Detroit Tigers: A postseason review of the 2018 draft class

The 2018 MLB Draft will be pivotal for the Detroit Tigers in their quest to bring a championship back to the Motor City.

The Detroit Tigers used the first overall pick in the 2018 MLB draft to select Auburn right-hander Casey Mize. While he is the most important player in Detroit’s quest to rebuild a championship team, the 2018 class has plenty of other critical pieces to an eventual championship.

Parker Meadows and Kody Clemens both look the part of future big league regulars. Adam Wolf and Tarik Skubal are two solid left-handed pitchers, and Brock Deatherage has impressed everyone after getting selected in the tenth round.

Here is a look at the entire 2018 draft class, top to bottom, and how they fared in their first taste of professional baseball. As one might expect, many of the lower round players didn’t impress too much in their brief minor league showing. Players selected past the 20th round have to really strut their stuff if they want to be invited back in 2019.

While there are plenty of lower round guys who did look good, most have seen the end of their brief professional career. Another note: The Tigers signed 38 of their 40 draft picks, with picks in rounds 38 and 39 choosing to go to college instead.

Round 24: Zach Malis, 3B

Malis showed a lot of positional versatility down in the GCL, but his .202 average and 22 strikeouts in 89 at-bats could spell the end of his career.

Round 23: Jordan Verdon, 3B

Verdon also showed a lot of positional versatility, but he hit a slightly better .250 with strong plate discipline, and made it all the way to a two-game cameo at Lakeland. Expect to see him in Connecticut or West Michigan to begin 2019.

Round 22: Maddux Conger, P

Conger only appeared in eight games in the GCL, but he was effective – posting a 1.93 ERA and a 1.00 WHIP with a tidy 39/8 K/BB ratio in 28 innings of work. Expect to see him reach the full-season leagues in 2019.

Round 21: John Valente, 3B

A four-year stud at St. John’s, Valente absolutely raked across three levels for the Tigers. He hit .344 in rookie ball, .333 at West Michigan and .571 (4-for-7) with High-A Lakeland. Valente was far older than most of the competition he faced, so he will need to prove he can keep the solid production up when he reaches the higher levels.

Round 20: Kelvin Smith, SS

Smith signed with the Tigers as a 20th rounder out of High School, but managed to hit just .202 in the GCL. He did blast two home runs and steal nine bases, so the Tigers will likely maintain patience with the young infielder.

Round 19: Angel Reyes, RHP

Reyes posted a 2.84 ERA between rookie ball and Connecticut, but he walked 17 batters in 25.1 innings, a major cause for concern.

Round 18: Ethan DeCaster, RHP

DeCaster we touched on in a separate post, but the right-handed reliever has serious big league potential after posting an 0.84 ERA and a 39/6 K/BB ratio across four levels.

Round 17: Avery Tuck, OF

Tuck struck out 55 times in 109 at-bats in the GCL, a good sign that his professional career could be coming to a close.

Round 16: Dayton Dugas, CF

Dugas spent most of his first season in short-season, slashing just .230/.275/.361 with three home runs and two seals. He’ll need to show more consistent on base skills if he wants to stick around. 51 strikeouts in 137 at-bats is very concerning.

Round 15: Nick Ames, 1B

Ames was a known slugger at UNLV when Detroit snagged him, and he proceeded to hit nine home runs in just 48 games between rookie ball and short-season. His high strikeout totals may prevent him from advancing too far, but if he can keep that in check he could be a nice piece.

Round 14: Luke Sherley, SS

Sherley showed off some nice defensive skills last season, split between A/A-. However, his .201 average and one home run won’t hold up even if his defense remains elite.

Round 13: Chris Proctor, C

Proctor managed to slash just .115/.189/.167 in 33 games, spent mostly with West Michigan. He has a long way to go if he wants to stick around.

Round 12: Reece Hampton, CF

Hampton also got his own post, showing off nice speed and defensive skills in center field after getting drafted. His .242 batting average isn’t ideal, but he has great patience at the plate which helped him advance to A-Ball, where he will likely begin 2019.

Round 11: Kacey Murphy, SP

A left-hander from Arkansas, Murphy went 1-2 with a 5.21 ERA and 1.37 WHIP between short-season and rookie ball. He’ll likely get a fairly long leash though, and should begin next season in Connecticut.

Round 10: Brock Deatherage, OF

One of the most popular draftees, Deatherage cruised up to Lakeland and finished his first campaign slashing .326/.385/.504 with seven home runs and 19 stolen bases in just 60 games. He is quickly showing up on Tigers top 50 lists, and is an important name to watch going forward.

Round 9: Tarik Skubal, LHP

An injury shut Skubal down early, but the left-hander posted an electric 0.40 ERA and 33/4 K/BB ratio in just 22.1 innings after getting drafted. His arm action, size and the fact that he pitches from the left side could make him a quick-to-the-bigs LOOGY if he can maintain this success against higher level opponents.

Round 8: Jeremiah Burks, SS

Burks didn’t show much after getting selected in the eighth round, slashing just .223/.327/.354 between the GCL and short-season Connecticut. The middle infielder will need to cut down on the strikeouts if he wants to stick around in a crowded middle infield situation on Detroit’s farm.

Round 7: Eric De La Rosa, OF

De La Rosa showed off the speed that scouts raved about when he was drafted, swiping 13 bases on 15 attempts. However, his .232 average and 69 strikeouts in 190 at-bats is definitely less than ideal. He’ll need to improve on that soon if he wants to avoid getting lost in the Tigers outfield shuffle.

Round 6: Hugh Smith, RHP

The Tigers shut Hugh Smith down after he threw a lot of innings at DIII Whitworth University. The six-foot-ten right-hander with a blazing fastball will be one of the most intriguing prospects to watch as next season gets underway.

Round 5: Adam Wolf, LHP

Yet another prospect who got his own post, Wolf made 10 starts with Connecticut and posted a 2.67 ERA, a 1.08 WHIP and a nice 27/8 K/BB ratio in 30.1 innings. He profiles as a nice back end of the rotation starter, and could move quickly through the minors thanks to high pitchability and a durable frame.

Round 4: Kingston Liniak, CF

One of the most intriguing of Detroit’s 2018 prospects, Liniak struggled in his first taste of professional pitching. He struck out 63 times in just 200 at-bats, most spent in the GCL. At just 18, the Tigers will be plenty patient with their fourth-rounder.

Round 3: Kody Clemens, 2B

Clemens acclimated himself quite nicely to the professional ranks, hitting .302/.387/.477 at West Michigan before making an 11 game cameo at High-A Lakeland. Clemens is 22 and has already shown excellent polish at the keystone, and could be a quick to the big leagues position prospect for Al Avila and the Detroit Tigers.

Round 2: Parker Meadows, OF

Toolsy outfielders was a bit part of Avila’s draft strategy, and the prize in that department was high schooler Parker Meadows. Meadows hit .290/.377/.473 with four home runs and three steals in just 28 games, showing off the power, speed and plate discipline that make him one of Detroit’s most exciting prospects.

Round 1: Casey Mize, RHP

A future top of the rotation ace, Mize only made five starts after getting drafted, as a way to make sure his arm stayed fresh. He made four of them with High-A Lakeland, posting a 4.63 ERA and a 1.28 WHIP. Mize will be one of the most talked about prospects in all of baseball next season.

The 2018 draft class will be crucial in helping the Detroit Tigers get out of this rebuild and back into contention in the AL Central.