Which Detroit Tigers Player Will Claim No. 1 Prospect Spot Next Season?
Just five months ago, the Detroit Tigers were sellers ahead of the trade deadline, looking to flip veterans on expiring deals for whatever value they could get.
Fast forward to the present day, and they are being linked to two of the best players remaining in free agency; third baseman Alex Bregman and right fielder Anthony Santander.
That is because of the torrid pace at which the Tigers ended the 2024 season.
Despite facing a double-digit deficit in the standings over the summer, they were able to earn a wild card spot in the American League. Their success continued there, defeating the Houston Astros in the ALWC before pushing the Cleveland Guardians to five games in the ALDS.
If they want to continue pushing up the ladder in the AL, some veteran additions to the roster would certainly help.
Alas, the front office and ownership are walking a fine line. They want to capitalize on the momentum created down the stretch of the 2024 campaign but don’t want to sacrifice too much of what looks like an incredibly bright future.
While suffering through a nine-year playoff drought, the team had a chance to add some incredible young talent to their farm system. We got a glimpse of what the future could hold with so many young players taking leading roles.
Their top prospect, pitcher Jackson Jobe, made his Major League debut on Sept. 25, coming out of the bullpen twice and throwing four shutout innings. He made the roster for the postseason, making one appearance in each round.
Success was hard to come by in the playoffs, but that shouldn’t change how the franchise views him. He was a consensus top-25 prospect entering the year and has been a starter; those relief outings were the first time he came out of the bullpen as a professional.
There is certainly a good chance that he makes the Major League roster out of Spring Training ahead of the next campaign, which would exhaust his prospect tag.
Who could take over as the No. 1 player in that regard in the organization at the end of the year?
Jim Callis of MLB.com has predicted it will be outfielder Max Clark taking up the mantle as Detroit’s top-ranked prospect.
“Imagine Clark as Pete Crow-Armstrong with a little less defense but better hitting ability and speed,” he wrote.
The No. 3 pick in the 2023 MLB Draft is already one of the top prospects in the game. He is currently ranked No. 6 overall, right behind Jobe, who is No. 5.
That lofty ranking has been earned as Clark played at a high level during his first full season as a professional. He slashed .279/.372/.421 as a 19-year-old playing in A and A+ ball.
His future is incredibly bright, as the Tigers have dreams of him patrolling center field in Comerica Park in the near future. If he produces in 2025 at the same rate he did in 2024, he could be a late-season call-up in a similar fashion to Jobe.
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.