31% whiff rate, and his 4% barrel rate is far below an ideal rate. However, his patient approach and 15-20 homer potential should keep him in the lineup next season.
Jung hasn’t locked down the third base position permanently. Both Andy Ibañez and Zach McKinstry spent time at the hot corner last season. That said, Jung has the highest ceiling and offensive impact of that group, and it’s not particularly close. For fantasy purposes, he projects as a low-risk addition to your bench in the latter portion of your drafts. NFBC’s ADP has him going just past pick 600, alongside hitters like Jordan Beck and Lenyn Sosa. If Jung can provide 15-20 home runs and a wRC+ in the 110 range, he could be a steal at that pick. Those stats should be considered a “best-case scenario” for Jung, and there’s a very real chance he falls short of those goals. However, for redraft and dynasty purposes, Jung is an underrated asset that could provide immense value.
6) Hao-Yu Lee, 21 Y/O 2B
MiLB Stats: (AA) – .298 AVG/.363/.488/12 HR/16 SB/17.9%/8.5%
Lee broke onto the scene in a big way in 2024. After being traded to the Tigers from Philadelphia in 2023, Detroit was only given an eight-game sample size to evaluate their new second baseman. Despite the lack of time with him, they were aggressive, sending Lee to AA to start 2024. He did not disappoint. The 21-year-old finished a 141 wRC+, the fifth highest among all minor league second basemen. He was limited by injuries, missing half of August and September due to a back issue. Before he hit the DL, he was on pace for a 20-homer, 25-steal season (assuming he played all 138 games).
Despite being just 5’10”, Lee has legitimate pop in his bat. Swinging from the right-hand side, his pronounced load step generates a ton of torque. His swing path generates good loft, which has resulted in over 50% of his balls in play being liners or fly balls. Lee’s 76% contact rate and 10.8% SwStr% indicate that he should continue to limit strikeouts and put the ball in play going forward. Lee will likely never turn into a middle-of-the-order slugger. However, he could grow into being a 20-20 threat at the Major League level.
7) Josue Briceño, 20 Y/O C/1B
MiLB Stats (A+): .278/.381/.377/2 HR/1 SB/14.8 K%/12.5 BB%
If you said that Briceño’s performance in this year’s Arizona Fall League was “video game numbers”, you’d be massively understating. The 20-year-old slugger mashed ten home runs in 25 games with Scottsdale, putting up a 1.376 OPS and 27 RBIs. Briceño was the first player in the history of the league to take home the Triple Crown. The fall performance provided a positive ending to what was otherwise a disappointing season. Briceñ0 played just 40 games because of a knee injury that kept him out for more than three months. When he was on the field, he performed well, registering a 123 wRC+ in limited action.
Briceño’s size and stature are indicators of the type of player he can become. At 6’4″, he’s an imposing figure in the batters’ box, and as his AFL performance shows, he utilizes his size. His swing is remarkably compact and free-flowing, and his mass allows him to generate easy power to all sides of the field. The swing itself isn’t super fast or violent, but it clearly gets results. Defensively, Briceño likely end up at first base in the future, where the Tigers currently are without a true long-term option. A healthy, productive season for Briceño, likely at AA, could vault him into the upper echelons of prospect boards next season.
Prospects Dynasty Managers Should Know
8) Thayron Liranzo, 21 Y/O – C/1B
MiLB Stats (A+): .244 AVG /.378 OBP /.408 SLG /12 HR/1 SB /23.8 K%/17.5 BB%
After being acquired by the Tigers in return for Jack Flaherty, Liranzo broke out with High-A West Michigan Whitecaps. In 26 games after the deadline, he hit .315 with a 1.032 OPS and 130 wRC+. His offensive prowess was on full display in the Arizona Fall League as well, hitting .375 with two home runs in 15 games with Scottsdale. While Liranzo is an effective hitter from both sides of the plate, he’s much more effective against left-handed pitching, posting a .955 OPS against southpaws (.729 vs. RHP). While his glove is pretty good (5 errors in just under 500 innings) Liranzo’s future may not lie behind the plate, as he only cut down 14% of base stealers last season. The 21-year-old has the power tool and bat-to-ball skills to make an impact for the Tigers down the road, as long as he can find a defensive home.
9) Troy Melton, 24 Y/O SP
MiLB Stats (AA): 100.2 IP/5.10 ERA/27.7 K%/7.0 BB%
Melton’s 5.10 ERA may raise some red flags at first glance, however, that does not tell the full story about his 2024 season. There were 17 minor league pitchers (min. 100 IP) who struck out more than ten batters per nine and walked less than three. Melton’s ERA is the highest among that group by a wide margin. His BABIP also led the group as well, indicating that he may have been the victim of some bad luck (3.14 xFIP). Melton’s mid-to-high 90s heater, in tandem with a plus slider and changeup, should continue to generate plenty of whiffs in the future, and he can build on his cutter and curveball next season. 2024 wasn’t kind to Melton, but 2025 could be a breakout campaign for the 23-year-old.
10) Roberto Campos, 21 Y/O OF
MiLB Stats (A+): .272/.342/.425/10 HR/11 SB/23.1 K%/8.5 BB%
Campos doesn’t excel in any one particular area, but he does everything well. He was one of only seven players in the Tigers’ system with double digits in both steals and home runs. Campos ranked #6 among Detroit’s farm system with a 120 wRC+, just nine points off the #1 player on this list. The 6’3″ outfielder has the frame and pop of a player with 20+ homer potential, but that hasn’t materialized yet. When Campos gets a hold of one, it goes a long way. The next goal for him will be to make that happen more often and improve on his 49% swing rate.
11) Jaden Hamm, 22 Y/O SP
MiLB Stats (A+): 99 IP / 2.64 ERA /30.6 K%/7.8 BB%
The former collegiate standout at Middle Tennessee State was dominant in his first season of professional baseball. Hamm struck out over 11 batters per nine innings and limited his walk rate to just 7.8%. Just under half of his 23 games with West Michigan, last season ended with a zero in Hamm’s earned run column. It’s easy to see why, his arsenal is ridiculous. Hamm’s four-seamer reaches over 20 inches of iVB, and when thrown in tandem with a hammer curveball, it’s dominant. While he primarily uses those two offerings, he has room to add one or two more to round out his repertoire. Additionally, he needs to work on going deeper into starts. The 23-year-old reached the 6th inning in his starts just once. That will need to be improved for Hamm to make the leap into the higher levels.
12) Trey Sweeney, 24 Y/O SS
MiLB Stats (AAA): .267 AVG / .345 OBP / .450 SLG / 15 HR /20 SB / 22.1 K%/ 6.8 BB%
MLB Stats: .218 AVG/.269 OBP/.373 SLG / 4 HR / 2 SB/26.9 K%/5.9% BB%
The Tigers got a bargain in the other half of the Jack Flaherty trade. They found their starting shortstop for next season waiting in the wings in LA’s minor league system. After joining the Tigers, he was dominant, slashing .381/.447/.667 with a 188 wRC+ in eleven games. As a result, he was added to Detroit’s MLB roster for the remainder of the regular season and postseason. While he struggled to make a major impact offensively, his defense was a major asset in October. With Javier Báez falling out of favor, the Tigers need players to step up and fill the hole in the lineup. Gleyber Torres, Colt Keith, and Jace Jung will all need playing time. However, none of those players have the defensive acumen that Sweeney has, which should keep him in the lineup to start 2025.
13) Enrique Jimenez, 19 Y/O C
MiLB Stats (CPX): .242/.366/.376/3 HR/5 SB/24.0 K%/15.3 BB%
The backstop was incredibly impressive in his first professional season in the United States. At just 18 years old, playing against competition significantly older than him, he posted a 108 wRC+, one of just nine catchers in the Complex League to do so. It’s a long road ahead for Jimenez, who will need to put up an impressive 2025 campaign to launch himself up rankings boards. However, anytime a teenager can adapt to pro ball and showcase a good eye (15.3% walk rate) and power potential (4 career home runs), it makes them a player to keep an eye on.
14) Max Anderson, 22 Y/O 3B
MiLB Stats (A): .266/.315/.387/11 HR/1 SB/14.0 K%/6.4% BB%
The former Nebraska Cornhusker impressed in his first full season of professional baseball, registering a 102 wRC+ over three levels in the minors in 2024. That mark will likely increase in time, as he had a track record of being an excellent bat in his three collegiate seasons. In Lincoln, he hit .350 with 38 homers in 155 games, with an OPS of 1.005, adding 40 doubles. Anderson continued to prove himself in the Cape League, hitting .300 in 72 games over two summers. His defense isn’t going to put in him Gold-Glove territory (13 errors in 106 games), but it should be good enough to keep him in the infield for the better part of his career. Anderson’s 2025 campaign will be crucial, and a good one could land him in AAA by the end of the season.
15) Michael Massey, 21 Y/O SP
MiLB Stats: N/A (2024 Draft)
Chase Burns, Rhett Lowder, Sean Sullivan, Josh Hartle, Michael Massey. What do all of these names have in common? They’re products of the industry-renowned Wake Forest pitching lab. Massey was dominant in his first season with the Demon Deacons, striking out 76 batters in 41.2 innings out of the bullpen. He regressed as a starter last season, largely due to injuries affecting his availability. He still struck out batters at a high rate (51 in 34 IP), but his ERA ballooned to 4.76. The Tigers took him in the fourth round and held him out of action for the remainder of 2024. Massey’s fastball and slider are his best offerings and will be crucial to his success in the future. While he carries higher reliever risk than the other pitchers on this list, a bounce-back season and some minor tweaks to his offerings could transform him into a top prospect.
The Next Five
Although these prospects do not crack the top 15, dynasty managers should keep their eye on these five players.
Justice Bigbie – Breakout 2023 campaign with .343 AVG, 19 HRs, and .942 OPS. Regressed massively in 2024, with just four HRs and 79 wRC+. If he can bounce back he could be an interesting depth piece.
Franyerber Montilla – 19-year-old infielder who’s struggled to find his way offensively. Hit .095 in 20 games in Single-A last season. Plus speed has allowed him to steal 52 career bases, but needs to figure it out at the plate.
Joseph Montalvo – Acquired at the deadline for Andrew Chafin. Struggled post-trade (4.74 ERA) but has a high-movement fastball and slider that struck out 10.1 batters per nine last year.
Ethan Scheifelbein – 2024 draftee out of high school. 6’2″ lefty with a mid-90s fastball with slider, curve, and change supplementals. Will make a pro debut in the spring of 2025.
Owen Hall – No. 49 overall pick in 2024 MLB Draft. High-velocity right-hander with a plus slider. Needs to add another plus pitch and start his professional career strongly to vault himself into the top 15.