Analyzing the last ten Detroit Tigers drafts

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DETROIT, MI – OCTOBER 04: Rick Porcello #48 of the Detroit Tigers pitches in the second inning of Game Four of the American League Divison Series against the New York Yankees at Comerica Park on October 4, 2011 in Detroit, Michigan. The Yankees defeated the Tigers 10-1. (Photo by Leon Halip/Getty Images) /

The Detroit Tigers used their first pick in 2007 on high school right-hander Rick Porcello. Porcello ascended rapidly through the minor leagues, making the opening day starting rotation in 2009 as a 20-year-old. He went 14-9 with a 3.96 ERA, finishing third in Rookie of the Year voting.

From 2010-2013, Porcello was a slightly below average, yet durable, starter for the Tigers. He went 47-41 with a 4.64 ERA, a 1.40 WHIP and a 90 ERA+. His low 5.6 K/9 and high 10.4 H/9 kept him from being anything more than a back-end starter.

2014 was Porcello’s most successful year in the Motor City. He posted the lowest walk-rate, hit-rate and WHIP of his career up to that point. That led to a tidy 3.43 ERA. He also had a league leading three shutouts, to date the only three of his career.

Porcello was flipped after the season to the Boston Red Sox in exchange for superstar slugger Yoenis Cespedes and reliever Alex Wilson.

He struggled his first year in Boston, but more than made up for it by winning the Cy Young award in 2016 with a 22-4 record and a 3.15 ERA. Although his win was controversial (many felt Justin Verlander deserved the award) there is no doubt that Porcello was a successful first round pick by the Tigers.

The rest of the 2007 draft was underwhelming, with Danny Worth, Luke Putkonen, Charlie Furbush and Casey Crosby all playing sparingly in the major leagues.

Colorado Rockies second baseman DJ LeMahieu was drafted by the Tigers in the 41st round out of high school, but did not sign.

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