Detroit Tigers Top 25 Prospects #5-#3: Jimenez, Funkhouser and Burrows

Detroit Tigers minor league pitchers Joe Jimenez, Kyle Funkhouser and Beau Burrows all show promise. They check in at #5-#3 on Motor City Bengals list of the top Tigers prospects.

Detroit Tigers prospects have made a significant impact over the past few seasons.

While the 2014 campaign didn’t end with a World Series win, it did represent the first full season in the Majors for both Nick Castellanos and Blaine Hardy.

Castellanos collected 66 RBI, 50 runs scored, 31 doubles, 11 home runs and four triple en route to an eighth place finish in the Rookie of the Year voting.

The third baseman has continued to develop on both sides of the ball. He looks poised to hit in the middle of the order for the rest of his career.

Hardy meanwhile logged a 2.54 ERA and a 3.49 FIP in 39 innings for Detroit, providing a much-needed bullpen presence as the likes of Joe Nathan (4.81 ERA), Ian Krol (5.18 FIP) and Jim Johnson (8.3 walks per nine innings) struggled.

Since making his Major League debut, the left-hander owns a 3.00 ERA and a 3.30 FIP in 126 innings.

2015

The 2015 campaign saw Detroit drop to last place in the standings, but that didn’t stop the likes of Daniel Norris, James McCann and Matt Boyd from enjoying solid debut seasons.

McCann took over as the team’s primary backstop and hit .264 with a .683 OPS.

He also added 41 RBI, 32 runs scored, 18 doubles, seven home runs and five triples at the plate while throwing out 41% of would-be base stealers.

Rounding out the list are Norris and Boyd. After coming over from Toronto in the David Price deal, the duo combined to make 18 starts for the Tigers.

Norris turned in a solid 3.68 ERA in 36.2 innings, while Boyd accounted for 50.2 frames of work.

2016

Fast forward to last season, when right-hander Michael Fulmer stole the show.

Arguably Detroit’s best pitcher at times, the right-hander won Rookie of the Year honors after posting a 3.0 WAR, a 3.06 ERA, a 3.76 FIP and 7.47 strikeouts per nine innings.

The starter threw 159 frames while also posting an 11-7 record.

If all goes to plan, the next few waves of Tigers prospects will have a similarly significant impact on the club.

Here’s a look at the team’s fifth, fourth and third best prospects.