Detroit Tigers Top Prospects 2024

Detroit Tigers Top Prospects for dynasty fantasy baseball including Colt Keith, Jackson Jobe, Max Clark, and more!

Welcome to our team prospect rankings. Over the next two months, I will be pumping out team top prospect rankings and evaluations for dynasty baseball. These reports are generated from live looks, film study, and advanced data analysis to bring you in-depth fantasy scouting reports on every player you need to know, with today’s being the Detroit Tigers Top Prospects.

Not all 30 players in each writeup will be dynasty relevant, but many will, and if you play in a deep league, certainly most of the names will be worth knowing.

You can check out our previous Top Prospect Rankings:

Atlanta, Miami, New York, Philadelphia, Washington, Chicago, Milwaukee, Pittsburgh, Cincinnati, St. Louis, Arizona, Los Angeles, Colorado, San Francisco, Baltimore, Boston, New York Yankees, Tampa Bay Rays, Toronto Blue Jays, Cleveland Guardians, Chicago White Sox

Each player has a detailed write-up. The top 10 rankings and writeups are free for all, but the rest of the top prospects are for paid subs. Get an edge in your dynasty leagues and get in on some of these players first! Let’s get to it: our Detroit Tigers top prospects.

Detroit Tigers Top Prospects 2024

1. Colt Keith, 3B, 22, 6’2”/210

As a prep player, Keith was a talented two-way guy, showing solid skills at the plate but also showing potential on the mound. The Tigers drafted Keith in the fifth round and immediately moved him off the mound and shortstop, which he was comfortable with. Splitting time between second and third base throughout his time in the Minors, Keith has progressed as a hitter each year of his career.

Splitting time between Double-A and Triple-A in 2023, Keith mashed 27 home runs while slashing .306/.380/.552. With a strong lower half, Keith generates easy power backed by strong exit velocities, with a 90th percentile checking in near 106 mph and an average near 90 mph. Lifting the ball easily, Keith generates a very high barrel rate which helped lead to 68 extra base hits.

The contact skills are respectable as well and Keith posted a 75 percent overall contact rate with a zone contact near 84 percent. He knows the strike zone well and chooses his spots, not chasing often out of the zone. 

The platoon risk feels minimal for the lefty as he mashed both-handed pitching with a .939 OPS against righties and a .909 versus lefties with a lower strikeout rate against lefties than righties. 

Keith is known for being a hard worker who constantly looks to improve on his game, and that has been the case with his bat. Having a strong feel for contact and power, Keith should find his bat in the lineup in Detroit very early in 2024.

FFG: Power+Hit INF

90th Percentile Peak Outcome: .280/.350/27 HR/3 SB

Variance: Medium

Buy/Sell: Buy

2. Jackson Jobe, RHP, 21, 6’2”/190

Jobe has evolved in an impressive way as a pitcher since being drafted third overall in 2021. He is a converted infielder with raw talent on the mound, showing a high-spinning slider and plenty of heat on his fastball. But Jobe came into 2023 with elite command and control, looking like one of the more polished pitchers in the minors. 

The fastball sits in the mid-to-upper 90s with plenty of ride up in the zone, averaging over 18 inches of IVB. The command on the pitch significantly improved in 2023.

Jobe’s slider is his best pitch, sitting in the mid-80s with a ton of sweeping action with spin rates up to 3,200 RPM. The pitch gets anywhere from 12-17 inches of sweep but averaged near 15 in 2023, missing a ton of bats. Job added a cutter to bridge the velocity gap between the fastball and slider, sitting between 90 and 93 with short horizontal break and ride.

One of the biggest progressions in the 2023 season for Jobe was the development of his changeup. The pitch sits in the low-to-mid 80s with nice depth and consistently 15 inches of fade. It is a plus pitch, giving Jobe three plus or better pitches between the fastball, slider, and changeup. 

The command improvements were huge, as Jobe walked just six of the 258 batters he faced, giving him a 2.3% walk rate on the year. Jobe threw plenty of strikes too, posting a strike rate north of 69 percent, one of the best marks in the minors. 

FFG: SP2

90th Percentile Peak Outcome: 170 IP/3.25 ERA/200 K

Variance: Medium

Buy/Sell: Buy

3. Max Clark, OF, 19, 6’1”/195

I had the privilege to interview Max Clark when he was a 16-year-old, and I kid you not; he was already one of the sharpest baseball minds I have talked to. Clark plays at a high level and intensity in the field with a very high baseball IQ.

When you talk about a five-tool player, Clark comes to mind, playing strong centerfield, possessing a solid arm, making contact at a high rate, being a 70-runner, and flashing good power. At the moment, Clark’s worst grade is his power, which is still average to above average. That speaks to the kind of player he can be. There is some projection in his 6’1”/190-pound frame, and I would not be surprised to see Clark tap into more power. 

The swing generates line drives and sprays the ball to all fields well, which bodes well for his future batting average. He controls the barrel well through the zone and shows a very advanced hit tool for his age. In a small sample in his pro career he did post some solid exit velocities, giving hope he can get to average game power.

Clark was a surprise pick at three overall but is a great fit in Detroit. He is several years away, but a well-rounded player who will be roaming Detroit’s outfield for a long time. 

FFG: Five-Tool OF

90th Percentile Peak Outcome: .280/.370/20 HR/30 SB

Variance: Medium

Buy/Sell: Buy

4. Ty Madden, RHP, 23, 6’3”/215

Madden was selected in the first round of the 2021 draft after an illustrious career at Texas in which he posted a collegiate career ERA of 2.59 with 200 strikeouts in 181 innings. The results have carried over to professional ball, where Madden has continued to dominate on the mound. In 2023, Madden spent the year in Double-A, where he pitched 118 innings with a 3.43 ERA and 146 strikeouts to 50 walks.

The fastball has continually improved throughout his career and now sits in the mid-to-upper 90s consistently, touching 99. He locates it well up in the zone, showing a nice ride and the ability to get hitters to swing below it.  

The slider plays extremely well off of the fastball, showing a strong feel to throw both in the zone and also getting hitters to chase it while throwing it in the mid-to-upper 80s. 

The changeup, while inconsistent, shows flashes of being a solid third offering, and Madden will mix in a cutter and a curve on occasion, but the fastball/slider combo is the bread and butter pitches here.

Madden throws strikes and lives in the zone at a good rate, while missing plenty of bats. He produced a 16 percent swinging strike rate. He should begin the year in Triple-A in 2024 with a chance to reach the majors at some point next year. 

FFG: SP3-4

90th Percentile Peak Outcome: 160 IP/3.50 ERA/180 K

Variance: Medium

Buy/Sell: Buy

5. Parker Meadows, OF, 23, 6’5”/205

While not being a flashy player, Meadows shows solid skills across the board and has posted two straight 20-home-run seasons with 17 and 27 stolen bases in those seasons, respectively. 

Meadows makes solid contact, posting an 87 percent zone contact rate last season with a 77 percent overall clip. The chase rate of 29 percent is better than the league average, giving Meadows at least an average feel to hit, if not better.

Having a big 6’5” frame, Meadows generates easy power from a short swing. Posting an average exit velocity of 87.5 mph with a 105 mph 90th percentile, Meadows showed that the higher-end exit velocities could lead to above-average or better game power.

Playing a strong centerfield with a big arm, Meadows should be an everyday player, especially considering he hits lefties equally as good, if not better than against righties. 

FFG: Everyday CF

90th Percentile Peak Outcome: .275/.350/20 HR/20 SB

Variance: High

Buy/Sell: Buy

6. Kevin McGonigle, SS, 19, 5’10”/185

McGonigle was one of the best pure hitters in the 2023 draft class and landed with the Tigers at the 37th overall pick. The feel to hit is solid for a hitter his age, paired with barrel control plus strong plate discipline. 

McGonigle has quick hands and a smooth swing shows the ability to hit high velocity, and adjusts well on breaking pitches. While a small pro sample, he walked more than he struck out and posted very low chase rates. The zone contact rate ran near 88 percent, which shows a potential 70 on the hit tool, all things considered.

Clocking average to above-average run times, McGonigle also showed a good feel for stealing bases, swiping eight in 21 games as a professional. The power remains gap to gap and below average at present, but with the hand speed and some strength still to be added, there's a chance McGonigle could turn into a 15-home run bat.

With the strong hit tool, McGonigle could move quickly through the system. The hit tool will be the carrying tool, and he could find himself being a sneaky source of OBP and stolen bases as well.

FFG: Elite Hit Tool MI

90th Percentile Peak Outcome: .290/.375/15 HR/20 SB

Variance: Medium

Buy/Sell: Buy

7. Jace Jung, 2B/3B, 23, 6’0”/205

A former 12th overall pick out of Texas Tech, Jace followed in his brother Josh’s footsteps of being strong players from Texas Tech to earn first-round selections. While playing second base exclusively in the Minors, the Tigers do plan to move Jung over to third base, where he played every game he started in the Arizona Fall League.

With an unconventional setup at the plate, Jung hit his wrist nearly set during his setup with his bat angled back toward the catcher. While it may look funky, the setup allows Jung’s hands to be in a solid positon for his load. 

There is still some swing and miss, as Jung made contact on just 78 percent of pitches in the zone last year, but he does show a good feel for the strike zone and the ability to take walks. Regardless, the swing is solid and works well. 

The power showed up in a big way in 2023, as Jung mashed 28 home runs while showing solid exit velocities. With ideal launch angles, the power plays up even more in the game and has the potential to be a plus grade long term. 

Regardless of where Jung ends up on the field, the bat will still play as the power is legit. The question remains: how much contact will he make?

FFG: Strong OBP INF

90th Percentile Peak Outcome: .270/.370/25 HR/5 SB

Variance: High

Buy/Sell: Sell the 2022 Performance

8. Justyn-Henry Malloy, 3B/OF, 23, 6’1”/212

Malloy might be one of the more underrated prospects in the Tigers system, but just because he is not as flashy as some does not mean he can’t play. Coming up in Atlanta’s farm system and reaching Triple-A in 2022, Malloy was traded to the Tigers for Joe Jimenez.

In 2023, Malloy spent the entire season in Triple-A, where he slashed .277/.417/.474 with 23 home runs and 49 extra-base hits across 135 games. With a passive approach, Malloy swung at just 37 percent of pitches, chasing just 16 percent out of the zone. The contact skills are average, as Malloy made contact on 72 percent of pitches overall and 79 percent in-zone.

The power is closer to average but can play up due to ideal launch angles, but the exit velocities of an 89 mph average and a 1025 90th percentile suggest average game power. 

What Malloy does best is getting on base, posting OBPs of .438 and .408 in 2023 and 2022, respectively. It shouldn't surprise given the low chase rates and the high walk rate(18% in 2023). Likely playing a corner outfield spot long term, Malloy has a chance to impact the Tigers in 2024.

FFG: High OBP Corner OF

90th Percentile Peak Outcome: .270/.380/20 HR/5 SB

Variance: Low

Buy/Sell: Buy/Hold

9. Troy Melton, RHP, 23, 6’4”/210

Melton was an unheralded prospect out of San Diego State who landed in the fourth round of the 2022 draft. Pitching just five innings last season after the draft, Melton came into 2023 without much hype, but that began to change as he pitched at a high level in Single-A before improving even more in High-A. For the season, Melton pitched 92 innings, posting a 2.74 ERA with 94 strikeouts. 

The fastball sits in the mid-90s, touching 97 with 16+ inches of IVB and seven inches of horizontal movement. Melton locates it well up in the zone and throws it for strikes at a high rate. He also mixes in a two-seamer that sits in the low 90s and a cutter in the upper 80s.

Melton’s slider sits in the low-80s with nearly 12 inches of sweeping action. The curveball generates more sweeping action than the sweeper, sitting in the upper-70s with nice depth. Melton’s changeup shows nice fading action with low spin, diving off late and generating whiffs.

A heavy strike thrower, Melton pounds the zone with each of his pitches, which led to a 67 percent strike rate, showing plus control. It showed in the walk rate as he walked just six percent of hitters he faced. Ten of his starts came without a walk allowed, and Melton walked one or less in 17 of 23 starts.

FFG: SP4-5

90th Percentile Peak Outcome: 150 IP/3.60 ERA/150 K

Variance: Low

Buy/Sell: Buy

10. Keider Montero, RHP, 23, 6’1”/145

Montero jumped three levels in 2023, reaching Triple-A for his final eight starts. Between 27 starts across all levels, Montero pitched 127 innings, posting a 4.66 ERA with 160 strikeouts. Don’t let the ERA fool you; Montero pitched much better than that number suggests. 

Bringing a six-pitch mix to the table, Montero leads the way with his mid-90s four-seam fastball that averages over 16 inches of IVB with some fading action. He locates it well up in the zone and misses bats there. He also mixes a sinker that tunnels the four-seam but has late fading action. 

Montero’s slider has legit sweeping action when it’s on, generating up to 16 inches of horizontal movement, but averaging closer to 10 inches while sitting mid-80s. The curveball generates up to 60 inches of vertical drop, with nearly 13 inches of sweeping action as well, sitting near 80 mph.

The changeup gets up to 18 inches of fade while sitting in the mid-80s, missing plenty of bats. Montero will throw a cutter on occasion. 

Montero throws plenty of strikes, posting a rate north of 66 percent. Given the arsenal, the ability to throw innings, and the control, Montero could be in for a breakout in 2024.

FFG: Backend SP

90th Percentile Peak Outcome: 160 IP/3.90 ERA/170 K

Variance: High

Buy/Sell: Buy

Get the rest of the Tigers top prospect list and writeups by subbing below and get an edge in your dynasty leagues. You will also gain access to a ton of awesome features to help you win.