3 Tigers Prospects Who Could Become Breakout Stars At Arizona Fall League
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The Detroit Tigers are in a spot where they have one of the best teams in Major League Baseball while also owning one of the most talented farm systems in the sport.
Some of those highly-touted prospects are going to be on display at the Arizona Fall League this year, with superstar youngster Kevin McGonigle headlining the group the Tigers are sending. Much of the attention will be on the second-ranked prospect in baseball, which is fair considering he has been considered a future franchise cornerstone for Detroit since his emergence.
However, there are other players to keep an eye on during this showcase circuit. And below are three prospects -- excluding McGonigle since that would be too easy -- who could become breakout stars with strong performances in the AFL.
Max Anderson
While this might be a bit of a cop out since he's the second-highest-ranked Tigers prospect being sent to the Arizona Fall League, he also has the opportunity to play himself into a big league role for 2026 if he has a great performance.
With Gleyber Torres set to hit the open market where he is expected receive a lucrative deal, it's unclear if Detroit is going to re-sign him or not. If there is an opening at second base, then Max Anderson could be in the running to fill that role since he has had an incredible showing this year.
Slashing .298/.352/.481 with 18 homers, 49 extra-base hits and 82 RBI across 115 combined games at the Double- and Triple-A levels, the 23-year-old has an opportunity to keep that strong performance rolling in the AFL to make his case for a role with the MLB team.
Jake Miller
Jake Miller is also ranked in the top 30 of Detroit's pipeline at No. 19, but he's a bit of an unknown since he dealt with an injury all year that limited him to just six outings for the season, with two of them coming on a rehab assignment.
The left-hander who was an eighth-round pick in 2022 has been used as both a reliever and starting pitcher during his minor league career, but it seems like the Tigers are trying to convert him into being a rotation option for them.
That was evident during his four starts at Double-A Erie this season, with him looking good in that role before the injury with a 2.12 ERA and 16 strikeouts to just four walks in 17 innings pitched. And as the front office tries to find more young starting options going forward, Miller could play his way into consideration with a good showing in the AFL.
Kenny Serwa
At 28 years old, Kenny Serwa just completed his first professional season. That's because he didn't get an opportunity with a Major League Baseball organization until March of this year when the Tigers took a chance on him.
His backstory is one that should make everyone root for him, but that's not why he could become a breakout star in the Arizona Fall League. It's the unique knuckleball that can reach the high-80 mph mark that could turn heads during the showcase circuit.
Serwa also had a strong showing during his first year of professional baseball, posting a 2.75 ERA across 10 appearances (five outings) with High-A West Michigan before he was sent to Double-A Erie. There, he was used as a starter. He posted a 3.95 ERA across 17 starts.
While he's not a high strikeout guy with just 84 K's in 118 total innings, he could become a major story in the AFL if his knuckleball plays.
