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

#5 Joe Jimenez
Age: 22
Position: Relief Pitcher
2016 Minor League Affiliate: Toledo Mud Hens

The hype surrounding Joe Jimenez has been building for years.

After signing with Detroit in 2013, Jimenez made an instant impact in the Gulf Coast League.

In just 18 innings, the reliever struck out 24 batters while allowing only nine hits, six walks and one run.

The 2014 season saw the pitcher see action in the New York-Pennsylvania League. In said new league, Jimenez continued to dominate, with 13.8 strikeouts per nine innings and a 2.70 ERA.

A 2015 promotion to Single-A West Michigan saw Jimenez continue to post eye-popping numbers.

The right-handed pitcher turned in a sparkling 1.47 ERA, allowing just seven earned runs in 40 appearances. Additionally, the 2015 campaign saw Jimenez strike out 61 hitters while walking just 11.

At that point, the 22-year-old was a few years away from being ready for the Majors.

Things changed in 2016.

Jimenez pitched in 53.2 innings across three different stops—Advanced-A Lakeland, Double-A Erie and Triple-A Toledo.

True to form, he continued to post numbers in the ERA category of the stat sheet while striking out batters left and right.

All told, Jimenez had a 1.51 ERA and 13.1 strikeouts per nine innings last season. He also finished 52 games while racking up 30 saves.

What is perhaps most encouraging about the prospect career so far is that he’s allowed just 40 walks and four home runs as a professional pitcher.

Potential Future Role with the Detroit Tigers

A closer for most of his minor league career, Jimenez seems destined to eventually take over for Francisco Rodriguez at the back end of Detroit’s bullpen.

That obviously won’t happen right away, but the right-hander’s ability to miss bats with an excellent fastball-slider combination should set him up for a successful career with plenty of saves.

#4 Kyle Funkhouser
Age: 22
Position: Starting Pitcher
2016 Minor League Affiliate: Connecticut Tigers

Joe Jimenez could have very well ranked fourth thanks to his high ceiling.

However, the reality remains that if both reach their potential, Funkhouser will have more of an opportunity to make an impact considering he’s a starter.

A former first-round pick of the Los Angeles Dodgers in 2015, the right-hander fell to Detroit in the fourth-round of the 2016 draft.

Considering the Tigers had to surrender their second and third-round picks to sign Jordan Zimmermann and Justin Upton, the team did well to nab a promising talent in the fourth round.

A starting pitcher by trade, Funkhouser also mixes in a slider and a changeup to go along with his fastball.

The Louisville product is a few years away from being ready for the Majors, but he showed promise in his first professional action.

Over 13 starts (37.1 innings), Funkhouser pitched to a 2.65 ERA while striking out 34 batters. He only walked eight.

Obviously numbers in the low minors aren’t everything, but Funkhouser did well to miss bats and limit walks early.

Potential Future Role with the Detroit Tigers

From Matt Manning and Spencer Turnbull to Sandy Baez and Tyler Alexander, the Tigers have plenty of intriguing young arms coming through the ranks.

There will be plenty of competition for rotation spots in the future, as Justin Verlander, Fulmer, Boyd, Norris and Jordan Zimmermann also look set to stick around for the long haul.

However, expect to Funkhouser to eventually be in the mix.

A first-round talent, the right-hander could thrive in Detroit’s rotation.

#3 Beau Burrows
Age: 20
Position: Starting Pitcher
2016 Minor League Affiliate: West Michigan Whitecaps

The Detroit Tigers first-round pick in 2015, Beau Burrows is already showing plenty of promise.

In his first 10 appearances as a professional in 2015, the right-hander posted a 1.61 ERA and 10.6 strikeouts per nine innings.

What’s more, he only allowed 5.8 hits and 3.5 walks per nine frames with Detroit’s Gulf Coast League team.

Only 20-years-old, the right-hander is already at West Michigan, where he pitched to a 3.15 ERA while allowing just 30 walks in 97 innings.

Like many pitchers spread across the Tigers minor league affiliates, Burrows is a hard-throwing prospect.

Armed with a mid-90s fastball, a promising curveball and a solid changeup, the right-hander is one of Detroit’s best future starters.

Potential Future Role with the Detroit Tigers

Similar to Funkhouser, expect Burrows to be part of the Tigers rotation mix, regardless of the other candidates.

The right-hander could help form a potentially excellent staff teeming with hard-throwing pitchers.

Manning, Fulmer and Sandy Baez can all light up a radar gun from a starting standpoint.

Next: Long-Term Replacements for Detroit's Veteran's

Additionally, many of the team’s best relief prospects like Jimenez, Mark Ecker and Drew Smith, are power pitchers.