Tigers Star Slugger Predicted To Become Face of Franchise in 2028
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The Detroit Tigers have righted the ship after a brutal start to the second half of the year.
For a team that had questions coming into the season, figuring things out and getting back on the track is huge for them as they come down the stretch run and head into the playoffs as one of the best teams in the American League.
While the Tigers would love nothing more than to make a deep playoff run that would result in their first World Series championship since 1984, winning right now is not imperative since the organization has set the franchise up for a sustained amount of success based on the young talent on the current MLB roster and in their pipeline.
Because of that, it's fun to look ahead and try to project who will be considered the best player for Detroit in the next few years, with superstar ace Tarik Skubal being a possibility -- if they can re-sign him -- along with sluggers Kerry Carpenter and Riley Greene or even one of their elite prospects down on the farm.
But in the mind of Bleacher Report's Kerry Miller, there is one player who stands out above the rest.
Riley Greene Predicted To Be Face of Franchise in 2028
It's easy to see why this was the selection. Greene has been the team's best position player the last couple seasons when he's been on the field, and many analysts believe he could have an MVP-type of year at some point in his career.
He also has continued to take his game to the next level, popping in 2024 with his first All-Star Game selection and a slash line of .262/.348/.479 with 24 home runs, 74 RBI and an OPS+ of 130 before doing what he's already done this season with 28 longballs, 89 RBI and a slash line of .267/.314/.508.
There are still things Greene needs to work on -- namely strikeouts where he's had over 150 in back-to-back campaigns -- but at just 24 years old this season, there is tons of room for him to grow going forward.
Riley brings us within 1 💣 pic.twitter.com/zZ7foaTVtx
— Detroit Tigers (@tigers) August 15, 2025
And by the time 2028 rolls around, the slugger should be in his prime at the age of 27, with the sky being the limit for what he could become with an above-average defensive profile combined with improving offensive numbers.
It's hard not to be enthralled by what the Tigers roster might look like during that year, with elite prospect Max Clark potentially sharing the outfield with Greene, while Carpenter is still in the mix somewhere alongside Kevin McGonigle, Josue Briceno, Thayron Liranzo, Colt Keith and perhaps even Spencer Torkelson.
That is a formidable group on paper, and it just might be led by Greene.
