Mandatory Credit: Andrew Weber-USA TODAY Sports
With the 23rd overall pick in the 2014 MLB First-Year Player Draft, the Detroit Tigers selected center fielder Derek Hill. Hill comes out of Elk Grove High School in California.
Birds Watcher
Dave Dombrowski shied away from his usual trend of drafting hard throwing pitchers, passing on Nick Burdi and Spencer Adams to select high school senior Hill. Featuring fantastic speed and reported by Baseball America as “likely the best defender in the draft,” Hill will be interesting to watch progress through the minors and hopefully to the outfield at Comerica Park. Hill has committed to the Oregon baseball program.
The Tigers were also reported to have interest in Erick Fedde, Nick Howard, Casey Gillaspie and Grant Holmes, all of whom went in picks prior to the Tigers.