Detroit Tigers Prospects to Keep an Eye on in Spring Training

The Tigers are just 43 days away from Opening Day in San Diego against the Padres, and are chasing a World Series ring after back-to-back Game Five losses in the American League Division Series. Pitchers and catchers report today, so it’s a good time to take a glance at a few young prospects that made big league camp and have a shot to be on the 26-man roster come September. Baseball America recently ranked the Tigers as the No. 4 best farm system in all of baseball, and it is headlined by Kevin McGonigle and Max Clark, who are knocking on the door of Comerica Park. Others include Max Anderson and Eduardo Valencia, who all have a strong possibility of making their Major League debuts this summer.

Kevin McGonigle –

One of baseball’s top prospects, Kevin McGonigle enters the season at 21 years old and has Tigers fans eager. He was recently ranked the #2 prospect in the sport by Baseball America and MLB Pipeline. His hit tool and ability to slap the ball to all parts of the field have scouts all over the country starstruck. However, questions do arise regarding what position his future holds, which will make this spring particularly interesting. McGonigle has some hardware on his shelf that includes the Florida State MVP, Midwest League Top MLB Prospect Award, and the Arizona Fall League MVP, which was acquired this past autumn, where he tested out the hot corner for the first time. Between stops in Lakeland, West Michigan, and Erie, the 2023 draft pick triple slashed .305/.408/.583, including 19 home runs in only 88 games. The odds that McGonigle breaks the team out of camp are slim to none, but he will likely end up in Toledo.

Max Clark –

The No. 3 pick from the 2023 MLB Draft has been alongside Kevin McGonigle throughout their minor league journeys, as well as being a highly ranked national prospect in his own right. Max Clark is expected to be the future centerfielder to roam the grass at Comerica Park. Baseball America lists him as their No. 6 prospect, and MLB Pipeline has him slated at No. 10, as well as being the Tigers Minor League Report No. 2 prospect in the farm system. In addition to his extraordinary gap power and plate discipline, he is a true 5-tool player. Between significant playing time in West Michigan and Erie, Clark showcased a BB rate of 17.6%. The 21-year-old’s home run power is expected to be better than anticipated on draft day. Spring Training is a good test to see if Clark is ready for Toledo, leading to a quicker phone call to Detroit, or a few more at-bats playing for the SeaWolves over in Erie.

Josue Briceno –

A left-handed power bat, Briceno has shared lots of success with fellow teammates Kevin McGonigle and Max Clark. He won the Arizona Fall League MVP in 2024 after winning the Triple Crown, and continued his success in West Michigan the following season. Briceno put together a 1.024 OPS and 15 home runs during 55 games played for the Whitecaps in 2025, which prompted a promotion to Erie, where he experienced growing pains. His 6’4, 200 pound stature provides his mammoth-like power. Briceno caught 46 games and handled first base duties for 32 games between his time playing for the Whitecaps and SeaWolves last season. However, questions have arisen regarding Briceno’s catching capabilities ever since his breakout season in the Florida Complex League back in 2023. Keep an eye out as to whether Briceno is going to continue his development at catcher or make a transition towards first base in his first-ever big league Spring Training.

Jake Miller – 

The first pitcher listed, Miller, is slated to get some innings in Lakeland this spring. He is one of just a few high-level starting pitching prospects in the Detroit Tigers organization. Jake Miller was limited to just six starts in 2025 due to back problems that followed him all season long. Lower back inflammation kept the southpaw off the rubber from May to the end of August. In his second rehab start for the Flying Tigers in September, he took a line drive to the back that sidelined him for the remainder of his 2025 campaign. Miller was slated to be on the Scottsdale Scorpions roster during the Arizona Fall League season, but was left off due to injury. When healthy, the 24-year-old is lights out, showcasing a fastball, changeup, and breaking ball. Miller appears healthy and promising as spring camp kicks off. With Reese Olson out for 2026 and Jackson Jobe out indefinitely, the Tigers’ starting pitching depth is bleak. This widens the doorway for Miller to throw in Detroit this season.

Eduardo Valencia – 

Prior to 2025, Eduardo Valencia only had 12 professional home runs in six seasons and was heading towards being a career minor league catcher. Things changed when he started a year-long hot streak in 2025 that earned him a spot in Toledo, and later this offseason, a spot on the 40-man roster to protect him from being selected in the Rule 5 draft. Collectively between time spent with Erie and Toledo, Valencia hit 24 home runs and slashed .311/.382/.559 to craft an outstanding .941 OPS. His numbers improved further when he arrived in Toledo, where he sported a 1.026 OPS, compared to his .859 OPS in Erie. Valencia’s future at catcher remains in question, and he may be subject to a switch to first base or designated hitter, but there is likely a Major League bat in his hands. His case to make the opening day roster is doubtful barring injury, however, this is an opportunity to catapult his way to an eventual Major League debut in the Motor City.

Dylan Smith –

Smith is the only player on this list who actually played in the big leagues. He had a small sample size last season, throwing 13 innings in 7 games and featuring a 1.38 ERA, although his xERA was 3.93, indicating that he may have been lucky on the mound. Smith was drafted the same year as fellow Tigers Jackson Jobe and Brant Hurter. His rookie status remains intact for the 2026 season and, he is an outsider looking in. The bullpen is much more crowded than anticipated when entering the offseason due to four pitchers signing MLB deals with Detroit, and the re-signing of Kyle Finnegan. The Tigers also signed a plethora of pitchers to minor league deals with major league options. However, we have seen projected opening day bullpen pieces miss the cut due to poor spring training performances. Notable pitchers that were optioned prior to the season opener in the last three years are Jason Foley, Beau Brieske, and Will Vest, all after having successful seasons the year prior. More importantly, Dylan Smith dazzled in the minor leagues last year. Even if he doesn’t break camp, it is more probable than not that Smith pitches for Detroit in 2026.

Max Anderson –

Max Anderson was the draft pick that immediately followed Max Clark and Kevin McGonigle in Scott Harris’s inaugural draft class. He turns 24 at the end of the month and is closer to Detroit than ever. Coming out of the University of Nebraska, it was speculated that Anderson would eventually switch to first or third base, but was capable of putting off any positional changes until the end of his tenure in Erie. The former Cornhusker slugged an .857 OPS with the SeaWolves to earn a promotion to the Glass City. His positional balance in Toledo was nearly even between appearances at second and third base. Anderson was teammates with McGonigle on the Scottdale Scorpions last fall, where he made nine appearances, all at the hot corner. With the Scorpions, Anderson slashed .447/.609/.809 and hit four home runs in 69 plate appearances. There are concerns regarding the plate discipline of Anderson, who had a walk rate of 5.4% in Toledo last season. Keep an eye out this spring to see where Anderson is penciled in on the field, because he may get a mix of reps at second base and third base, which can alter his possible availability in the major leagues if the time comes.

Overall – 

The Tigers made a lot of additions to the major league roster via free agency during the offseason, even though there weren’t an abundance of players leaving for the open market. Most of the roster is set in stone for this upcoming season of Tigers baseball, however, players outperform, some slump, and others get hurt, so it’s never a bad idea to look a few steps ahead. Aside from Dylan Smith, the players above have virtually no chance to be on the 26-man roster come Opening Day, however, many of them will be donning the Old English D for the first time in their careers in the near future. It doesn’t hurt to take a sneak peek at what very well may be the future of the organization.