Detroit Tigers 2025 Top Prospects: 20-16

Detroit Tigers Top Prospects for 2025

Welcome to Tigers Minor League Report’s top 40 prospects in the Detroit Tigers system. This is our fifth article breaking down the top 40 list, five players at a time.

A reminder that Chris, Jerry, and Rogelio each made individual lists of 50+ players, then averaged the lists to get final rankings. And this year we’re doing player capsules, which are part biographical, part recap, and part scouting report.

You can read our previous posts here: 40-36, 35-31, 30-26, 25-21

20 – Brett Callahan – OF

Votes: Chris (21), Jerry (32), Rogelio (20)

The Tigers may have found something in Brett Callahan. He missed about two months with a pair of injuries last year, but when he played he was very productive. And more than that, he flashed four tools that were at least average. He doesn’t wow with raw strength, but Callahan is an explosive rotator with plus bat speed.

He finished second on Lakeland with 15 barrels last year, in just 71 games, and he has enough juice to hit 15+ homers a season. Callahan is also an above-average runner with good base-stealing instincts. And he’s a quality defender who can handle center field, but might be above-average in the corners, thanks in part to his plus arm.

The only question, as is so often the case, is if he will hit enough. There’s some swing-and-miss in his game, particularly against changeups and sliders, and he did very little damage against left-handed pitchers. We’re probably looking at a 4th outfielder ceiling here. But he could end up toward the higher end of that profile, perhaps as the strong side of a platoon who sees 350+ plate appearances a year.

Brett Callahan with a spectacular throw from left field to gun down Victor Arias at the plate and end the top of the 1st. @JoePuccio_ on the call. pic.twitter.com/Ch0EhmuFk5

— Tigers ML Report (@tigersMLreport) July 19, 2024

19 – Carson Rucker – INF

Votes: Chris (23), Jerry (18), Rogelio (26)

Carson Rucker largely remains a mystery, through no fault of his own. He wasn’t particularly active on the summer showcase circuit before his senior year of high school, and he has played just 13 pro games. He saw limited action after the draft in 2023, hitting .242 with one homer and four steals in nine rookie ball games. Rucker was off to a fast start last year, going 5-for-13 with four doubles in just four games. Unfortunately, that last double also led to a shoulder injury that ended his season.

Rucker still owns the tools that helped him get drafted in the 4th round. That is to say, above-average power, an all-fields hitting approach, and the defensive tools to grow into a quality third baseman. He will be one of the more fascinating Tigers prospects to watch in 2025.

18 – Ethan Schiefelbein – LHP

Votes: Chris (13), Jerry (29), Rogelio (18)

Ethan Schiefelbein has pretty good stuff, but what stands out most is his precocious feel for pitching. He was a fixture on the showcase circuit before his draft year. And he dominated the competition as a prep pitcher, in what is arguably the best high school baseball conference in the country. Schiefelbein does a lot of things to mess with hitters’ timing. He will change his delivery speed and arm angle, and deliberately alter his fastball velocity by 4-5 MPH on consecutive pitches.

He throws his two-seam heater in the 88-92 MPH range with good shape and arm-side movement, and he has run his four-seamer up to 95 MPH in the past. He also shows an advanced feel for his secondary pitches. His best offering right now is probably a mid-70s curveball that he can drop in the zone for called strikes or bury in the dirt for whiffs. He also throws a slightly harder slider and a low-80s changeup, and he has been working on adding a cutter.

The big key for Schiefelbein in pro ball will be to get stronger and throw everything a bit harder. His aptitude for pitching is excellent and it seems likely he will get the most out of his arm as a pro. The amount of power he is able to squeeze out will likely determine if his ceiling is as a Tyler Alexander-style swingman, or more of a back-end starter in the Reid Detmers mold.

17 – Owen Hall – RHP

Votes: Chris (16), Jerry (26), Rogelio (17)

Owen Hall offers an interesting yin to Schiefelbein’s yang. He’s not quite as polished or crafty right now, but he has a more traditional power arsenal and room to get bigger and throw harder. He saw plenty of advanced hitters on the showcase circuit and put together a few dominating performances, but he didn’t make an official appearance in pro ball.

Hall’s fastball is the main attraction here. It’s a lively offering that sits in the 92-94 MPH range and has touched as high as 98, with good shape and extension. Hall also has some feel for other pitches, including a mid-80s slider, a slightly harder cutter, a mid-70s curveball, and a firm split-change in the upper-80s.

Hall generally does a good job of throwing strikes, despite the occasional appearance of a moderate head whack. His goals in pro ball will likely be to refine his fastball command and develop more consistency with his secondary offerings. If he does that he has mid-rotation upside.

16 – Joseph Montalvo – RHP

Votes: Chris (14), Jerry (19), Rogelio (16)

Joseph Montalvo was the most highly touted of the four prospects the Tigers received in their pair of trades with the Texas Rangers last year. He and Chase Lee came over for Andrew Chafin. But Montalvo was probably the least productive of the quartet after the trades, posting a 4.74 ERA in 19 innings.

That production shouldn’t obscure his potential, however. Montalvo showcases almost every good trait you want from a pitcher. He is an extremely athletic mover on the mound, with a smooth, repeatable delivery. His fastball has good shape and spin, and his slider regularly shows as an above-average offering. His changeup also flashes as an above-average pitch, though he doesn’t throw it terribly often.

The main thing holding him back right now is a lack of velocity. His fastball sat at just 90-92 MPH after Detroit acquired him. The Tigers didn’t change a thing about him after the trade, but there’s plenty to work with. He’s not a particularly large young man, but he definitely has room to add a little muscle. All the other ingredients are here, and if the Tigers can get him sitting closer to 93-95 MPH then they might have a mid-rotation pitching prospect on their hands.

Here’s a look at Joseph Montalvo’s full outing in his Whitecaps debut. His final line: 3IP 2H 0R 0BB 2K – 40 pitches, 25 strikes
FB: 90-92, 1 whiff
SL: 81-83, 4 whiffs
CH: 85-85, 2 whiffs pic.twitter.com/s9jFU9SSre

— Tigers ML Report (@tigersMLreport) August 8, 2024

Check back soon for our next five-pack of prospects!