The Tigers’ prospects will thrill supporters following MLB Pipeline’s Top 100 update.
With the minor league seasons wrapping up over the next weeks, MLB Pipeline updated their top 100 prospects ranking to reflect performance this season and, importantly, the 2024 draft. The usual suspects remain at the very top — Jackson Holliday, Junior Caminero — but the Tigers also join the Orioles and Rays as the only teams with two prospects in the top 10: Max Clark and Jackson Jobe, ranked at Nos. 7 and 8.
Further down, Kevin McGonigle, who was recently promoted to High-A but promptly got hurt, came in at No. 33. Bryce Rainer, this year’s 11th overall draft pick, debuted at No. 61, and Jace Jung rounds out the Tigers’ five names at No. 64.
In the new Tigers’ top 30 list, recent trade acquisition Thayron Liranzo fell to No. 6 with Rainer and McGonigle’s ascents, but pitcher Jaden Hamm, whose 31.9% strikeout rate led all High-A pitchers this year, jumped up to No. 7 from No. 18. Trey Sweeney, who came over from the Dodgers along with Liranzo in the Jack Flaherty deal, also moved up four spots to No. 20.
Five Detroit Tigers prospects land on MLB Pipeline’s updated top 100 list
The Cubs, Guardians, Mariners, Rockies, and Twins lead MLB with the most overall top 100 prospects, with six each, but the Tigers are right behind them with their five.
This is fantastic news for a Tigers organization that constantly has to defend its position to fans in order to justify their lack of spending in the offseason. Chris Ilitch’s, and consequently Scott Harris’, stance has been that he won’t shell out money to the team until they form a solid foundation of young players that can dependably win.
There’s a lot wrong with that strategy, at least for fans, who definitely don’t want to hear that from such an independently wealthy owner, but it’s … actually sort of working? The Tigers are playing sub-.500 ball this season, but the homegrown guys and rookies have gotten better and better. It’s a common refrain for Detroit, but next year does actually look like it’ll be better with the young players at the helm.
It’ll be a while before we see most of the Tigers on the top 100 list get their debuts (Jung will probably be first, as the lone Triple-A’er), but Detroit and their fans have a lot to look forward to.
