Detroit Tigers top 20 prospects following 2017 MLB Draft

#15 Outfielder Rey Rivera

Current minor league affiliate: Short-season Single-A Connecticut Tigers

Detroit’s second-round pick has some serious power, and could be a fixture in the middle of the Tigers order in the future.

Baseball America’s Hudson Belinsky tweeted the following about Rivera on June 12:

"“#Tigers will take Chipola 1B Reynaldo Rivera. After the JC WS, one evaluator said Rivera was the best JC hitter he had ever seen.”"

That tweet should obviously be taken with a grain of salt because it is just one individual’s opinion. However, it speaks to Rivera’s upside and ability as a hitter if he was able to draw that kind of praise.

The prospect is already off to a strong start with Connecticut, collecting six walks, four runs scored, three RBI and two doubles in 27 plate appearances.

It isn’t hard to Imagine Rivera hitting in the middle of the Detroit Tigers’ lineup with another power hitter with an eye for drawing walks in Christin Stewart.

#14 Relief pitcher Mark Ecker

Current minor league affiliate: Advanced-A Lakeland Flying Tigers

Armed with a three-itch arsenal that includes a blazing fastball and a solid slider and changeup.

Ecker has done nothing but miss bats so far in the minors. His career punch out-per-nine rate is 11.3.

This year’s numbers look even better for the right-hander, as he’s struck out 42 of the 129 batters he’s faced in 30.1 frames. That ends up at 12.5 strikeouts per nine innings.

In his 30.1 frames with the Flying Tigers, Ecker has only allowed just 13 walks, 12 earned runs and a home run.

The fact that he’s notched 14 saves in 46 professional appearances certainly doesn’t hurt in terms of being a potential closer in the future.