Top Detroit Tigers Prospect Turning Heads at Arizona Fall League With Powerful Bat
The Detroit Tigers' magical run in the 2024 MLB season came to an end in the American League Divisional Series against the Cleveland Guardians.
It was the first postseason matchup in the history of the AL Central rivals, as Cleveland came away victorious in Game 5. With their campaign now complete, the focus will turn to the offseason.
Given how much success the team had in the second half, the game plan for ownership and the front office has assuredly changed. They should be looking to upgrade the roster where they can because they know more help is on the way.
The Tigers have some incredibly talented young players in their Minor League system. Their top pitching prospect, Jackson Jobe, got the call-up near the end of the season and was on the postseason roster.
Further in the future, we will see Max Clark, their second-ranked prospect, Kevin McGonigle and Bryce Rainer eventually join the lineup as well.
Another player to keep a close eye on is catcher Josue Briceno. He is garnering a lot of attention for how well he is performing at the Arizona Fall League, as Keith Law of The Athletic highlighted in his notes rounding up what is happening in the desert.
“Detroit catcher Josue Briceño has only played first base and DH in the AFL, so he might not even have brought his catcher’s mitt, but he brought his bat, with four hits in the two games I’ve seen, all hard-hit balls, including a homer off a fellow lefty,” the MLB expert wrote.
In six games and 26 total plate appearances, he has launched four home runs, recording a .417/.462/1.000 slash line. That kind of hitting ability is worth finding a spot in the long-term plans.
Could the Tigers be looking to move Briceno to another position? It is certainly possible after Jake Rodgers emerged as the everyday catcher down the stretch and in the postseason, while also earning a Rawlings Gold Glove nomination.
Briceno, the No. 9 prospect in the team’s farm system, is also competing with another catcher/first baseman; Thayron Lizardo.
Acquired along with current starting shortstop Trey Sweeney from the Los Angeles Dodgers in the Jack Flaherty deadline deal, the talented catcher is No. 6 on the prospect pipeline.
It will be interesting to see what Detroit does long-term with their backstop. They also have Dillon Dingler in the mix in the Major Leagues, as the catcher position has quickly become a deep position for the franchise.
Kenneth Teape is an alumnus of SUNY Old Westbury and graduated in 2013 with an Honors Degree in Media Communications with a focus on print journalism. During his time at Old Westbury, he worked for the school newspaper and several online publications, such as Knicks Now, the official website of the New York Knicks, and a self-made website with fellow students, Gotham City Sports News. Kenneth has also been a site expert at Empire Writes Back, Musket Fire, and Lake Show Life within the FanSided Network. He was a contributor to HoopsHabit, with work featured on Bleacher Report and Yardbarker. In addition to his work here, he is a reporter for both NBA Analysis Network and NFL Analysis Network, as well as a writer and editor for Packers Coverage. You can follow him on X, formerly Twitter, @teapester725, or reach him via email at teapester725@gmail.com.