MLB Draft 2025 Preview: 5 Infielder Fits

Welcome to our countdown towards the MLB Draft, which will be held on Sunday, July 13. We are going to have our draft show starting at 7pm as we will be breaking down the entire first half of each affiliate, including the Detroit Tigers with an in-depth breakdown of each club.

Today, we are looking at five potential infielders that that could be good fits for the Tigers to draft. Under the Scott Harris regime, high school bats seem to be the most common at the top of the draft. So let’s take a look at five infielders who I think would be ideal fits for the Detroit Tigers. We took two lists from Baseball America and MLB Pipeline to fill in the scouting report elements and how they differ since they in certain cases, differ quite a bit.

Ryan Mitchell | SS | Houston HS (Germantown, TN) | Georgia Tech commit

Baseball America Rank: #48

MLB Pipeline Rank: #55

Ht/Wt: 6’2” / 185 lbs

B-T: L-R

Age at Draft: 18

Profile Summary

Hitting & Power

MLB Pipeline:
- Scouting Grades: Hit: 60 | Power: 50 | Run: 55 | Arm: 50 | Field: 50 | Overall: 50
- Strengths:
  - Disciplined approach, rarely chases pitches.
  - Quick left-handed swing with advanced barrel feel.
  - Uses the entire field; projected plus hit tool (60) with developing average power as he matures.
- Weaknesses:
  - Power is more projected than present; doubles power now, potential for average HR output later.
Baseball America:
- Approach:
  - High hand setup, crouched stance, versatile swing geared for low line drives.
  - Excellent hand-eye coordination and batting eye.
  - Produces impressive exit velocities for his wiry frame, suggesting potential to grow into solid or better raw power as he fills out.
- Hit Tool Projection:
  - Above-average hitter with doubles power that should translate to solid HR power with physical maturity.

Defense & Athleticism

Pipeline:
- Good athlete with solid-to-plus speed (55).
- Likely to move off shortstop due to average arm and range.
- Could profile better at second base or possibly center field given speed and athleticism.
Baseball America:
- Above-average runner with potential to stick at shortstop or second base, though defensive refinement is needed.
- Concerns:
  - Throwing accuracy has been inconsistent despite solid arm strength.
  - Transfers can be slow; some scouts believe his athleticism may play better in center field.

Intangibles & Background

Pipeline:
- Gatorade Tennessee Player of the Year (2025), first Houston HS hitter of this caliber (previous top alums: Matt Cain, Stu Pomeranz).
- High-level performer with USA 15U National Team gold in 2022.
- Commitment to Georgia Tech but expected to be drafted high enough to sign.
Baseball America:
- Strong spring buzz suggests supplemental first-round or early second-round selection is possible.
- Teams are excited about his exit velocities combined with projection and mature approach.

Summary

Ryan Mitchell is a high-contact, disciplined left-handed hitter with emerging power, solid athleticism, and defensive versatility: I really feel he fits the Tigers profile of controlling the strike zone and the upside to grow into more power from what I see, I think and fits what Detroit likes, positional versatility and if he is there at 34, I would love Detroit to take him because he could fit in the outfield or infield.

Daniel Dickinson | 2B | LSU

Baseball America Rank: #57

MLB Pipeline Rank: #80

Ht/Wt: 6’2” / 200 lbs

B-T: R-R

Age at Draft: 21

Profile Summary

Hitting & Power

MLB Pipeline:
- Scouting Grades: Hit: 55 | Power: 40 | Run: 50 | Arm: 50 | Field: 50 | Overall: 45
- Strengths:
  - Excellent contact hitter with outstanding hand-eye coordination.
  - Controls strike zone well and uses all fields.
  - No obvious weaknesses at the plate in terms of approach or contact skills.
- Weaknesses:
  - Limited power projection (average raw power at best, mostly to pull side).
  - Struggled with wood bats last summer (.182/.311/.222 between Team USA and Cape Cod League).
Baseball America:
- Scouting Grades: Hit: 50 | Power: 40 | Run: 50 | Field: 45 | Arm: 50 | BA Grade: 50 / High
- Approach:
  - Skills-over-tools profile.
  - Impressive strikeout-to-walk rates; in 2025 at LSU slashed .318/.465/.547 with 12 HR, 12.3% K rate, 13.8% BB rate.
  - Pull-side power but not an impactful power hitter overall; maxed-out frame suggests little physical projection remaining.

Defense & Athleticism

Pipeline:
- Run: Average; steals bases more with savvy and aggressiveness than raw speed (32 SB at Utah Valley).
- Defense:
  - Struggled at SS in LSU fall practice.
  - Average range and arm fit better at second base, where he played primarily at Utah Valley and Cape Cod.
  - Also saw time at 3B, SS, and LF, suggesting utility potential.
Baseball America:
- Run: Average runner underway, not explosive.
- Defense:
  - Played all over the infield plus a few games in OF.
  - Some scouts see him as a versatile defender; others see him as more limited to 2B or 3B with near-average glove and arm.
  - Not the most fluid mover defensively.

Intangibles & Background

Pipeline:
- Late bloomer: didn’t make varsity until junior year of HS, walked on at Utah Valley.
- Became first Utah Valley player on U.S. Collegiate National Team, then transferred to LSU for his junior year, helping them win the College World Series.
Baseball America:
- Became LSU’s everyday second baseman and primary three-hole hitter in 2025.
- Strong plate discipline profile throughout college career.

Summary

Daniel Dickinson is a skills-over-tools hitter with strong contact skills and plate discipline, limited power upside, and versatile defensive experience: To me, fits that solid profile of utility bat/infielder that the Tigers seem to have in every draft.

Coy James | SS | Davie County HS (NC) | Ole Miss commit

Baseball America Rank: #49

Ht/Wt: 6’0” / 180 lbs
B-T: R-R
Age at Draft: 18.4
BA Grade: 55 / Extreme
Profile:
- One of the better pure hitters in the 2025 prep class with a lengthy track record:
  - MVP with USA Baseball’s gold medal-winning 15U National Team (2022)
  - Underclass member of the 18U National Team (2023)
  - Gatorade North Carolina Player of the Year (2025) after hitting over .600 as a senior.
- Hitting & Power:
  - Aggressive hitter with good hand-eye coordination.
  - Compact swing; makes consistent contact and adjusts well to different pitches.
  - Raw power projects to 20 home runs due to barrel control and current strength, though he lacks further physical projection.
- Defense & Speed:
  - Average runner.
  - Steady, reliable defender at SS, but limited range and fringy arm on deep plays.
  - Scouts believe he profiles better at second base long-term as an offensive-oriented infielder.
- Signability:
  - Strong commitment to Ole Miss, making him a potential tough sign, but he is viewed as top-three-rounds talent.
Scouting Grades (BA): Hit: 55 | Power: 50 | Run: 50 | Field: 50 | Arm: 50

MLB Pipeline Rank: #94

Scouting Grades (Pipeline): Hit: 50 | Power: 50 | Run: 45 | Arm: 55 | Field: 50 | Overall: 45
Profile:
- Entered the draft cycle as a potential slam-dunk first-rounder after impressive underclass performances with Team USA 18U.
- Struggles:
  - Poor summer 2024 showing, including 1-for-12 with six strikeouts at East Coast Pro Showcase.
  - Gained weight for added strength but lost some quickness and athleticism.
  - Swing decisions regressed; right-handed stroke looks less smooth than in earlier evaluations.
- Power & Defense:
  - Still flashes 20-homer raw power but with a more sell-out approach.
  - Fringe-to-average speed now; less dynamic on bases or at SS.
  - Strong arm and reliable hands remain, but his range has decreased.
- Signability:
  - Pipeline notes his draft stock dipped and he may not go high enough to forgo Ole Miss.

Summary

Coy James combines an impressive hit tool and track record (BA: 55 grade) with declining athleticism (Pipeline concerns) but I think the hit tool is loud enough to attract attention of the Tigers.