Detroit Tigers select OF Christin Stewart with Max Scherzer comp pick

The Detroit Tigers protected themselves last off-season by offering a qualifying deal to free agent pitcher Max Scherzer. When he predictably turned that deal down, and later signed with the Washington Nationals, the Tigers received a compensatory pick for the loss, which turned out to be #34 in the MLB Draft.

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With that pick, the second pick of the night for the Detroit Tigers, the team selected power-hitting outfielder Christin Stewart (no, not Kristen Stewart) of Tennessee.

Considered a bat-first, defensive-second prospect, Stewart hit .311 with a 1.076 OPS and hit 15 homers in 177 at-bats in his junior year with the Volunteers. He has posted a slash line of .319/.414/.548 over his three-year collegiate career.

Stewart has also spent time at catcher and first base, but its clear his future in the pros is as a corner outfielder. He is 6-0 and 190 pounds.

He was a member of Team USA last summer, hitting .383 which led the club.

The Detroit Tigers have one more pick on the draft’s first day, in the second round–number 65th overall.

Next: Tigers draft high school pitcher Beau Burrows in first round