The Detroit Tigers system has changed dramatically over the last few months. The draft, injuries, trades, and recent promotions mean it is time to once again adjust our Top 30 list.
Myself, Chris Brown and Jerry McKennan each made personal top-40 lists. Then we averaged our rankings to come up with a consensus top 30. Although in this case we actually had 31 players who made all three lists, hence the top 31. This update has seen several prospects graduate, in addition to a few moving off the list from our May update. So let’s summarize who has graduated.
Justyn-Henry Malloy (ranked #5), Keider Montero (ranked #6) and Sawyer Gipson-Long (ranked #11)Â
The Tigers’ system continues to see an influx of bats and arms from the past two drafts, mainly from the high school level and that is reflected on our list. In addition, there are several international players who have made a big impression, like Franyerber Montilla. Montilla was part of the same January 2022 international free agent signing class as Josue Briceno, and he recently reached Low-A Lakeland.
One thing that stands out with the new names on the list is the number of infielders. Five of the top twelve players on our list play in the dirt. And if you add catchers, that number swells to eight. Detroit has looked externally for infield help in recent years, but they’ve also targeted infielders in the draft, and the international market.
While we have 31 prospects on our list, there will be a series of articles on players who did not make the list. There is enough intrigue in the system that allows us to look at players with the best tools in the system such as best fastball, fastest player, etc.Â
Without further ado, here is our Top 31 list. There will several prospect reports added to our list over the next few days.
| Rank | Name | Highest Level | Position | FV | How Acquired |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Jackson Jobe | Double-A | RHP | 1st round (3rd) 2021 MLB Draft | |
| 2 | Max Clark | High-A | OF | 1st round (3rd) 2023 MLB Draft | |
| 3 | Kevin McGonigle | High-A | 2B/SS  | CB-A Round (37) 2023 MLB Draft | |
| 4 | Jace Jung | MLB | 2B/3B | 1st round (12th) 2022 MLB Draft | |
| 5 | Bryce Rainer | N/A | INF | 1st round (11th) 2024 MLB Draft | |
| 6 | Hao-Yu Lee | Double-A | INF | Trade with PHI for Michael Lorenzen | |
| 7 | Dillon Dingler | MLB | C | 2nd round (38) 2020 MLB Draft | |
| 8 | Josue Briceno | Single-A | C | January 17, 2022 IFA signing | |
| 9 | Jaden Hamm | High-A | RHP | 5th round (143) 2023 MLB Draft | |
| 10 | Troy Melton | Double-A | RHP | 4th round (11) 2022 MLB Draft | |
| 11 | Thayron Liranzo | High-A | C | Trade with LAD for RHP Jack Flahetry |
|
| 12 | Franyerber Montilla | Single-A | SS | January 17,2022 IFA signing | |
| 13 | Roberto Campos | High-A | OF | July 2, 2019 IFA signing | |
| 14 | Brant Hurter | MLB | LHP | 7th round (195) 2021 MLB Draft | |
| 15 | Joseph Montalvo | High-A | RHP | Trade with TEX for LHP Andrew Chafin | |
| 16 | Owen Hall | N/A | RHP | 2nd round (49) 2024 MLB Draft | |
| 17 | Ethan Schiefelbein | N/A | LHP | 3rd round (72) 2024 MLB Draft | |
| 18 | Ty Madden | MLB | RHP | 1st round (32) 2021 MLB Draft | |
| 19 | Justice Bigbie | Triple-A | OF/1B | 19th round (555) 2021 MLB Draft | |
| 20 | Lael Lockhart Jr | Triple-A | LHP | Trade with LAD for Cash May 26, 2023 | |
| 21 | Trey Sweeney | MLB | SS/3B | Trade with LAD for RHP Jack Flahetry |
|
| 22 | Eddys Leonard | Triple-A | SS/OF | Trade with LAD for cash | |
| 23 | Rayner Castillo | Single-A | RHP | January 15, 2021 IFA signing | |
| 24 | Wilmer Flores | Triple-A | RHP | UFA 2020 | |
| 25 | Eliezer Alfonzo | Double-A | C | July 4, 2016 IFA signing | |
| 26 | Andrew Navigato | Triple-A | SS/3B | 20th round draft pick (592) MLB Draft | |
| 27 | Carson Rucker | Single-A | 3B | 4th round (107) 2023 MLB Draft | |
| 28 | Michael Massey | N/A | RHP | 4th round (114) 2024 MLB Draft | |
| 29 | Max Anderson | High-A | 2B | 2nd round (45) 2023 MLB Draft | |
| 30 | Luke Gold | High-A | UTL | 5th round (147) 2022 MLB Draft | |
| 31 | Izaac Pacheco | High-A | 3B | 2nd round (39) 2021 MLB Draft |
Hey Detroit Tigers fans! If you enjoy Tigers Minor League Report and want to help us keep bringing you the latest updates and in-depth analysis, consider contributing to our efforts. We operate entirely on a volunteer basis, and every bit of support goes a long way. You can donate to us directly via PayPal, or become a valued member by subscribing to our YouTube channel. Or take your fandom to the next level by joining our Patreon community. Additionally, you can shop for some awesome gear at our TMLR store. Your support helps us continue our mission to provide you with quality content on all things Tigers Minor League. Thank you!
Chris Brown