Detroit Tigers 2023 MLB Draft Preview: Corner Infield

The 2023 MLB Draft is almost upon us, and the Detroit Tigers are mere hours away from adding a few huge pieces to their farm system. We’ve already taken a look at this years crop of outfielders, and we checked in on pitchers. So, today we get into the dirt.

The top of the outfield class is elite, and there might be a generational arm leading the pitchers. But the strength of this draft, overall, is the depth of infielders, particularly on the prep side. In 2022, MLB Pipeline ranked 17 infielders among their top 50 draft prospects. This year’s list includes 27 infielders in the top 50, and 14 of them are from the prep ranks.

It’s such a deep crop that we had to split the list in two. Today we’re focusing on the corner bats, and tomorrow we’ll deal with the middle infielders.

It would be stunning if the Detroit Tigers took an infielder with the 3rd overall pick. But it would be almost equally stunning if they don’t use one of their next three picks (37, 45, 76) on an infielder. So, let’s get to know some of this year’s top infielders.

Detroit Tigers College Third Base Options

Brayden Taylor has been ticketed as a probable first-round pick since early in his Freshman All-American campaign in 2021. But his draft stock went on a bit of a roller coaster ride this season. He began the year as a possible top-ten pick, but scouts has questions about his power potential. He struggled through mid-May, and it looked like he might slip into the 20s. But then Taylor went 18-for-31 with six homers over a seven-game stretch to break TCU’s single-season HR record. Now it looks like Talyor is a top-10 pick again, with a chance he could go as high as 5 to the Twins.

https://twitter.com/TCU_Baseball/status/1661874115362574337?s=20

Yohandy Morales was a highly regarded prospect heading into the 2020 draft, but he stuck with his commitment to Miami. And he ended up having a terrific career with the Hurricanes, batting .343 with 49 home runs in his three seasons in Coral Gables. Morales is big and strong (6’4, 225), but he’s a good athlete and he should be able to stick at third base. There’s a small chance he’s available for the Tigers at pick 37, but there are questions about his hit tool and his patience, so he doesn’t seem like a Scott Harris player.

Yohandy Morales (‘23 Elig.) takes 95 in & smokes it way gone for a no doubter. Morales has top of the scales power; currently our No. 22 overall #PGDraft prospect.

EV: 112
Distance: 453 per @CanesBaseball pic.twitter.com/bOaTDSbQ4H

— PG College Baseball (@PGCollegeBall) March 4, 2023

Brock Wilken is roughly the same size and shape as Morales, and comes with some of the same concerns. Wilken probably has even more raw power, blasting 31 home runs in 2023 and 71 in his three years with Wake Forest. But he doesn’t show a ton of mobility, so he may have to move to first base. There are also some red flags at the plate, as Wilken was just a career .299 hitter in college with swing-and-miss concerns. But he batted .345 this year and walked more than he struck out, so he may be tempting to teams picking in the 20s.

Some high-ranking members of the Tigers scouting department were visible at Virginia games this year, leading to speculation (and concern) that Detroit might be targeting Cavaliers catcher Kyle Teel with the 3rd pick. But the brass may have also been getting eyes on third baseman Jake Gelof. The younger brother of A’s prospect Zack Gelof, Jake played solidly in a part-time role as a freshman before exploding to hit .377 with 21 home runs in 2022. His average dropped to .321 this year, but he added a school-record 23 homers. He has a chance to be an average defender at third, but questions about his hit tool have him projected to go in the 30-50 range in the draft.

Nebraska-Omaha’s Mike Boeve was one of the best pure hitters in college baseball this year, with a .401 batting average and 32 walks to just 9 strikeouts. He also hit .275 with 20 walks and 21 strikeouts in the Cape Cod League, but he didn’t hit any home runs there. Power is one of the big concerns with Boeve, and the other is defense. He hit just 13 home runs in 151 college games, he’s a bit stretched at 3rd base, and might have to play left field. That’s not an ideal combination of flaws, but he might be an interesting bet for a team that believes it can help him develop power.

College First Base Options

Dylan Crews put up incredible numbers this year, but if you want a truly absurd stat line, look no further than Nolan Schanuel. Florida Atlantic’s first baseman hit .444/.612/.864 with 19 home runs and 71 walks, while striking out just 14 times. Schanuel has a slightly unorthodox setup in the batter’s box, with his hands so high that his right arm partially obscures his face. But, as the numbers suggest, he has no trouble making quality contact in college. He hit just .2oo with one home run in the Cape Cod League, but he continued to show strong plate discipline. He’s a quality first baseman, with a chance to play corner outfield, and he appears to be in play anywhere from pick 10-25.

Have a night, Nolan Schanuel! The Junior outfielder went 3-4 with 3 home runs and 5 RBIs! He's now hitting .432 this season with 6 HR, 19 RBI, and twice as many walks (12) than he has Ks (6). Super rhythmic operation and consistently gets into good hitter's position. ++ Approach pic.twitter.com/Gh868JkRJW

— Peter Flaherty III (@PeterGFlaherty) March 8, 2023

LuJames “Gino” Groover offers a similar profile to Schanuel, if not quite as extreme. He’s more aggressive at the plate, and he can’t quite match the plate discipline and contact rates of Schanuel, but he’s no slouch in that department. And he showed a bit more raw power in 2023, while playing in a better conference. Groover has played some outfield, as well as second and third, but he stretched just about everywhere but first base.

https://twitter.com/NCStateBaseball/status/1664713808307425282?s=20

Max Anderson didn’t actually play much first base for the Cornhuskers, but there seems to be some serious doubt about his ability to stick at second or third. That shouldn’t be too much of a problem, though, because Anderson shows an impressive mix of contact ability and power to all fields. He does have a tendency to swing outside of the zone, though, so he’s probably ticketed for the 2nd or 3rd round.

Tre’ Morgan is a fascinating prospect in this year’s draft. He has been an excellent performer for LSU for three seasons, and he’s a spectacular defender at first base. But Morgan has never shown the sort of power needed to be a first baseman in professional baseball. And while he’s is a quality athlete, he’s a left-handed thrower, so his only other options are in the outfield…where his lack of power remains an issue.

Detroit Tigers High School Corner Options

Aidan Miller suffered a broken hamate bone this spring and wasn’t able to play much. But it isn’t expected to affect his draft stock, because has an impeccable track record of performance as an amateur. He owns arguably the best mix of hit and power tools in the prep class, and he projects to provide enough offense to survive a potential slide from third base to first.

Aidan Miller (‘23 FL) absolutely mashes this one for a no-doubter. Great combo of strength & bat spd, immense power upside. #Razorbacks commit #PGDraft pic.twitter.com/AKyA1Se29w

— Perfect Game Florida (@Florida_PG) September 13, 2022

We mentioned Bryce Eldridge in the pitching article, but its seems just as likely to see him drafted as a power-hitting first baseman. Eldridge is an enormous young man (6’7, 235), so it’s no surprise he shows huge raw power, but he also shows solid hitting ability that should allow the power to play.

Colt Emerson stands out most for his quick hands and attractive left-handed swing. He’s an advanced hitter who uses the whole field, and he should grow into at least average power eventually. He may begin pro ball at shortstop, but most expect him to settle in at third base.

2 RBI triple laced into left center for @Colt_emerson pads on the lead for Team Navy! #PDPLeague22 pic.twitter.com/X6JTwCBoIU

— MLB/USA Baseball PDP (@BaseballPDP) July 5, 2022

George Lombard Jr. is the son of former Tigers outfielder, and current Tigers bench coach George Lombard. So some Tigers fans naturally see a fit here, but the younger Lombard rose up boards steadily this spring and doesn’t figure to be available when Detroit makes its second pick. He has already shown impressive power, and he only figures to get stronger as he fills out his 6’3, 190-pound frame. That growth will probably coincide with a slide from shortstop to third base.

Trent Caraway has been linked to the Detroit Tigers, but it appears he might not reach them. He’s one of the oldest high schoolers in the class, as he’ll turn 20 before the start of the 2024 season, but he also offers one of the best mixes of power and hitting ability among prep bats. He dominated the Trinity League, arguably the best high-school baseball conference in the country, and he won the Gatorade Player of the Year award in California after batting .463 with seven home runs. He may play some shortstop, but he has a very strong arm and should fit nicely at third base.

.@JSerraLionsBB infielder Trent Caraway continues to pummel the baseball, sending this ball nearly to the berm in left field. Much like Velazquez, he's been very impressive this week. Pleasant end to the second day of the week. pic.twitter.com/bec7bdvWOH

— Tyler Jennings (@TylerJennings24) March 31, 2023

Myles Naylor is the younger brother of current Cleveland Guardians Josh and Bo Naylor, but he’s the first right-handed hitter of the trio. He shows a mix of hitting ability and power potential, but he’s a little more raw than his brothers and will likely land in the 2nd or 3rd round. Naylor might enter pro ball as a shortstop, but he fits best at third base and may eventually move to the outfield.

Eric Bitonti shares a lot of similarities with current Detroit Tigers prospect Izaac Pachecho. He’s a very large (6’5, 235), surprisingly athletic infielder with tons of left-handed raw power. Bitonti is also young for the class, like Pacheco was, not turning 18 until mid November. But there are some concerns about Bitonti’s hit tool, as his long arms lead to a fair amount of swing-and-miss.

https://twitter.com/ZackSilverman18/status/1671691432673812480?s=20

Check back tomorrow for our look at this year’s middle infielders!