5 Prospects That Can Soar Through the System in 2024

As we begin the minor league season, I decided to take a look at some prospects that have a big possibility to flourish through the system in the upcoming 2024 season. The Tigers have tons of prospects in the organization that have a possibility to do big things in the major leagues ranging from top pitching prospect in baseball, Jackson Jobe, all the way down to undrafted free agent Cole Turney. This season is the first in which President of Baseball Operations Scott Harris’s draft picks will be seeing an entire minor league season. We look forward to seeing a productive year from many of the minor leaguers in 2024.

Josue Briceno

In January of 2022, under the leadership of Al Avila, the Tigers signed 19-year-old Josue Briceno as an international free agent from Venezuela. His signing bonus was $800,000 and so far every dollar is looking like it’ll pay off. Briceno showed a strong 2023 campaign playing most of his games in the Florida Complex League with a handful of games coming in Lakeland. Briceno slashed .319/.402/.529 between the two camps last year. His OPS of .954 ranked second in the FCL last season among qualified batters and his isolated power (ISO) ranked fifth.

His power is a crucial tool of his, as he slapped seven home runs over the wall last season. Briceno’s primary position is catcher but his lack of defensive abilities behind the plate have seen him play some first base in the future, which is probably where he will be better suited in the future. Briceno should start this season in Lakeland, seeing time at both catcher and first base. If he continues to mash at the plate he will most certainly be seeing time in West Michigan by the end of the season.

Troy Melton

Troy Melton, 23, will be entering his third season in the Detroit Tigers organization. He will likely start 2024 in the Erie SeaWolves starting rotation after spending most of 2023 in West Michigan with a few starts in Lakeland at the beginning of the season. He excelled last year in West Michigan with a 2.48 ERA in 65.1 IP. Melton’s hard throwing surely makes up for his lack of fastball movement, which should excel throughout the minor leagues.

Melton is a very mature pitcher for his age. His walk and home run numbers in the Midwest League are exceptionally low compared to his counterparts. Melton’s BB/9 2.5 compared to the league average 4.0 BB/9. His HR/9 leveled similarly with a 0.3 HR/9 compared to the Midwest League average 0.8 HR/9. If these numbers remain stabilized in 2024 there is no doubt he will shuffle his way into Toledo with fine pitching performances.

Cristian Santana

His wOBA was .346, inferring that his plate appearances were still very valuable despite the high strikeout rate. Santana’s wRC+ leveled out at a league average 100. Cristian Santana also portrays sharp power that will only develop as he matures through the system. His 12 home runs in the FSL tied for seventh in the league. Santana is looking like he’ll start another year in Lakeland, his third overall season, and can find his way into West Michigan with an early, but successful showcase in Lakeland. Overall, Santana can flourish through the rankings of the Tigers organization during the upcoming season if he can cut his strikeout numbers more and maintain his exceptionally high walk rates.

Jaden Hamm

Jaden Hamm was a 2023 fifth-round selection out of Middle Tennessee State by Scott Harris and company during the regime’s first draft. Hamm’s ERA sat at 5.31 in his last season in college and had a WHIP 1.506 with an unhealthy amount of walks. Hamm threw 12 innings in the minor leagues in 2023 with 11 of them coming in Lakeland. He threw no more than 40 pitches in one outing and gave up zero earned runs during his short Florida stay.

Hamm’s low ERA must be taken with a grain of salt due to the tiny sample size, but he certainly has lots to look forward to. Jaden Hamm has great stuff, he throws a fastball that sits around 93-94 MPH thrown at an over-the-top angle that mixes well with a deceiving curveball and an unexpected changeup. With the right guidance and a restraint on walks, Hamm could see time in Erie by the end of the season.

Kevin McGonigle

Kevin McGonigle, 19, was selected 37th overall out of the 2023 MLB Draft out of Monsignor Bonner High School in Pennsylvania. McGonigle was committed to Auburn University but was swayed away by a $2,847,500 signing bonus, $538,000 above slot. He is going to begin the season in Lakeland where he had 48 plate appearances last season slashing .350/.438/.475 with one home run and six stolen bases.

He will be playing shortstop this season, with some solid defense and a fair share of playing time at second base. McGonigle’s hitting is what will make him flourish through the system due to his 60-grade hitting. McGonigle will likely finish the season in West Michigan if he performs well, with a slight possibility of appearing in Erie for a short period of time later in the season.

Recap

This list offers a diverse mix. It includes expensive international free agents, new draft picks, and highly regarded prospects. Most players on this list will start the season in Lakeland or West Michigan, with plenty of room to advance through the system. Many of these players also fly under the radar. A fair share of top prospects, such as Max Clark and Jackson Jobe, can move smoothly through the system this year, but they already carry high expectations. I have a lot of confidence that the players listed above will meet or exceed those expectations.