Detroit Tigers 2025 top 20 prospects: Max Clark, Jackson Jobe lead the way

The Tigers turnaround under president of baseball operations Scott Harris has been rapid and all-encompassing: they are scouting better in all areas (amateur, pro, international), and theyre developing better.

If only ownership would spend better, theyd really have something.

(Note: Tools are graded on a 20-80 scouting scale; ages as of July 1, 2025.) Advertisement 1.

Max Clark, OF ( No.

6 on the top 100 ) Clark was the third pick in the loaded 2023 draft, and while I know some Tigers fans gnashed their teeth when Wyatt Langford (taken fourth) reached the majors last spring, Clark is one of the very best prospects in the minors and still projects as a star, especially coming off a very strong 2024.

Playing at just 19 the entire season, Clark hit .286/.386/.421 in the pitcher-friendly Florida State League, then hit .264/.344/.421 after a July promotion to High A, while stealing 29 bases in 33 attempts on the year.

His pitch recognition and selection remain very strong he whiffed just 8.1 percent of the time he swung in Low A, and chased just 22.6 percent of the time, per Statcast data from that level and he topped out at 106 mph in exit velocity, but he hit the ball on the ground a ton, as he can get too firm on the front side and ends up on top of the ball too often.

Hes a true center fielder who was a 55 runner last year, down from 70 speed in high school, and showed just an average arm, all of which was also a bit down from high school, possibly just the result of a much longer season and more frequent play than hed experienced before as an amateur in Indiana.

His floor is a regular in center with high on-base percentages and plus defense; his ceiling, if the Tigers help him regain some speed and get him to loosen up his front side to drive the ball more, is a 25-homer/40-steal on-base machine.

2.

Jackson Jobe, RHP ( No.

11 on the top 100 ) Jobe is the best pitching prospect in the minors right now, although every candidate for that list has missed some time with injuries in the past two years, Jobe included, so buyer beware.

Hes got a four-pitch mix highlighted by a high-spin four-seamer that sits 94-98 when hes starting and an elite changeup, one of the best in the minors, that has tremendous late tumble, and that he can throw to both sides of the plate and uses against left- and right-handed batters.

Hes also got a sweeper-slider and a hard slider, both of which are more weapons against righties, although the sweeper is probably going to be the fourth pitch in his arsenal in the majors.

He has cleaned up his delivery somewhat since 2023, so he should be better positioned to repeat it and throw both more strikes and better strikes going forward, as high walk rates have been one of the only negatives on his report to date he walked 12.6 percent of batters he faced in Double A and Triple A last year, which is a giant gift to batters given how hard his stuff is to hit.

Hes also had a lot of non-arm injuries, missing the first half of 2023 with a lower back injury and two months of 2024 with a hamstring strain, so hes thrown just 252 2/3 total innings in three full pro seasons, including time in the AFL in 2023.

That may point to a limited workload in 2025, especially since hes likely to spend most or all of it in the majors.

Its No.

1 starter upside if he can go from 45 control to 55, which he certainly should given his athleticism and where the delivery stands now.

Advertisement 3.

Kevin McGonigle, 2B/SS ( No.

23 on the top 100 ) McGonigle was the Tigers second pick in 2023, but took home a first-round bonus to buy him away from a scholarship to Auburn, and his pro debut made that look like a screaming bargain for Detroit.

(It helps that the current draft bonus system wildly undervalues the best players.) His 2024 was bookended by injuries, but after recovering from a hamstring strain, he hit .326/.407/.470 in his 60-game stint in Low A, then got off to a solid start in High A before he broke the hamate bone in his right hand, ending his season.

The middle infielder from a small private school outside of Philadelphia has a very clean, simple swing with good hip rotation to drive the ball to the gaps, and the excellent ball-strike recognition he showed as an amateur has certainly carried over he walked more than he struck out at Low A and at High A, with 11 walks and just four strikeouts in 14 games at the latter stop.

Hes played short and second in pro ball but doesnt have the range or quickness for shortstop, profiling much better at second and perhaps ending up a 55 defender there.

If theres a knock on his game, its that hes not as projectable physically as most of the guys ahead of him on this list; he makes plenty of hard contact now, but theres not much room on his 5-foot-10-ish frame to get stronger, so any further power gains (he had five homers in 74 games, although the Florida State League is bad for power hitters) will have to come from swing tweaks.

Hes probably going to have a very long career as an above-average regular who ranks among the league leaders in OBP with just average or fringy power and solid defense at second ...

and, if he hits what Id arbitrarily call a 95th percentile outcome, retire with 2,500 hits.

4.

Thayron Liranzo, C ( No.

47 on the top 100 ) Detroit picked up Liranzo along with Trey Sweeney in the trade that sent Jack Flaherty to the Dodgers, only to go on an improbable run to the playoffs after the deadline, which seems like a win-win to me.

Liranzo started the year slowly for High-A Great Lakes, and was hitting .220/.344/.356 at the time of the deal, but then somewhat inexplicably took off with the change of scenery he hit .315/.470/.562 in 26 games for the Tigers affiliate in West Michigan, then went to the AFL and hit .375/.492/.667 in 15 more games, walking more than he struck out at both spots.

Hes pretty mobile behind the plate and has a 70 arm, but he needs to work more on receiving to remain a full-time catcher.

His bat is special hes got a quiet, easy swing that still produces plus raw power because hes so strong to begin with, and his ball/strike recognition is excellent already.

He had no trouble adjusting to off-speed stuff in the AFL, in contrast to much of the regular season where he ran into some difficulty with sliders and changeups.

He was on the younger side for High A at age 20 and probably should spend all of this year in Double A to work on his catching and keep tightening up that pitch recognition.

Its 25-homer, .350+ OBP upside in a switch-hitter, and if hes even a 45 catcher, hell be a 4-5 win player in his peak years.

5.

Josue Briceno, C/1B ( No.

59 on the top 100 ) Briceno signed with the Tigers in January 2022 for $800,000 as a catcher with some offensive potential, but at this point it looks like hes just going to be a first baseman who mashes.

He had played only 11 games above the complex leagues coming into 2024, then got hurt 28 games into the Florida State League season, missing three months with a strained PCL in his right knee.

To make up for some of that lost time, he went to the Arizona Fall League, where he was one of the youngest players at 19 and one of a very small number of players there who hadnt played above Low A yet.

In 25 games, he hit absolutely everything.

Its a hitters environment out in the desert, sure, but his .433/.509/.867 line was good enough to lead the league in average and slugging.

Hes a big guy, listed at 6-foot-4, 200, and probably stronger than that, but his swing is very easy and quiet, and hes reached 109 mph in each of his two stints in Low A already, with an EV50 just over 100 mph.

He also showed strong pitch recognition in the Florida State League and in Arizona, and rarely swung and missed; if theres a knock on his offense, its that hes a little too pull-heavy now, although hes also hardly had the need to try to do anything else.

Advertisement He only played first base in Arizona with Thayron Liranzo there, and Briceno was already iffy as a catcher even before the knee injury.

I think his future is at first, and it might behoove the Tigers to just put him there now and let him go rake rather than slow his development or risk further injury at a position hes already unlikely to play.

He might be a top-20 prospect in a year from his bat alone.

6.

Bryce Rainer, SS ( No.

70 on the top 100 ) Rainer was the second high school player taken in the 2024 draft and the top high schooler on my draft board, ranking highly as a true shortstop with a plus arm and sneaky power that gives him the chance to be a two-way impact player.

Hes a plus defender with great instincts, showing real leadership on his high school team on the field (such as directing other players on positioning) and a plus arm thats been up to 95 on the mound.

Hes power-over-hit right now, with a lot of leverage in his swing and good loft to drive the ball to all fields, but his bat speed is just fair and when he saw good velocity as an amateur he struggled.

Hes still pretty raw, especially for a California high school kid, with a lot of room for physical and skills improvements, and the Tigers will probably be able to help him tighten up the swing to be shorter to the ball.

Its 20-homer upside in a plus defensive shortstop as long as he hits enough to get to it.

7.

Jaden Hamm, RHP ( No.

94 on the top 100 ) Hamm was Detroits fifth-round pick in 2023 after his first full year as a starter for Middle Tennessee State.

He had an unusually high arm slot nearly over the top for a starting pitcher but a real weapon in his curveball.

He went to High A last year and cut his walk rate from 10.4 percent in 2023 before the draft to 7.8 percent in the minors this past season, striking out 30.6 percent of batters with a full assortment of pitches.

His curveball is still plus, his slider is at least solid-average, and his straight changeup is surprisingly effective its hard to throw a changeup from that high of a slot, but he does it, and hitters dont especially care for it.

Hes working much more to his glove side now than he did in college, using the fastball and slider that way, since the slider is his only pitch with much horizontal movement, and he had no platoon split at all in High A last year.

The knock on Hamm is that he didnt hold his velocity all season, and he got hit a little more as the fastball velo declined over the course of the summer.

It was his first full pro season, and he only spent one spring as a full-time starter in college, so this was the most hed ever pitched without some kind of break or layoff, which is the only reason Im willing to cut him some slack on the velo dip.

If that happens again, hes probably a reliever, and has the weapons to be a good one.

His spot on the top 100 is a bet that hell stay a starter with more experience and perhaps a little work with the Tigers strength and conditioning team, ending up a solid No.

3 or more.

If that doesnt work, he could be a bulk reliever given how many effective off-speed pitches he has, just working less than a starter to try to keep his velocity up.

8.

Jace Jung, IF Jung can hit, and that might be all he can really do; he cant play third, hes a project at second, and he doesnt have much power, but he can hit, and get on base, which isnt nothing.

He hit .257/.377/.454 in Triple A last year with 14 homers in 91 games, topping out at 111 mph in exit velocity, then came to the majors and walked a bunch (16 percent of his PA) and struck out a bunch (31 percent).

Hes more contact than power, although he does have the swing and resulting launch angles to hit some long line drives, and if he can figure out second base he could be a .360+ OBP/20 homer guy there and make a few All-Star teams.

Hes off the top 100 and eighth in this system because theres too much of a chance that he cant play second and then Im not sure where he goes left field seems like a real stretch and he might be a DH if the keystone doesnt work.

Lets hope it doesnt come to that.

9.

Hao-Yu Lee, 2B Lee hit just six homers in 72 games in High A in 2023, and didnt exactly project to more power, so when he doubled that to hit 12 homers in 87 games one level up in 2024 it was a modest surprise.

He started ambushing some pitches that were middle-in or in the heart of the zone and dead-pulled them out to left for all but one of his homers on the year.

Hes a solid defensive second baseman, especially moving to his right, and might be able to handle some third base, although I think second is his only chance for everyday duty.

He doesnt chase and he handles breaking stuff well.

He will have to avoid getting any thicker, as he already has a short, stout build for an infielder and his season ended early for the second year in a row due to injury a calf injury in 2023, a lower back injury in 2024.

Hes probably a solid-average regular at second.

If Im still light on the power and he gets to 20-plus homers a year, then hell be a 55.

10.

Franyerber Montilla, SS Montillas the next big power-hitting prospect from the Tigers international scouting team, and hes a shortstop, at least for now, giving him real superstar upside if it all clicks.

Hes a true switch-hitter with good swings and a good approach from both sides of the plate, projecting to power from both as well.

He walked almost as much as he struck out in the Florida Complex League, and even in a bad debut in full-season ball still drew 12 walks in 20 games.

Hes an above-average runner who could certainly handle second or third if he outgrows short; hes already well above that listed weight of 160.

Its a lot of maybes and ifs, of course.

The ceiling here is huge.

11.

Josh Randall, RHP Randall was 95-96 on his sinker with huge tailing action and paired it with a short slider in the upper 80s while at the University of San Diego last spring, posting a ground-ball rate of 55 percent.

Detroit took him in the third round in last years draft.

Theyve already streamlined his delivery to make it easier to repeat, giving him a much better chance to start than he would have otherwise had.

Hes still fastball/slider and will have to find a third pitch for lefties; if he does that he might be a mid-rotation starter.

Advertisement 12.

Enrique Jimenez, C Jimenez is a true catcher who might be a little small for the position but can otherwise stay back there, and offers some potential upside as a 55 bat at a position where a 50 bat makes you a good regular.

Hes a true switch-hitter with a better right-handed swing that has some more loft in it, although all three of his homers in the FCL last year came while batting left-handed.

Its an average arm that plays up a little because he gets rid of the ball quickly, nabbing 35 percent of runners last year.

He looks like at least a solid backup with a chance for more.

13.

Max Anderson, 2B Anderson was Detroits second-round pick in 2023, the third Tigers pick after the two high schoolers up top, as a college infielder with positional questions but a high probability to hit.

That was ...

incorrect.

Anderson hit .270/.321/.392 in High A last year, and then went 4-for-22 in Double A, a washout of a year for a guy whose value is all in his bat.

His swing decisions were good, and he barely struck out, but his contact quality wasnt great and the results sort of speak for themselves swing decisions are nice and all, but its what you do with them that counts.

Hes fringy at second base if you like him; hes built like a catcher and could move there if he had even an average arm.

This is a big year for him, as the Tigers have a lot of other bats who need playing time and he needs to produce or move out of the way.

14.

Troy Melton, RHP Meltons execution was off last year and he became very homer-prone in Double A, giving up 19 homers in 100 2/3 innings even though he missed plenty of bats (27.6 percent K rate).

He struggled to get to his glove side with everything, but the fastball more than anything else, leaving too many in the middle of the zone for hitters on both sides to hammer he actually gave up most of the homers to righties, even though lefties hit him harder on the whole.

He still sits 94-96 on the four-seamer with big induced vertical break, along with a 55 curveball, solid-average changeup, and now an average slider as well, but lacking the consistency on the last pitch to keep it out of the heart of the zone.

Its a very short arm action that might be part of why his command isnt great even though he doesnt walk many.

Hes about 80/20 to end up in relief but there is a starter foundation here.

15.

Joseph Montalvo, RHP Acquired in the July 2024 trade that sent Andrew Chafin to the Rangers, Montalvo is a fastball/slider guy with good control but whose changeup is way too firm, leading lefties to hit .294/.368/.468 off him in High A last year.

Hes 90-94 with a 55 slider, working with a clean delivery and a three-quarters slot that might not provide much deception, making the development of his changeup particularly important if hes going to start.

The Puerto Rican right-hander was a 20th-round pick in 2021 and has progressed slowly through the low minors, likely going to Double A to start this year.

If he gets that third pitch, hes a potential fifth starter.

16.

Owen Hall, RHP Hall was 90-94 in high school, touching 97, with high spin on a plus slider and a repeatable arm swing, hindered only by a tendency to cut himself off rather than finishing online to the plate.

The Tigers took him in the second round in 2024 out of an Oklahoma high school, the best of the three high school pitching prospects they took in the top 10 rounds, buying him away from a commitment to Vanderbilt.

He only turned 18 in November, so he was young for the draft class and probably will have a tight innings cap for his first full pro season.

He has No.

2 starter upside if he stays healthy, but probably needs four to five years to develop.

17.

Ty Madden, RHP Madden is big and throws hard, holding velocity well into later innings, but has never had a pitch for lefties and his command is fringy, making him a long relief candidate but not even a fifth starter.

He was atrocious in Triple A last year, with a 7.97 ERA and a ton of hard contact, as his four-seamer is straight and his slider and cutter are just average.

The Tigers did have him add a split last year and it wasnt bad, so that could end up the pitch he needs to get lefties out, although that still leaves him without an above-average pitch or the command to get by without one.

18.

Michael Massey, RHP Massey missed about a month at Wake Forest last season with a bulging disk in his back that required surgery and didnt pitch after he signed.

He started 10 games for the Demon Deacons, but its reliever all the way, with a super-short arm action, up to 95 with a downward-breaking slider and a 40 changeup.

He wont get lefties out enough to start, even if he could do it with that arm action.

If hes healthy, the Tigers should just put him in relief right now and let him race up the system.

Advertisement 19.

Roberto Campos, OF Dont laugh Campos looked like a bust just a year ago, but the Cuban outfielder repeated High A at age 21 and some added strength helped him cut his ground-ball rate by 10 points, almost all of those turning into line drives.

Hes an above-average runner who can handle center now but will get bumped by a plus defender.

He wasnt even High-A West Michigans primary centerfielder, with 5-foot-9 outfielder Seth Stephenson, an easy-plus runner who stole 60 bags but was old for the level, taking more starts.

Im not saying Campos has figured it out yet, especially since he never even got to Double A, but hes always had tools and 2024 was the first time he converted some of them into production.

He might be a good fourth outfielder with enough power at his peak to get to 15 homers if he played regularly.

20.

Ethan Schiefelbein, LHP High school hitters hated facing Schiefelbein, as the Tigers third pick in the 2024 draft created some tough angles with delivery.

He works in the low 90s and throws a slow 12/6 curveball, without a ton of projection, and he finishes his delivery off-balance.

The Tigers might be able to clean that up to boost his command, and he has a slider he just didnt use that much but that is probably the better breaking ball to use against pro hitters.

Hes a strike-thrower, just without average command right now, and may be fine if he tightens up the pitch mix and the delivery.

I just didnt see a lot of ceiling here for that spot in the draft.

2025 impact Jobe should have a significant role somewhere on the Tigers this year, maybe starting in relief and slowly stretching out so that hes in the rotation for the playoff push.

I could see Hamm getting a look in the rotation later in the year.

The fallen Peyton Graham was their second-round selection in 2022 (No.

51 pick), as a power/speed guy who took off after a swing change in his draft year at Oklahoma, but had some risk with a high strikeout rate.

He hasnt hit at all in the minors, going .182/.342/.247 as a 23-year-old in 53 games in High A last year around injuries, and looked like a non-prospect when I saw him in the AFL.

Sleeper Montilla has a ton of potential, and if that power shows up, even as a bunch of doubles and hard-hit line drives, in full-season ball, hell be the talk of the system ...

well, after all the other dudes.

Additional top prospect coverage GO DEEPER Top 100 MLB prospects 2025: Keith Laws rankings, with Roman Anthony at No.

1 GO DEEPER MLB prospects who just missed Keith Laws top 100 ranking: Caissie, Saggese and more GO DEEPER MLB 2025 farm system rankings: Keith Law ranks all 30 teams, Mariners are new No.

1 (Top photo of Clark: Stacy Revere / Getty Images).

This article has been shared from the original article on theathleticuk, here is the link to the original article.