What Spring Reps Reveal About Tigers Trust Level for Top Prospects
In this story:
The clock is rapidly winding down on spring training for 2026, which not only means that Opening Day is almost here, but it also means that players are running out of time to make a lasting impression if they hope to be on the 40-man roster in a handful of weeks.
Some organizations will heavily rely on their offseason to make their season better than the year previous, while others, like the Detroit Tigers, have a handful in their pipeline who could be ready to make a trip to the big leagues in 2026 and compete in the postseason.
If you like our content, choose Sports Illustrated as a preferred source on Google.
Infielder Kevin McGonigle
If there is a prospect that the organization is getting ready to lean on, it is 21-year-old McGonigle, whom AJ Hinch is getting more and more confident in utilizing. McGonigle hasn't played in Triple-A yet, so he could start the year there.
However, his spring training performance is not only building rapport with his coaches, but also with his teammates as well. Trust can't just be between the bosses, but the entire clubhouse, and with the reps he keeps taking at the plate, McGonigle has surely made positive strides towards that relationship.
McGonigle has been utilized in seven games in which he has slashed .400/.471/.667 to complement six hits, two doubles, five runs, a stolen base, and a triple.
Outfielder Max Clark
The outfield is in desperate need of another body. Clark worked his way into Double-A last year, and by the end of 2025, he slashed .271/.403/.432, nearly ensuring that he will start the year in Triple-A.
Clark has had plenty of opportunities during training in the past few weeks, but his stat line isn't going to be something that gets him on the roster in the near future. But the fact that he is taking on as many reps as McGonigle shows that the organization has faith in him.
Infielder Max Anderson
In terms of logged hours in the minors, Anderson is the closest to hearing his name called up as he played the final months of the summer in Triple-A. Now, he is with the Tigers for training, and with the eight games he has played in, it is clear that management has faith that he will be a part of the team soon, if Triple-A goes well.
Tigers No. 10 prospect Max Anderson hasn't slowed down at all in his first 12 games at AAA-Toledo:
— Tobey Schulman (@tschulmanreport) August 26, 2025
54 AB
.315 AVG
.362 OBP
.537 SLG
.899 OPS
12 R
11 RBI
.394 wOBA
139 wRC+
53.3% Hard-Hit%#RepDetroit pic.twitter.com/GMEvxe5War
Anderson, will need to start in the minors to build more confidence for himself before his call up as he has only batted .235 during his latest stretch. His struggles don't tell the tale of how much faith this ballclub has in him, especially after hitting .296 in 2025.
First Baseman/Catcher Josue Briceño
The 21-year-old is being groomed to take over as the backup catcher by 2028. Briceño worked his way up into Double-A, and by the end of last season, he batted .266 in 100 games.
While his spring training hasn't gone as one would hope (.167 batting average and .154 on-base percentage), it still seems safe to say that he will start his 2026 season no lower than where he ended in 2025.
From the outside looking in, it is always intriguing to try to figure out what is going on behind the scenes. Detroit has a handful in their farm system that will be a part of the team in the months to come, and the amount of time these players have been used this spring, the Tigers are starting to trust one or two.
Maddy Dickens resides in Loveland, Colorado. She grew up with two older brothers, where their lives revolved around sports. She earned a master's degree in business management from Tarleton State University while simultaneously playing basketball and competing in rodeo at the collegiate level. She successfully parlayed a reserve national championship into a professional rodeo career and now stays involved in upper-level athletics by writing for On SI on several different MLB teams' pages, along with some NCAA sites.