Four Tigers Prospects Who Must Back up Top 10 Rankings from 2025 in 2026
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The Detroit Tigers have had one of the best farm systems in the MLB for several years in a row, and it shows in how well the franchise has grown since the turn of the decade. Players like Riley Greene, Spencer Torkelson, and Tarik Skubal, who were once prized prospects, are now leaders in Detroit.
The trend won't end with them, as the Tigers look to be competitive for multiple years in the future when current players get older or take their careers elsewhere.
Detroit has several prospects who are expected to make an impact in the MLB, which showed in these four players cracking the Top 10 prospect rankings at four different positions in 2025.
With MLB Pipeline's Top 100 prospect rankings set to be revealed on Jan 23, 2026, these young Tigers need to back up their 2025 rankings for the upcoming 2026 campaign, some of whom could be heading to the show sooner rather than later.
Kevin McGonigle: No. 2 SS Prospect in Baseball in 2025
The Tigers and their fans are really excited for the player they expect Kevin McGonigle to be, as he ranked as the second-best shortstop prospect in baseball behind Pittsburgh Pirates shortstop Konnor Griffin in 2025. McGonigle stands at the top of Detroit's prospect rankings.
McGonigle backed that ranking up last season with a stellar minor league campaign across three levels. Earning a .305 cumulative batting average across three levels with 19 home runs, 12 of which came while playing in Double-A, McGonigle might be the most promising prospect in the organization.
While there has been a debate about whether or not McGonigle should start 2026 at the MLB level, he will be there sooner rather than later. If the Tigers need some help with their infield depth this season, say an injury happens, McGonigle should be the first player they look to call up.
Max Clark: No. 1 OF Prospect in Baseball in 2025
This was great for the Tigers organization and Max Clark as well, as he ranked as the best outfield prospect in baseball ahead of the likes of Walker Jenkins of the Minnesota Twins, Josue De Paula of the Los Angeles Dodgers, and Carson Benge of the New York Mets in 2025.
Pure athleticism and speed are the names of Clark's game, as he's continued to add power to his game as well. Last season, between West Michigan and Double-A Erie, Clark hit 14 home runs, holding a .271 AVG (.251 at Double-A). Probably a 2027 debut timeline, Clark could climb and surprise many by making the roster in late 2026.
Even if Clark falls from being the top outfield prospect in baseball a season ago, he has the talents to prove why he's a Top 10 talent up and coming through the system.
Josue Briceño: No. 2 1B Prospect in Baseball in 2025
While Josue Briceño has played a majority of his minor league games at the catching position, he ranks as the second-best first base prospect in the MLB. Typically, catchers turn into first basemen, and getting Briceño to learn and play the position well can aid the Tigers organization in the future.
Versatility in the infield will help Briceño reach the majors quicker, which Detroit would love, given the developing power he possesses at the plate, smashing 20 home runs throughout the 2025 campaign between A+ and Double-A.
Briceño has been ranked as the fifth-best catching prospect for the 2026 campaign after being ranked highly as a first baseman, which is promising for the catching depth for the future behind Dillon Dingler.
Hao-Yu Lee: No. 10 2B Prospect in Baseball in 2025
The Tigers traded to acquire Hao-Yu Lee from the Philadelphia Phillies for Michael Lorenzen back in 2023, and they look to be the winners of the trade when reviewing how things panned out since the deal was done.
Expected to make his MLB debut this season, Lee could be a perfect bench bat with the upside of turning into an everyday player, which lives up to the task of improvement from 2025 to 2026.
Ranked as the 10th-best second baseman in baseball, Lee can play shortstop and third base as well, which the Tigers could use. A utility player with a contact bat, having hit .243 and 14 home runs at Triple-A in 126 games, Lee is the perfect replacement for the kind of player Andy Ibanez was for Detroit.
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Dominic Minchella is a 2024 Eastern Michigan University graduate with a BA in Communications, Media, and Theatre Arts and a Journalism minor. He covers Major League Baseball for On SI and spends his free time watching games and sharing his insights.