Detroit Tigers minor league tools series: Best Power

Detroit Tigers Best Power Tools: Numbers 3 and 2

3 – Kody Clemens – 2B/RF

Detroit Tigers fans may have a bit of prospect fatigue when it comes to Kody Clemens. A 3rd round pick in 2018, Clemens turns 26 next May and was just added to the team’s 40-man roster last month. But his slow ascent to the big leagues might have obscured some real progress last season. Clemens kept his strikeout rate in a reasonable range (22.8%), showed better results against left-handed pitching (.796 OPS) than in 2019, and finally hit for the kind of power (18HR, .220 ISO) that got him drafted in the first place. Clemens is unlikely to hit for a high average, but he makes enough contact to take advantage of his above-average pop, and he can go deep to any part of the field.

2 – Riley Greene – OF

Riley Greene graced the top of our best hitters list, and he comes close to the top of the power list too, thanks to his ability to make consistent, hard contact. Greene swings with the intent to do damage, and when he squares up the ball he does things few others can — this line drive double from spring training is the hardest hit by a Tigers batter since at least 2015. Greene can launch in any direction, against any kind of pitch, and against any kind of pitcher (he hit .368/.466/.574 against lefties last year). He’s bound to have some growing pains as he acclimates to MLB hurlers, but Greene has legitimate plus game power that should allow him to hit 20+ home runs annually, and 30 or more during his peak seasons.