Tigers Promoting Two Exciting Young Prospects To High-A West Michigan

The Detroit Tigers have what was considered going into the season to be the best farm system in Major League Baseball.

Understandably, a ton of the attention goes to the guys at the very top who are ranked not only in the upper echelon of the team's pipeline, but are also top-100 guys throughout all of baseball.

For as talented as the blue chip guys in the organization are, though, the Tigers have as much depth as anyone when it comes to guys ranked outside their own top-30.

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That was proven again on Monday morning with the promotion of two relatively unknown prospects who have been putting up some huge numbers in the lower levels of minor league ball.

According to Minor League Baseball Central's Chase Ford, Detroit is promoting right-handed pitcher Lucas Elissalt and do-it-all outfielder Jackson Strong from Single-A Lakeland to High-A West Michigan.

Neither is rated as a top-30 youngster within the Tigers' organization, but they both are doing some impressive things this year to earn the call-up.

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Elissalt, who turned 21 years old in late-July, has a 2.48 ERA and 0.98 WHIP across 16 appearances (10 starts) this season for Lakeland. Showing some impressive command, he has collected 77 strikeouts compared to just 20 walks in 65.1 innings.

A 13th-round selection in last year's draft, the right-hander has gone relatively under the radar prior to what has been his first professional season in 2025.

Strong, on the other hand, was a seventh-round selection in last year's draft and was able to get his feet wet in nine games for Lakeland in 2024.

Turning 22 years old at the end of the month, he has slashed .277/.382/.438 with five home runs and 42 RBI across 73 games in Lakeland this season.

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Both Elissalt and Strong are prospects who now must be watched closely over the remainder of the year as they make the transition to much stiffer competition.

If the development continues, it stands to reason that this duo could enter the conversation as Detroit's next top 30 prospects when things are all said and done this season.

After losing Kevin McGonigle, Max Clark and Josue Briceño due to their simultaneous promotions to Double-A Erie, fans in West Michigan now have something new to look forward to in the debuts of Elissalt and Strong.

For more Tigers news, head over to Tigers On SI.