Detroit Tigers MLB Draft 2026 Preview: Outfielders

The MLB Draft will be underway shortly and with that, the Detroit Tigers are picking number 22 in the first round. Here’s how the rest of their picks will go as Detroit enters Day 1 with four selections: No. 22 overall, No. 61, No. 69 and No. 125. The No. 22 pick is the Tigers’ first-round selection. No. 61 comes in the second round, No. 69 comes in Competitive Balance Round B, and No. 125 comes in the fourth round. MLB.com lists Detroit’s bonus pool at $9,165,100, which ranks 22nd among all clubs.

Day 2

For outfielders, here’s some names that myself and Chris Brown like:

Josiah Kemp

Ht: 6-foot-1
Wt: 185
B/T: R/R
School/Commitment: Choctaw High School/Oklahoma commit
Position: OF/MIF

Josiah Kemp brings the type of high school athlete profile that will interest clubs willing to bet on body projection, speed and bloodlines. The 6-foot-1, 185-pound Oklahoma commit is listed by Perfect Game as an outfielder/middle infielder from Choctaw High School, with a 6.54 60-yard dash, 91 mph outfield velocity and a right-handed swing that shows bat speed with pull-side contact right now.

The frame still has room to add strength, but the athletic foundation is already there. The Matt Kemp connection will naturally draw attention, but it does not need to drive the evaluation. The question is how much impact comes with the bat as he moves from high school pitching into pro ball or the SEC. The baseline package is speed, arm strength and enough offensive traits to follow closely.

Aidan Teel

Ht: 6-foot
Wt: 195
B/T: L/R
School: Mississippi State
Position: OF

Aidan Teel fits more as a well-rounded college outfielder than a loud-tool prospect, but there is useful baseball skill here. A left-handed hitter and right-handed thrower, Teel transferred from Virginia to Mississippi State after a 2025 season in which he started all 50 games in center field. He hit .317 with 20 doubles, seven home runs, a .442 on-base percentage and a perfect fielding percentage in center, while leading Virginia outfielders with five assists.

Mississippi State listed him as a preseason All-American fourth-team pick by the NCBWA, No. 28 among D1Baseball’s Top 150 outfielders and No. 134 among D1Baseball’s college draft prospects. His 2026 production, .294/.416/.449 per D1Baseball, looks more solid than explosive. The appeal is the left-handed bat, center-field experience and defensive competence, with the offensive ceiling tied to how much gap power translates with wood.

Peyton Bonds

Ht: 6-foot-5
Wt: 225
B/T: R/R
School: Rutgers
Position: OF

Peyton Bonds is one of the more physically interesting names in this group because the frame and exit velocity data point to more power than the college home run totals have shown. The Rutgers outfielder is listed at 6-foot-5 and 225 pounds, bats and throws right-handed, and hit .352/.436/.535 in 36 games this spring with 50 hits, six home runs, 29 RBIs and 13 stolen bases.

Baseball America’s combine coverage noted that Bonds posted a 110.6 mph 90th percentile exit velocity on the opening day of the MLB Draft Combine, which gives evaluators something tangible to dream on. The next step is turning that contact quality into more consistent lift and game power. With his size, center-field background and family name, he will draw attention, but the better evaluation is more grounded: a physical college outfielder with untapped offensive impact if the swing path and approach continue to tighten.

Kollin Ritchie

Ht: 6-foot-2
Wt: 210
B/T: L/R
School: Oklahoma State
Position: OF

Kollin Ritchie had one of the more productive power seasons among college bats in this class, and that makes him difficult to ignore. The Oklahoma State outfielder, previously drafted by Baltimore in the 19th round out of Atoka High School in 2023, ranked in the national top 10 in home runs, RBIs, total bases, slugging percentage and runs.

Ritchie posted 29 home runs, 73 RBIs, 173 total bases, an .856 slugging percentage and 73 runs as a Golden Spikes Award semifinalist. MLB Pipeline gives him 55 power with 50 run, arm and field grades, which lines up with the profile of a left-handed bat whose value starts with the damage he can do on contact. The swing-and-miss risk will be part of the conversation, but the production jump at Oklahoma State gives clubs a stronger track record than they had when he came out of high school.

Carter Beck

Ht: 6-foot
Wt: 190
B/T: L/R
School: Indiana State
Position: OF

Carter Beck is the college performer in this group whose numbers and batted-ball indicators are going to appeal to model-heavy rooms. The Indiana State outfielder hit .348 with 82 hits, 17 doubles, 16 home runs, 59 RBIs, 62 runs, a .446 on-base percentage, a .637 slugging percentage and 12 stolen bases. He also earned Missouri Valley Conference Joe Carter Player of the Year honors and an invitation to the MLB Draft Combine.

The Prospect Porch describes Beck as a physical mid-major bat with high contact inside the zone, consistent hard contact and above-average raw power that showed up more often in 2026 as he lifted the ball more effectively. The approach can still get aggressive, and his arm may push him toward a corner if he does not stay in center. The combination of contact, strength and production gives him a clean Day 2 case.

Andrew Williamson

Ht: 6-foot
Wt: 195
B/T: L/L
School: UCF
Position: OF

Andrew Williamson looks like one of the cleaner college outfield bats in this group because the performance record has held up across multiple stops. The UCF outfielder is listed at 6-foot and 195 pounds and bats and throws left-handed. Perfect Game notes a slightly unorthodox swing setup, loose hands, bat speed and the ability to drive the ball with authority despite not having a huge frame.

His 2026 line, .322/.422/.645 with 16 home runs, 41 walks and 47 strikeouts, backs up the idea of a hitter with both impact and enough strike-zone feel to project beyond pure power. Defensively, he is viewed more comfortably in right field, where his arm fits, though the bat will carry the profile. The question is whether pro pitching exposes the swing movement, but the production, left-handed power and corner-outfield fit make him a sensible target once the draft moves beyond the first wave of college bats.

College OFs Chris Likes

Zion Rose

Zion Rose is one of the more athletic college outfielders in this range, with a defensive profile that gives him more than one path to value. Perfect Game listed him inside its final Top 500 draft board as a Louisville outfielder/catcher, while MLB Pipeline has him among its top draft prospects. The appeal is the athleticism, defensive versatility and right-handed bat projection.

Ty Head

Ty Head is a bat-first college outfielder out of NC State who should draw interest because of the left-handed offensive profile. The defensive value may be more limited, but the bat has enough strength and track record to keep him in the top-50 range on several draft boards.

Tre Broussard

Tre Broussard is more of a Day 2 follow than a loud first-round type, but the Houston outfielder has enough left-handed traits to keep clubs interested. Perfect Game listed him among its Top 500 draft prospects, and the left-left outfield profile gives teams something to project on if the bat keeps moving forward.

Javar Williams

Javar Williams is the speed-and-athleticism play in this group. Wake Forest lists him as an outfielder, and his 2026 jump made him more interesting after a quieter 2025 line. He has been described as a plus-plus runner, with one report noting a .338/.446/.542 line and 21 steals in 23 attempts during the season.

Josh Skowronski

Josh Skowronski is the physical left-handed bat of this group. The Winthrop outfielder is listed by the MLB Draft League at 6-foot-5 and 220 pounds, and Perfect Game’s Big South preview called him a legitimate 2026 draft prospect after a 2025 season with a .305 average, 13 home runs and 10 steals.

Prep OFs Chris Likes

Trevor Condon

Trevor Condon is the premium prep outfielder here, with speed, center-field traits and a left-handed bat that could push him into Day 1 territory. MLB Pipeline lists him among its top 2026 draft prospects, and recent draft coverage has described him as a high-energy center-field type with 70-grade speed and limited present game power. This wouldn’t be a bad idea at pick number 22nd.

Kevin Roberts Jr.

Kevin Roberts Jr. is the loudest tools bet in this prep group. MLB Pipeline lists the Florida commit at 6-foot-5 and 220 pounds with 55 power and 60 run grades, while Perfect Game notes a 6.47 60-yard dash and a projectable frame. The upside is easy to see, but there will be development risk tied to the hit tool.

James Tronstein

James Tronstein is more of a polished baseball player than a pure outfield profile, but the bat and athleticism fit here. Perfect Game lists him as a middle infielder/outfielder from Harvard-Westlake with a 6.61 60-yard dash and 91 mph outfield velocity. He also hit .531 with 10 home runs as a senior, according to his Gatorade Player of the Year profile.

Alex Weingartner

Alex Weingartner brings two-way intrigue, though many boards list him more heavily as a pitcher or OF/RHP type. Penn State’s signing profile notes his production as a junior, including a .397 average, 31 RBIs and six home runs, while Perfect Game listed him as an OF/RHP on its draft board.

Ethan Offing

Ethan Offing is a deeper prep follow with athletic versatility. Prep Baseball lists him out of Dutch Fork High School in South Carolina at 6-foot-1 and 195 pounds, and his public profile identifies him as a Clemson commit who has played shortstop and outfield. He fits more as a projection play than a finished product.