Detroit Tigers 2025 Top Prospects: Sleepers and Favorites

Detroit Tigers 2025 Prospects: Sleepers and Favorites

So, you’ve read all about our top 46 Detroit Tigers prospects. Thanks for that. If for some reason you still want more, well, you’re in luck.

The Detroit Tigers probably don’t have 40+ viable big-league prospects. Few teams do. But Chris, Jerry, and Rogelio each made individual lists of at least 40 Tigers prospects, and any player who made two individual lists earned a slot on our overall rankings.

But that’s not all. We actually combined to give votes to 74 different players. And today we are each going to highlight five players we picked, and explain why we like them. Enjoy!

Chris Ranks

If there’s a theme with my picks it’s probably youth. I guess I like to dream about raw players developing into interesting prospects.

22 – Enrique Jimenez – C

Not long ago a player like Jimenez would have been considered one the more exciting young prospects in Detroit’s system. An international market switch hitter with a little bit of pop and patience (.242/.366/.376), and a chance to stick behind the plate? Sign me up. Maybe he fades away like Gresuan Silverio, or he tops out as another Eliezer Alfonzo, but he’s definitely worth our attention. It will be fun to compare his progress with the newly acquired Enderson Delgado.

Enrique Jiménez picks up his 2nd RBI of the day with this gapper to left center. pic.twitter.com/Iw0NftxPh6

— Tigers ML Report (@tigersMLreport) July 1, 2024

30 – Zach Swanson – RHP

The Tigers got a little creative with their bonus pool money in the 2024 draft, allowing them to give Swanson a $725,000 bonus, the largest in the 9th round. That bonus was equivalent to a late 3rd-round pick, and Swanson was considered a top-200 talent in the class (160 to Baseball America, 178 to MLB Pipeline). He also played basketball in high school, and he seems like a fun developmental player to watch, thanks to a fastball that can touch the mid-90s, and a sharp, high-spin slider. Unfortunately, it appears he had elbow surgery during the offseason (as uncovered by our buddies at Tigers Torkmoil).

35 – John Peck – INF

John Peck is kind of fascinating. Injuries kept him to just 73 games (and 300 PA) last year, but he hit .280 with 33 steals in 39 tries, while playing solid defense at short/third. He walks a decent amount (9.7%) and he consistently hits the ball hard, with an average exit velocity in Lakeland of 89.7 MPH (about the same as Josue Briceño). He also doesn’t chase much (22.5% in Lakeland, slightly higher than Kevin McGonigle) or swing and miss excessively, with his 10.6% swinging strike rate coming in a shade under Hao-Yu Lee’s. Peck just puts the ball on the ground too often, with two grounders for every fly ball. That might be baked into his swing, but he could be a breakout candidate if he generates a bit more loft.

John Peck smokes a 2-run double off the wall in left to put the Whitecaps up 7-3. pic.twitter.com/YFUK9rLjPX

— Tigers ML Report (@tigersMLreport) August 30, 2024

36 – Jude Warwick – SS?

This is just a bit of a gut feel pick for me. When I went digging around for footage of Warwick after the draft I was impressed with what I thought was a quick bat, good speed, and wiry athleticism. Then I stumbled across a feed of the Bridge League in which Warwick made solid contact a few times. He also struck out and looked like he had a bit of a grooved swing. But I figured he’s probably not all that different from Jose Dickson, so I thought he deserved a mention. And the question mark on his position is mostly due to Scott Harris referring to him as an “up-the-middle player.” He could stick at shortstop, but he also appears to be the kind of athlete who could move to second base or center field.

41 – Paul Wilson – LHP

Paul Wilson was a tough one for me. The Tigers gave him a $1.7m bonus in the 3rd round in 2023, as a left-handed pitcher with bloodlines and a four-pitch mix, with a fastball that could touch the upper 90s. Then we got to see him a bit in Complex League Action, and it was rough. We saw signs of a solid mid-70s curve, but his fastball was mostly 90-92 MPH, and his control was very poor. He finished the FCL season with a 6.62 ERA, with 36 walks and 34 strikeouts in 35.1 innings. He’s young, and I think there’s still plenty of upside here, but it’s hard to know if he will ever throw enough strikes.

Jerry  Ranks

15 – Cole Turney – OF

Cole Turney was quite high on my list. He had 10 XBH in 79 PA at West Michigan to go with a 15.2% BB% and 173 wRC+. It is a very small sample size and his 29.1% K% could be a concern, but his walking abilities and extra base power has me intrigued enough. He’s hit the ball on the ground a bit since joining West Michigan, but historically has kept it in the air. I’m keeping an eye on him this year to see if that reverses as he gets more time in A+ ball.

Cole Turney is 3-for-3 on the night. This is his second double of the evening. pic.twitter.com/heehpSQpjC

— Tigers ML Report (@tigersMLreport) April 17, 2024

25 – Andrew Dunford  – RHP

Andrew Dunford faced only 5 batters before being shutdown for the year last year. And the year before he faced only 17. So there isn’t a ton of info out there on him in professional baseball. As a high school pitcher he was able to touch 95 and at his size, I can envision even more velocity coming… assuming he stays healthy.

34 – Brady Allen – OF

Acquired from the Marlins in 2023, Brady Allen is an intriguing guy for because he has an eye for walking as well as some pop in his bat. Erie has been a struggle for him, but in 2023 he had 19 HRs and 12.3% BB%. Even in his struggles at the plate, he brings along the ability to make plays like this in center field.

Missed this earlier, but Erie center fielder Brady Allen made a spectacular catch against the wall in the 7th inning to rob Jesus Rodriguez of extra bases. pic.twitter.com/A1ZdWhIaRq

— Tigers ML Report (@tigersMLreport) June 21, 2024

35 – Joe Adametz – LHP

Joe is big guy standing 6’5”, but he doesn’t throw hard or have very good extension. What intrigued me though was that his slider and changeup were able to get high Whiff%. I don’t know how much this will continue to play given his lack of velocity or even if he’s anything beyond a low leverage reliever in AA, but getting the whiffs was intriguing enough for me to add him to the tail end of my list.

36 – Blake Dickerson – LHP

Acquired by the Tigers from the Padres last year for $500K of international bonus pool money, he hadn’t pitched until he joined the Tigers. He only had 24.1 IP, but 5.5 H/9 was among the tops in the league and his 0.4 HR/9 in the top half. There are some control issues there right now that he will need to sort out, but at 19 and nearly 2 years younger than the league last year, he has time to work on it.

Rogelio Ranks

29 – Carlos Mendoza – UTIL

His father, Carlos Ramon Mendoza, played in 28 games with the Mets and Rockies and had one of the cooler nicknames out there, “Gelatina”.

Carlos Mendoza is one of those players that you root for because whatever role the Tigers have asked him to play, he gets the most out of his 5’7 frame. He has one of the better speed tools in the system and shows a good eye at the plate. I think also he barrels up the ball well, with the ability to have long at-bats.

Now, does that make him someone that can play at the next level? It’s a long shot since he does not hit for a lot of power, but he has a good hit tool, hitting .269/ .394/ .374 in Erie in 2024 with an OPS of .751. He struck out at a 17% clip, so he is always looking for a way to get on base.

34 – Jackson Strong – OF

Jackson Strong continues the trend of the Tigers drafting and scouting the northeast well, as he played his college ball at Canisius College in Buffalo. He was set to transfer to the University of Kentucky after finishing in the top 10 in the MAAC in batting average, slugging percentage, OPS and home runs. He also continues the trend of the Tigers drafting players who are quick twitch and athletic.

Strong got off to a hot start, going 10-for-32 in 9 games for the Flying Tigers. The power will come, as he continues to adjust his swing to handle the advanced off speed and breaking balls he will see more of in 2025. But I can see what Detroit saw him in Strong, who could eventually play a corner spot.

*2024 College Hitter Video Thread*

Jackson Strong | OF@GriffsBaseball
.390/.504/.674; 7 HR, 21 SB
A couple ABs from Saturday. Sleeper prospect from the MAAC. Quality athlete with a great frame. Tripled in 2nd AB, recorded a 4.40 home-to-first w/turn. Well-rounded toolset. pic.twitter.com/sKPU7pkGq6

— Brian Recca (@brian_recca) April 9, 2024

Detroit Tigers prospect Jackson Strong has been making some tweaks this offseason 👀 pic.twitter.com/u1Nco69s2H

— Tigers Torkmoil (@bythewaybro) January 30, 2025

35 – Donye Evans – RHP

Donye Evans has that big reliever build to him and can throw four different pitches, a fastball, cutter, slider, and a sinker. The former starter in college, Evans made the transition to the bullpen without too much of an issue. That four-seamer increased in velocity from 2023 to 2024 and that pitch already has some really good downward movement.

Even before the injury shut him down for the season, it was easy to see the upside, as he can use the sinker to induce ground balls and the fastball and slider for strikeout pitches, especially on righties. The command and consistency will be one to watch this season, but I really like Evans as a potential closer for the Flying Tigers to start the season in 2025.

40 – Newremberg Rondon – C

While last year was his fourth season in the DSL, Rondon may figured out something at the plate at least to merit a trip to Complex League, with 11 doubles, hitting .313/.358/.429. With the addition of Enderson Delgado in the Alex Faedo deal, you can add him to the list of interesting catchers to watch at the lower levels.

41 – Ronald Ramirez – SS

Ramirez had a strong DSL debut, hitting .343/.451/.429 and we normally are of the opinion until they get state side, or we see some action, we tend to hold judgment and that is still the case however, for doing this type of damage at his age, (17 at the time), it is worth noting. He fits what the Tigers have drafted as of late and that is quick twitch atheltic types. He took home the DSL2 Tigers Rookie Player of the Year award, which may be one of many of the accolades he will continue to rack up.

Ronald Ramirez with a 2-out double down the line to score Edgar Lugo and put the DSL Tigers2 up 1-0 in game one of their playoff series. pic.twitter.com/MUIBh9SoQb

— Tigers ML Report (@tigersMLreport) August 22, 2024