Detroit Tigers Top 20 Prospects: No. 10 Izaac Pacheco

Our top 20 countdown of best Detroit Tigers prospects right now continues with number 10 Izaac Pacheco.

These rankings were determined collaboratively by the Motor City Bengals staff, and I strongly recommend you check out some of the other Detroit Tigers prospect posts as well, so that you can sound really smart with your buddies when say, Reese Olson or Gage Workman gets called up.

Who is Izaac Pacheco?

Pacheco was drafted by the Tigers in the 2021 MLB First-Year Player Draft in the 2nd round, 39th overall. Prior to the draft, MLB.com had Pacheco ranked 30th overall out of all the prospects heading into the draft.

Scouting Report

The Friendswood, Texas native stands 6′ 4″, weighing in at 225 pounds. That’s a solid 19-year-old right there.

The left-handed hitting Pacheco currently lines up at shortstop, but there’s a feeling he may wind up migrating to third base.

Pacheco’s senior year at Friendswood High School saw its stat line carry a .543 and an OPS of 1.611.

Baseball America scouted Pacheco as a lefty bat with power with some swing and miss concerns. They also note that he shows good vision at the plate, and may carry a solid OPS as he grows in the minors, despite a lower batting average. Scouts also range on where he will be a fit on the diamond. As mentioned above, some scouts feel a move to third will benefit Pacheco, and he could blossom into a wonderful defensive third baseman. Other scouts see Pacheco as a corner outfielder or first baseman. If Pacheco can indeed find multiple positions to work on his craft effectively, it will only help his case for a call up to the Tigers in a few years.

2022 Projection

In his first half season of pro ball, Pacheco had an OPS of .669 in 125 plate appearances for the Detroit Tigers Gulf Coast West squad. I imagine he’ll start out at low A, or even continue rookie ball this year as the minor leagues eventually get under way. There’s no need to rush his development, especially with the major league club locked in at third, first base and shortstop for the next few years, at least.

I see Pacheco really getting consideration to get called up around 2024, even 2025 the earliest. If in two years’ time Javier Baez opts out, or the team moves on from Jeimer Candelario, it might expedite this process for Pacheco if he’s able to show consistent growth.

One thing is for sure, Pacheco doesn’t lack confidence. Just ask Jackson Jobe.