Ranking the Detroit Tigers' Last 10 First-Round Draft Picks
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The Detroit Tigers, whether some like it or not, have found some pieces in the MLB Draft over the last decade who have become valuable players to the franchise. While some are still building the foundation of a Major League player, others have been producing in the league for a while.
Every draft pick carries the risk that they may not develop as hoped, which is a reality for any MLB franchise. Former general manager and vice president of baseball operations Al Avila had several successful picks that continue to contribute to the Detroit team today, yet a handful that didn't.
Scott Harris' regime as the current president of baseball operations is too young to properly evaluate his draft picks, but the future is bright in Motown from what Tigers fans have seen so far. That being said, here is a Top 10 ranking from best to worst Tigers draft picks over the last decade.
* Competitive Balance picks will not be included in these rankings *
10. SS Jordan Yost
Based only on the fact that he was drafted less than one year ago, the Tigers' 2025 first-round pick, shortstop Jordan Yost, sits in the No. 10 spot. His upside is still very much there, and Detroit could have a nice future piece on its hands; it's just too early to tell.
This season with the Lakeland Flying Tigers, Yost has hit one home run and has driven in 15 RBIs while holding a .265 AVG. He's made six errors on defense in 307.2 innings of action, giving him a fielding percentage of .957. As time rolls on, expect Yost to climb these rankings.
9. 3B Jace Jung
Drafted 12th overall in the 2022 MLB Draft, Jace Jung has had several chances at the Major League level to make an impact on Detroit. In 58 games played for the Tigers, Jung holds a -1.0 WAR with 25 hits in 132 at-bats.
He hasn't recorded an extra-base hit in the MLB since 2024 and has yet to hit his first MLB home run. Jung hits just fine at the Triple-A level, hitting for power and playing all around the infield, but something hasn't clicked at the MLB level, dropping him as the second-worst first-round pick in the last decade.
8. RHP Alex Faedo
Many fans will remember former first-rounder Alex Faedo donning the Old English D from 2022-2024. Experimented as both a starter and a reliever, Faedo had one really solid season for Detroit in 2024, posting a 3.61 ERA.
A shoulder injury ended his 2024 campaign early, resulting in the Tigers moving on. Now, Faedo is a member of the Los Angeles Angels organization, but hasn't found his way back to the show since. With Detroit, he was a 0.7 WAR pitcher across three seasons.
7. SS Bryce Rainer
The Tigers' 2024 first-round pick, Bryce Rainer, has had an interesting run in the organization thus far. In 2025, his season was cut short after dislocating his right shoulder, sidelining him until this season. With the injury season, it's difficult to place Rainer any higher than seventh right now.
His 2026 season has been more encouraging to see as Detroit gets to take a real close look at the player Rainer can develop into. With the West Michigan Whitecaps (Single-A affiliate), Rainer has hit eight home runs and holds a .281 batting average.
In the future, which could be very soon depending on his development, Rainer could become a big part of the Tigers' infield alignment alongside Kevin McGonigle and Colt Keith.
6. RHP Matt Manning
Formerly one of the Tigers' top pitching prospects, Matt Manning never lived up to the hype he had around him after getting drafted ninth overall in the 2016 MLB Draft. He was serviceable for Detroit when he made his debut, but never found a place at length on the MLB roster.
Manning posted a 4.43 ERA in 50 starts with the Tigers between 2021 and 2024 and had a 1.9 WAR. What could have been a bigger piece to the rotation, should things have panned out, Manning was traded to the Philadelphia Phillies in 2025 in exchange for Josueth Quiñonez, currently in Rookie ball.
5. OF Max Clark
This might shock some people, but given the fact that Max Clark has yet to make his MLB debut, that's why he's ranked fifth on the Top 10 rankings board. Clark has all the talent in the world to help the Tigers in the future, but he might be another year out from doing so.
He's performed well in the minors throughout his career and is holding his own at the Triple-A level. The speedy outfielder will eventually make an impact in Detroit, as he ranks as the top draft pick prospect yet to make his debut on this list.
4. 1B Spencer Torkelson
The former first overall pick back in the 2020 MLB Draft, Spencer Torkelson, has had an up-and-down career in Major League Baseball. Hitting 31 home runs in both 2023 and 2025, Torkelson hovers around as a consistent power threat, dropping him in the rankings.
As a former first overall pick, his career 2.0 WAR across five seasons isn't getting the job done enough for him to crack the top three. If he finds a way to bring that consistent power in the second half as he did in the first half of 2025, things could look very different. He's currently six home runs shy of 100 in his career.
3. RHP Jackson Jobe
The former third overall pick from the 2021 MLB Draft, Jackson Jobe, has future star written all over him. Making his debut in the backend of the 2024 season, helping the Tigers get to the playoffs, then making his starting rotation debut in 2025, Jobe is a major future piece of this franchise.
Posting a career ERA of 3.91, the Tigers are expecting to get Jobe back sometime in August, per MLB.com, which could help Detroit on a hypothetical last-chance playoff push.
2. RHP Casey Mize
The last two seasons alone prove why Casey Mize is one of the best first-round draft picks in the last decade for Detroit. While he has had times in his career where he didn't look like the first overall draft pick, he's become a piece that the Tigers shouldn't want to lose for the future.
Mize has earned one All-Star nod and could have easily been a back-to-back recipient if injuries hadn't held him back in 2026. That seems to be the only negative in Mize's overall profile right now, staying healthy, but when he is, he's been terrific for Detroit, posting a 7.4 WAR (and counting) across six seasons.
1. LF Riley Greene
Easily the best first-round draft pick over the last decade for the Tigers has been Riley Greene. He's a superstar in Detroit and is heading back to the All-Star Game for a third straight season, the first Tiger to do so since Al Kaline.
Winning a Silver Slugger Award in 2025 and posting nothing but positive WAR statistics since he debuted, Detroit can confidently say that it didn't miss with taking Greene fifth overall back in 2019.
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Dominic Minchella is a 2024 Eastern Michigan University graduate with a BA in Communications, Media, and Theatre Arts and a Journalism minor. He covers Major League Baseball for On SI and spends his free time watching games and sharing his insights.