Tigers Dynamic Duo of Prospects Propel Farm System to Top 10 Ranking
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The Detroit Tigers have had an offseason filled with rumors and speculations revolving around their veteran stars, particularly their ace Tarik Skubal. As a veteran player, and a skillful one at that, he is often the one receiving the most attention.
But the Tigers are equipped with an imposing farm system with young players who are bound to make an impact in the Major Leagues. While Skubal is certainly an interest, Detroit's rising stars shouldn't be neglected.
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Their placement in the latest MLB farm system rankings is quite telling — they have some of the most impressive developing players in baseball. Landing within the top 10, the Tigers have some true potential on their hands that's worth fostering.
Detroit Wouldn’t Crack Top 10 Without This Duo
Keith Law of The Athletic (subscription required) conjured up his latest MLB farm system rankings, and the Tigers were able to crack the top 10, landing at No. 7. As noted by Law, this is a "top-heavy system," but there is plenty to work with here. Even below the top two, there's talent, it just needs to be developed.
Unsurprisingly, much of this has to do with the remarkable skill displayed by 21-year-old shortstop Kevin McGonigle, who also ranked No. 2 in MLB's 2026 Top 100 Prospects Rankings, just below Konnor Griffin of the Pittsburgh Pirates.
During McGonigle's 2025 season, he slashed .305/.408/.583 with a .991 OPS. Along the way, he smacked 19 homers and 80 RBIs through 88 games in the minors.
McGonigle isn't alone in leading the pack, however. Last year, 21-year-old outfielder Max Clark sat at No. 2 among Detroit's top prospects, and in MLB's latest rankings, he comes in at No. 10 out of the 100 players named.
Clark slashed .271/.403/.432 with a .835 OPS, recording 14 home runs and 67 RBIs through 111 games with the minors in 2025. Between McGonigle and Clark, the Tigers are in the company of striking young talent.
Without this rising duo, the likelihood of Detroit finding itself in the top 10 is fairly slim, but that doesn't mean their other developing players don't have potential — they're just not performing at the same caliber as McGonigle and Clark at this time. These two have largely been the favorites of the franchise's farm system, but when considering their stat sheets, it becomes clear why.
Both stars are expected to hit the Major Leagues in 2026, and expectations are already incredibly high for them.
Maria Aldrich lives in the captivating Adirondack Mountains in New York where she can be found scaling cliffs, hiking in the High Peaks and paddling down local rivers. After graduating from SUNY Potsdam with a degree in Exercise Science and a minor in Wilderness Education, Maria began documenting her backcountry experiences through written stories. Over the years, she has found herself drawn to sports journalism and now focuses on MLB, WNBA, NCAA and NHL writing. She can be reached at mariaaldrich20@outlook.com.