Tigers Pitching Prospect Could Be Breakout Player for Franchise in Second Half

Who could be the breakout performer for the Detroit Tigers in the second half?

Jul 30, 2021; Detroit, Michigan, USA; The hat and glove of Detroit Tigers right fielder Robbie Grossman (8) sits on the ledge of the dugout during the first inning against the Baltimore Orioles at Comerica Park. | Raj Mehta-Imagn Images

With a road trip to start the second half of the season, the Detroit Tigers are looking to hopefully keep up the momentum that they built in the first half of the year.

Few teams in baseball were as good as the Tigers before the All-Star break. This was a team that had the best record in the American League and appeared to be the team to beat in the AL.

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Despite having a ton of success, Detroit has gone about it a bit differently compared to the last campaign.

When the Tigers got rolling in 2024, they were obviously led by their ace Tarik Skubal, but it was also the bullpen that helped them immensely. Manager A.J. Hinch was able to use the bullpen chaos to perfection, and it helped Detroit achieve a lot more than they probably should have.

This season, the Tigers have a lot more talent on the team, and that should be very exciting considering how far they went last year.

While the bullpen was a massive strength in 2024, it hasn’t quite been as strong in 2025. With the trade deadline coming up, the team will likely seek an arm to help improve the unit. However, they could also look internally for some help.

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Joel Reuter of Bleacher Report recently wrote about pitcher Troy Melton being the potential breakout player for Detroit in the second half.

“The Tigers deployed Jackson Jobe as a late-inning weapon out of the bullpen down the stretch and into the postseason last year, and they could take a similar approach with Melton in the second half.”

The 24-year-old right-hander is regarded as one of the best prospects in the system, and a promotion to the Majors in 2025 seems likely. Like the Tigers did with Jackson Jobe in 2024, promoting Melton and using him out of the bullpen could be the best course of action.

So far in the minors this year, Melton has totaled a 2.99 ERA and 101 strikeouts in 75.1 innings pitched.

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With the ability to make hitters swing and miss at an extremely high rate, Melton could be exactly what the bullpen is seeking down the stretch.

Even though the unit has been strong, they do lack someone who can strike out batters at a high rate. Melton certainly checks that box, with a K/9 rate of 12.1 so far in 2025.

While the team should still be seeking a proven arm for the bullpen at the deadline, Melton could certainly be a breakout player for the team in the second half.

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