Tigers Boss Scott Harris Explains Why Top Prospects Have Not Reached MLB Yet
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The Detroit Tigers have one of the best farm systems in all of Major League Baseball, and the load is largely carried by a terrific trio of names at the top of the list. All three were promoted from High-A to Double-A together and have remained there since right around the All-Star break.
For Detroit, the pressure from the fanbase -- especially as things have not gone as well during the second half as they did in the first half -- to unleash at least one of Kevin McGonigle, Max Clark or Josue Briceño has gotten loud. Realistically, the only one of the three who has a legitimate case for a September call-up is McGonigle, however it looks unlikely.
It certainly does not sound like the Tigers are even considering it for this season, and president of baseball operations Scott Harris has just made this fairly clear. During a recent appearance on the Have a Seat podcast with Dan Dickerson and Jason Benetti, Harris spoke about the team's philosophy on bringing guys along and took a mindset of pumping the brakes.
Tigers Philosophy on Developing Prospects
"Big league pitching is better than it's ever been. Yet somehow there's this momentum towards moving guys [up] faster. Intellectually that doesn't make a lot of sense to me," Harris said. "We have the best record in the American League and are trying to win the World Series. [McGonigle, Clark, and Briceño] coming up and struggling right now doesn't help our team win games and it doesn't help them reach their ceilings sooner.
"As counter-intuitive as it sounds sometimes the fastest way to get these guys to Detroit and performing is being patient through development."
How McGonigle Has Fared This Season in Double-A
McGonigle has had an absolutely incredible season and been arguably the best hitter in all of Minor League Baseball. After slashing an absurd .372/.462/.648 in 36 games at High-A West Michigan, the youngster has arrived to Erie and though the numbers have of course dropped, they are still impressive.
In 41 games in Double-A, he's slashing .245/.368/.523 with 10 home runs and 36 RBI, showing a developing power gear which could make him baseball's best prospect. If Detroit was out of contention, perhaps giving him a couple of weeks would make sense, but given the current circumstances, don't count on it.
How Max Clark Has Fared in Double-A
Clark has been able to keep very steady numbers since the promotion, slashing .263/.368/.462 in 39 games for Erie after posting an OPS of .857 over 68 games in West Michigan. The 20-year-old projects as a cornerstone of the team's outfield for years to come, but he is very much still a developing player who the Tigers have no intention of rushing along.
How Josue Briceño Has Fared in Double-A
Of the three, Briceño's numbers have fallen the most since being called up. After putting up an OPS over 1.000 with 15 home runs in 55 High-A games, he has slashed just .237/.333/.388 with just five home runs in 40 games with Erie. These numbers are certainly nothing to be concerned about, they just show that Briceño is not ready for the show yet.
Between the three, he is likely going to be the last to make his debut.
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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.