Most Likely Detroit Tigers Prospects to Be Called Up This Year Ranked
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The Detroit Tigers are just days away from the start of the season with Opening Day looming on the horizon for what promises to be an exciting season of baseball in the Motor City.
While of course most of the focus is going to be on who starts the season in the big leagues, fans love to pay attention to the farm system as well and which prospects have a chance of contributing at the MLB level as well.
This conversation has revolved around one name throughout the spring, but it will not be just Kevin McGonigle to make his Major League debut this season. With that said, here are the four most likely prospects ranked based on their likelihood to make a debut this year.
1. INF Kevin McGonigle
This one should not come as any surprise as fans hold their breath to find out whether McGonigle is indeed going to break camp with the team. Even if he doesn't though, which seems possible, his debut is going to come sooner rather than later, and he's really the only name who is a virtual lock to play at the MLB level this year.
Proving to be as polished a hitter as anyone who has come through this farm in some time now, McGonigle is trying to kick that door down and join this roster as soon as possible. It remains to be seen if that's now or not, but it certainly will be early this season.
If the team decides he's ready, it might just be this week.
2. INF Max Anderson
While the story was about McGonigle understandably this spring, Anderson came in and quietly had a very nice camp of his own with a slash line of .294/.314/.382 across 19 games.
Detroit would like to see some more walks out of the 24-year-old, but his ability to play all over the infield and the fact that he has already reached and produced at Triple-A -- not to mention a dominant showing in the Arizona Fall League -- make him one of the next names up when an injury inevitably occurs.
He's not the lock that McGonigle is, but Anderson feels like someone very much in line to debut this year.
3. LHP Jake Miller
Though Miller's 2025 season was derailed by injuries and may keep him from the mound this year until mid-April, he is clearly someone Detroit valued highly enough to add to their 40-man roster ahead of the Rule 5 draft.
In six starts last year, he had a 1.80 ERA and looked to finally find his footing as a future rotation contributor, so seeing him get an invite to big league spring training this year and join the spring breakout roster was not a huge surprise by any means.
Pitching depth is critical, and if Miller is healthy, it would not be surprising to see him wind up getting some starts this season if he can get to Toledo and keep knocking on the door.
4. INF Hao-Yu Lee
An argument could be made to put Max Clark in this spot for a September call-up, however with the way he struggled on both sides of the ball this spring, it could be a full year before he's ready to contribute at the MLB level.
Lee, like Miller, is someone the Tigers clearly value highly by adding him to the 40-man roster to protect him from the Rule 5 draft. An injury which ended his World Baseball Classic could reduce his chances of debuting this year, but with already a full solid season of Triple-A under his belt, the 23-year-old figures to be in a similar boat as Anderson.
He will make his debut sooner than later, and it likely will be this year.
Michael Brauner is a 2022 graduate of the University of Alabama with a degree in Sports Media. He covers various MLB teams across the On SI network and you can also find his work on Yellowhammer News covering the Alabama Crimson Tide and Auburn Tigers as well as on the radio producing and co-hosting 'The Opening Kickoff' every weekday morning on 105.5 WNSP FM in Mobile, Alabama.