Ranking the 10 Best MLB Draft Picks in Detroit Tigers History
In this story:
The MLB Draft has helped shape every successful era of the Detroit Tigers.
Starting with the core of the 1984 World Series champions to the players who carried the team back to the World Series again in the 2000s, the Tigers have continuously found great talent in the MLB Draft.
First-round stars are obvious, but others came much later in the draft and turned into bargains as the years progressed.
Sometimes, you never know how those late round picks will turn out and it is just a calculated risk hoping on years of development.
Here we rank the 10 greatest draft picks in Tigers history.
10. Travis Fryman (1987 Supplemental First Round)
The Tigers received this pick after Lance Parrish departed in free agency and they turned around and made this into one of the better infielders of the 1990s.
Fryman spent eight seasons with Detroit and made four All-Star teams during his career (five total if you include the one he won with the Cleveland Indians). He provided stability on the left side of the infield during what was a difficult era for the Tigers.
9. Bobby Higginson (12th Round, 1992)
Ok, let’s be honest here, who really believes they will find a star in the 12th round of the draft? Well, Higginson was an everyday player.
He spent all 11 of his Major League seasons with Detroit, hitting 187 home runs while becoming one of the franchise’s most consistent offensive pieces.
8. Riley Greene (1st Round, No. 5 Overall, 2019)
Greene is still writing his part of history. He is already a multi-time All-Star and Silver Slugger winner. The former fifth overall pick has developed into the centerpiece of Detroit’s current lineup.
If Greene goes on to spend the bulk of his career with the Tigers, he will move up this list.
7. Dan Petry (4th Round, 1976)
The 1976 draft for the Detroit Tigers was legendary, including such players as Alan Trammell, Jack Morris, and Ozzie Smith. Petry was also drafted, but he was overshadowed by the other names.
Petry went on to be one of the most dependable starters in franchise history. He won 125 games as a Tiger and finished in the top five of the American League Cy Young Award voting in 1984.
6. Lance Parrish (1st Round, No. 16 Overall, 1974)
The Tigers actually drafted Parrish as an infielder but in the end, he became one of baseball’s premier catchers.
He was a six-time All-Star with the Tigers, along with winning three Gold Gloves and five AL Silver Slugger Awards. He was an anchor of the 1984 World Series Championship team.
5. Kirk Gibson (1st Round, No. 12 Overall, 1978)
Gibson was a Michigan State football standout before becoming a standout leader for the Detroit Tigers. He was part of the 1984 championship club and eventually went on to win the 1988 National League MVP Award while a part of the Los Angeles Dodgers.
Gibson went on to be a broadcaster and then even a coach for the Tigers.
4. Jack Morris (5th Round, 1976)
This is one case where the Tigers absolutely struck gold late in the draft.
Morris became a part of the Detroit rotation throughout the 1980s. He spent 14 seasons with the Tigers. He won more games than any other pitcher during the decade and led the team to a World Series title.
He went on to be inducted into the National Baseball Hall of Fame, with other accolades including four AL All-Star Awards.
3. Justin Verlander (1st Round, No. 2 Overall, 2004)
In many cases, first-round picks don’t live up to the expectations teams have when they draft them. Verlander, on the other hand, did. Well, he still does actually.
The hard-throwing right-hander started off his illustrious career by winning the American League Rookie of the Year Award, and then a Cy Young Award followed by the 2011 AL MVP.
He threw two no-hitters in Detroit and is, no doubt, a future first-ballot Hall of Famer. In 2026, he rejoined the team for a full-circle moment. He has been on the injured list for most of the year, but it is possible that he will add to his incredible stats with the Tigers.
2. Alan Trammell (2nd Round, 1976)
Choosing between second and first place was difficult here. Trammell ended up being a Hall of Fame shortstop.
He was a true Detroit Tiger spending 20 of his seasons with the team. He won four Gold Gloves, three Silver Sluggers and the 1984 World Series MVP honor. In the World Series the great player batted .450 against the San Diego Padres.
His pairing with Lou Whitaker became one of the greatest double-play combos in baseball history.
And that leads us down to our number one pick...
1. Lou Whitaker (5th Round, 1975)
The greatest draft pick in Detroit Tigers history turns out not to be a first-rounder.
He came in the fifth round to be exact. He stayed with the team for 19 years where he won several awards including the 1978 American League Rookie of the Year Award, five All-Star selections, five Gold Gloves and four Silver Slugger Awards.
He was known as “Sweet Lou” to everyone in baseball. He finished his career with a higher WAR than any player drafted by the Tigers in the modern draft era.
As mentioned before, he was half of the iconic middle infield with Trammell.
Considering where he was drafted and everything he accomplished, Whitaker takes the top honors of being our greatest MLB Draft pick in Detroit Tigers history.
Add us as a preferred source on Google
Laura Lambert resides in Wiggins, Colo. with her husband, Ricky and two sons, Brayden and Boedy. She attended the University of Northern Colorado while studying economics. She is an accomplished rodeo athlete and barrel horse trainer along with being a life-long sports fan. Over the years, Laura has been active in journalism in a variety of roles. While continuing to cover western sports and country music, she is currently enjoying expanding her reach into multiple sports including MLB, NFL, and WNBA. Laura covers the Washington Nationals, Houston Astros, Texas Rangers, Detroit Tigers, Colorado Rockies, Toronto Blue Jays, and Rodeo for On SI. You can reach her at lauralambertmedia@gmail.com