Detroit Tigers 2021 MLB Draft: Rounds 11-15

The Detroit Tigers spent 8 of their first 11 picks on pitching, so it figured they might go for more position players on Day Three. And that’s exactly what happened, with their first three picks of the day playing on the infield in some capacity.

Then they went right back to the arms.

Let’s take a closer look at who the Tigers landed in rounds 11-15

Detroit Tigers 11th Round Pick – Josh Crouch – C – Central Florida

It was inevitable the Detroit Tigers would take a catcher at some point on Day Three, and they wasted little time. They took Josh Crouch, a 22-year-old backstop who bounced around a bit in college. A native of Sebring, Florida, he was committed to Florida International University but began his college career at the State College of Florida, Manatee-Sarasota, where he hit .290 with 12 home runs in 101 games over two seasons. He transferred to UCF in 2020 but saw action in just 11 games before the season was canceled. He had a strong senior season in 2021, though, batting .311 with 15 home runs.

Josh Crouch Stats

Detroit Tigers 12th Round Pick – Michael Rothenberg – C – Duke

Why take one college catcher when you can draft two at twice the price? Michael Rothenberg has been a four-year contributor at Duke. He had a solid sophomore campaign for the Blue Devils and got off to a great start in 2020, but he went undrafted and had a tough senior year. He’s a switch-hitter with above-average raw pop from both sides of the plate and a strong arm, but there are serious questions about his pure hitting ability and his chances of sticking behind the plate.

Michael Rothenberg Stats

Detroit Tigers 13th Round Pick – Chris Meyers – 3B – University of Toledo

The Detroit Tigers took a quick trip down I-75 to land their 13th rounder Chris Meyers. He’s a big (6’3, 210) infielder with solid athleticism, a little bit of thump in his lefty bat, and a strong arm. Meyers put up pedestrian numbers in his first two seasons, but he was off to a solid start in 2020 before the season was canned. He exploded in 2021, batting .378/.509/.739 to earn MAC Player of the Year honors. Meyers has also seen some time on the mound, getting three starts for the Rockets this year, but he owns a career 10.32 ERA in just 11.1 college innings.

Chris Meyers Stats

Detroit Tigers 14th Round Pick – RJ Petit – RHP – Charleston Southern

The run on position players ends here as the Tigers take massive right-hander RJ Petit. A reliever for most of his first two seasons in Charleston, the 6’9, 300 lb. South Carolina native moved to the rotation full time in 2021 and posted solid numbers. His fastball sits in the low-90s, but as you see above he can touch 97MPH. He also throws a low-80s slider and an iffy changeup, but he doesn’t miss a ton of bats, and he’s likely best suited for a bullpen role in pro ball.

RJ Petit Stats

Detroit Tigers 15th Round Pick – Blake Holub – RHP – St. Edward’s (TX)

A two-way player for all four years at Division II St. Edward’s in Austin, Texas, the Tigers drafted Blake Holub as a pitcher. The Houston native is sturdy 6’6, 230 lbs and has shown a starter’s arsenal on the mound as well as some decent extra-base power at the plate. The Tigers may hope they can tease out a bit more velocity once he starts focusing on pitching full time.

Blake Holub Pitching Stats

Blake Holub Batting Stats