Tigers Prospect Graduations Leads To Shake Up in Farm System's Top 10 Post-MLB Draft
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The Detroit Tigers had one of the most highly regarded farm systems in baseball coming into 2025.
That has only been strengthened with a few of their recent top draft picks, center fielder Max Clark, shortstop Kevin McGonigle and shortstop Bryce Rainer, all being arrow-up prospects heading in the right direction.
Clark and McGonigle are on the short list of prospects who could be No. 1 overall in 2026 with some of the other young future stars across baseball graduating to the Big Leagues.
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The Tigers aren’t without their own group of graduates, which has put a dent in the farm system depth when it comes to their overall rankings.
This year alone, pitchers Jackson Jobe, Brant Hurter and Sawyer Gipson-Long all graduated along with third baseman Jace Jung, catcher Dillon Dingler and shortstop Trey Sweeney.
That is on top of Colt Keith, Parker Meadows, Justyn-Henry Malloy and Ryan Keidler who graduated from prospect status in 2024.
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Despite those graduations, Detroit’s farm system is still well-stocked with high-upside talent beyond the Big 3 with catcher/first baseman Josue Briceno and Thayron Liranzo and left-handed pitcher Troy Melton.
There are also several players selected in the 2025 MLB draft who have cracked the updated top 10 shared by Kiley McDaniel of ESPN.
Their first three selections all made the list.
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No. 24 pick, shortstop Jordan Yost out of Walter L. Sickles High School in Tampa, Florida is No. 8. Catcher Michael Oliveto out of Hauppauge High School in Happuage, New York is No. 7. Malachi Witherspoon, the No. 62 pick out of the University of Oklahoma, rounds things out at No. 10.
Their additions, along with some of the star-studded holdovers remaining in the top 10, are likely enough to keep the Tigers in the top 10 of farm system rankings around the league.
When a system has two top 10 prospects in the entire sport, the front office is doing something right when it comes to identifying, drafting and developing young talent.
For more Tigers news, head over to Tigers On SI.
Kenneth Teape is an alumnus of SUNY Old Westbury and graduated in 2013 with an Honors Degree in Media Communications with a focus on print journalism. During his time at Old Westbury, he worked for the school newspaper and several online publications, such as Knicks Now, the official website of the New York Knicks, and a self-made website with fellow students, Gotham City Sports News. Kenneth has also been a site expert at Empire Writes Back, Musket Fire, and Lake Show Life within the FanSided Network. He was a contributor to HoopsHabit, with work featured on Bleacher Report and Yardbarker. In addition to his work here, he is a reporter for both NBA Analysis Network and NFL Analysis Network, as well as a writer and editor for Packers Coverage. You can follow him on X, formerly Twitter, @teapester725, or reach him via email at teapester725@gmail.com.