Detroit Tigers Draft Picks: Top First-Round Picks Since 2000

Detroit Tigers front office members have had a fair amount of success in drafting players in the first round since the turn of the century. Here are the five best.

Detroit Tigers teams have generally been built on talent acquired from outside the organization. Miguel Cabrera, Victor Martinez, Ian Kinsler, Jordan Zimmermann and J.D. Martinez all started their respective careers with other organizations.

However, despite that, the team has drafted a number of big league players in the first round dating back to the turn of the century.

A number of players selected by the Tigers were dealt in bigger trades in order to acquire Major League talent that helped the team win. Prospects such as Jacob Turner (selected in 2009), Chance Ruffin (2010) and Jonathon Crawford (2013) were dealt for the likes of Anibal Sanchez, Doug Fister and Joakim Soria.

That’s all without mentioning Cameron Maybin (2005) and Andrew Miller (2006), who were moved to the then Florida Marlins as part of the Miguel Cabrera trade highway robbery.

There are also some prospect that remain with the organization. Derek Hill (2014), Beau Burrows (2015) and Christin Stewart (2015) are three of the team’s brightest minor-league talents. In fact, this very publication ranked them as the second, third and eighth best prospects in the Detroit Tigers’ system.

Hill profiles as a speedy, leadoff-hitting center fielder with upside on defense, while Burrows will eventually join the rotation thanks to a blazing fastball and some solid off-speed offerings. Stewart, meanwhile, has gotten off to a stellar start with Lakeland this season. The corner outfielder has mashed 13 home runs in just 38 games. He’s also accumulated 30 RBI, 23 runs scored and 23 walks.

The Detroit Tigers have made some solid choices in the first round of the draft in years past, here’s a look at the top first-round picks since 2000.

5. Andrew Miller, SP 2006

Taken just a few years after Justin Verlander, Miller was thought to be the next great frontline starting pitcher for the Detroit Tigers.

However, things didn’t get off to the best start for the starter. Due to a deep rotation, Miller was limited to eight relief outings as a rookie in 2006. The left-hander was tagged for 10 walks, nine runs and eight hits in 10.1 innings pitched. He only struck out six batters. Overall, his FIP ended up at an uninspiring 5.47.

A move back to the rotation in 2007 didn’t help Miller either. The former first-round pick went 5-5 with a 5.63 ERA (5.27 FIP) in 13 starts, totaling 64 innings pitched. Those would be the last appearances made by the lefty in Detroit.

Miller was shipped to the Marlins along with another player on this list, Cameron Maybin, for Miguel Cabrera. Also involved in the trade were Dallas Trahern, Mike Rabelo, Frankie De La Cruz and Burke Badenhop. Dontrelle Willis came to Motown with Cabrera.

After leaving Detroit, Andrew Miller would continue to struggle as a starter. Opposing batters hit .296 off the lefty. This led to an unsightly 5.70 career ERA when starting ballgames.

A transition to the bullpen has done wonders for the talented former Tiger. Since making the switch to relief full time in 2012, the lefty has developed into one of the game’s premier relievers. He’s closed 43 games while posting a 2.19 FIP and 330 strikeouts in only 210.2 innings pitched split between the Red Sox, Orioles and Yankees.

4. Cameron Maybin, CF 2005

With a miniscule 1.71 FIP since the start of 2014, one could make the argument that Miller has been more of an impact player as of late, but Maybin has been much more consistent over the course of his career.  What’s more, the outfielder’s 9.6 lifetime WAR is more than three times higher than the pitcher’s 3.0 WAR.

Since leaving Detroit, Maybin has played for three different teams, the Marlins, Padres and Braves. In three years with Florida, the 29-year-old hit .257 with 43 RBI, 21 doubles, 14 stolen baes, 12 home runs and five triples

However, he was never able to play more than 82 games in a season, and was dealt to San Diego before 2011. Maybin showed off his potential in 2011 and 2012 with the Padres, posting a .253 batting average and averaging 42 RBI, 22 doubles, 33 stolen bases, eight home runs and six triples per seasons.

He continued to show promise with Atlanta last season, stuffing the stat sheet with 59 RBI, 23 stolen bases, 18 doubles, 10 home runs and a pair of triples.

Al Avila acquired him in what could turn out to be a steal. The relatively new Tigers general manager flipped Ian Krol—he of a 5.18 FIP in 60.2 innings for Detroit—and Single-A pitcher Gabe Speier to Atlanta for Maybin.

The center fielder has been slowed by injuries in the early going, but made his debut on Monday. During that game, the 29-year-old went 2-for-2 with a walk, a run and a stolen base. He also provided capable defense in the cavernous Comerica Park.

Maybin will add a much-needed base running threat to the Tigers lineup, not to mention a steady defensive presence in center field.

3. Nick Castellanos, 3B 2010

When the Detroit Tigers drafted Nick Castellanos with the 44^th-overall pick in the 2010 draft, there was never any doubt that the third baseman could hit.

Castellanos immediately made good on his promise, hitting .303 in 410 career minor league games.

After a brief cup of coffee in 2013 that saw him hit .278 in 18 plate appearances, the 24-year-old logged his first full season at the Major League debut in 2014.

During that campaign, Castellanos finished managed a .259 batting average to go along with 66 RBI, 31 doubles, 11 home runs and four triples. The 2015 season saw the Florida native makes strides as he upped his total numbers of doubles (33), triples (six), home runs (15) and RBI (73). His batting average dropped to .255, but the former outfielder did up his OPS from .700 to .721.

So far this season, Nick Castellanos is making good on his exciting potential. The third baseman currently leads the American League with a stellar .348 batting average. His .984 OPS isn’t too shabby either.

In just 36 games, Castellanos has 30 RBI, which is nine more than any other hitter in the Detroit batting order.

1.  Justin Verlander, SP 2004

Perhaps it is fitting that the Tigers’ highest draft pick this century has also been the best.

Justin Verlander has been everything a team would want out of a top draft pick.

Only 33-years-old and already with a Hall of Fame-worthy resume, Verlander has been excellent in a Detroit uniform.

During his first full season in the big leagues, the right-hander won 17 games while pitching to a 3.63 ERA. He helped Detroit to the franchise’s first World Series appearance since 1984.

The man referred to by many as “JV” has, among other things, led the Tigers to another World Series appearance since 2006.

In addition to leading Detroit to American League titles in both 2006 and 2012, Verlander became the first pitcher since 1992 to win an MVP award when he went 24-5 with a 2.40 ERA and 250 strikeouts in 251 innings pitched.

That season, the righty led the league in wins, ERA, games started, innings pitched, strikeouts, WHIP and hits per nine innings.

Verlander also won the Cy Young award and also became the second American League pitcher this century to win the pitching Triple Crown.

The ace’s resume also includes six All-Star game appearances, two no-hitters and the 2006 Rookie of the Year trophy. To top it all off, Verlander became a lights-out starter in the playoffs. He held the A’s and Yankees to three combined runs en route to the 2012 World Series, while also limiting the A’s and Red Sox to just one run in 23 innings in 2013.

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The longtime Detroit Tigers pitcher is only 2-4 with a 4.71 ERA this season, but he’s been dominant in his last two starts, posting a 0.60 ERA and 17 strikeouts in 15 innings pitched.