Tigers Projected To Take Speedy High School Outfielder in Latest MLB Mock Draft
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The Detroit Tigers have started 2025 the way they ended 2024. The Tigers are 23-13, which has put them in first place in the American League Central.
Last season, Detroit was able to advance to the divisional round of the playoffs after defeating the Houston Astros in the wild card series. The Tigers ended up losing to the Cleveland Guardians, but it was a season that nobody expected.
With their solid finish to 2024, the Tigers are now picking late in the 2025 MLB draft. They will have the 24th overall pick.
Jim Callis of MLB.com released his first mock draft of the year and he has the Tigers selecting Slater de Brun.
Who is Slater de Brun?
de Brun is a high school outfielder from Summit, Oregon. He is committed to Vanderbilt, but could forego his college commitment if he were to be drafted in the first round of this year's draft.
The left-handed hitter is 5-foot-10, 187 pounds, so he is not the biggest player out there. However, he does not need to be with the way he plays.
Per de Brun's scouting report, his best tool is his speed. The center fielder has 65-grade speed, and it is an asset he uses often.
The lefty is the type of hitter that wants to make contact and put pressure on the defense. Once he is on the bases, de Brun uses his legs to cause chaos and score runs. He did add a lot of strength and size to his smaller frame in the offseason and that is something scouts loved to see.
The center fielder is never going to be a huge power hitter, but he does have the ability to leave the yard.
His speed makes him one of the best defensive center fielders in the draft, as well. The scouts believe de Brun is the type of player that will play captain the outfield for a majority of his career.
All of his tools have some people, including Jim Callis, comparing the speedy outfielder to Corbin Carroll. If de Brun ends up anything like Carroll, the Tigers would be getting a fantastic player with their first round pick.
What About the Detroit Tigers' Past Draft Picks?
Detroit taking a high school outfielder would not be out of the ordinary for them.
The Tigers have taken a high school prospect in the first round in each of the last two years. The last two high school outfielders they have taken happen to be Riley Greene (2019) and Max Clark (2023).
Greene is making a big impact for the big league club right now, while Max Clark is crushing the ball in the minors.
Their recent track record with high school outfielders is very good, and Slater de Brun would be the next added to that list if the Tigers take him.
Cameron Zunkel is a sports writer from the western suburbs of Chicago. He played Division-II baseball at the University of Illinois at Springfield where he earned a masters degree in Communication. Cameron also played independent league baseball for the Joliet Slammers and Schaumburg Boomers of the Frontier League. He has been in journalism for the better part of two years now, and has a passion for baseball specifically. His other work includes writing sports betting articles for ClutchPoints. In his free time, you can catch Cam at the gym, on the golf course, or coaching the youth in the beautiful sport of baseball.