Tigers Top Prospect Kevin McGonigle Gets Compared to Future Hall of Famer
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The Detroit Tigers are less than two weeks away from Opening Day with one massive question looming over the roster which everyone wants to know.
Of course, it's whether or not top prospect Kevin McGonigle is going to be in the lineup when Detroit takes the field for Opening Day out West against the San Diego Padres. Whether or not McGonigle makes it out of the gate, though -- something which is looking likely -- his arrival is certainly imminent and he will be a huge part of the team this season.
As the 21-year-old continues to light up the stat sheet this spring and become a household name, everyone wants to find a comparison that fits despite McGonigle being his own person.
While the comparisons can certainly get tiresome, ESPN's Jeff Passan dropped a popular one on Friday, which will have fans all over the Motor City salivating at the possibilities, mirroring McGonigle with Philadelphia Phillies future Hall of Fame second baseman Chase Utley.
McGonigle Compared to Chase Utley Ahead of Tigers Opening Day
"It wouldn't surprise me if Kevin McGonigle is atop the Tigers' lineup by mid-April," Passan wrote. "McGonigle will be a star, Chase Utley 2.0...The future in Detroit continues to grow brighter."
Passan also heaped praise on Detroit's No. 2 prospect Max Clark, and expects Clark to potentially be up this year at some point alongside McGonigle, though the results this spring showed Clark has a little bit of a way to go in order to reach the big leagues.
As for the Utley comparison, while using a guy who likely is going to be in the Hall of Fame in the next couple of years is a lofty goal, it makes the most sense of any that have been thrown out to this point with regards to McGonigle.
McGonigle Grew Up Idolizing Utley Long Before Tigers
A Pennsylvania native, McGonigle was just four years old when the Phillies, led by Utley, won the World Series in 2008 and grew up a fan of the game. While the youngster may be pushing for the Opening Day shortstop role, he does project at second base long-term, and his bat-to-ball skills may be similar to Utley.
Over the course of his 16-year career, Utley slashed .275/.358/.465 with 259 home runs and 1,025 RBI, a player who was worth between seven and nine bWAR at the peak of his power. It's safe to say Detroit would be beyond thrilled if McGonigle was anything close to that.
It should be noted that Utley did not play his first full season in the Major Leagues until he was 25, nearly a half-decade older than McGonigle is now, not to mention the fact that he had a full college career at UCLA.
Tigers fans must be patient if the youngster does struggle a bit early and allow him to work through his problems as he prepares for the biggest leap in competition yet. Regardless, exciting days are ahead in Detroit with McGonigle's debut on the horizon.
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.