Detroit Tigers: 5 players they could realistically take in the first round of the 2022 MLB Draft

The Detroit Tigers are just days away from making their selection at pick 12.

The 2022 MLB Draft is just three days away, and the Detroit Tigers are likely finalizing their draft board as we speak. Since they are picking outside the top 10 for just the second time in the last seven years, it’s hard to know who they will select with the 12th overall pick.

Unlike previous years, their pick greatly depends on what direction the teams ahead of them decide to go in. They have to let the board fall to them. That being said, there are still a handful of players that are likely to be there when the Tigers pick.

This article will highlight five players Detroit could select at 12, however there are more than five players that could be the pick. Arizona catcher Daniel Susac, Pennsylvania high school shortstop Cole Young, and high school pitcher Dylan Lesko are just a few names they could potentially pick, but won’t be featured on this list. And of course, a player like LSU’s Jacob Berry could always fall to them.

The excitement (or dread, if that’s your thing) is building, and fans are eager to see who the Tigers could take in the first round. Let us not delay any further. Here are five realistic first round scenarios for the Detroit Tigers ahead of Sunday’s draft.

OF Gavin Cross, Virginia Tech

The left-handed hitting Cross is very popular name to Detroit. An outfielder who projects as a corner guy long term, he possesses one of the best bats in the class. His ability to generate high exit velocities is what makes him so intriguing, especially for a Tigers system that lacks hitters who can do that consistently.

Cross had some concerns about his plate discipline and pitch recognition coming into this year, but he seems to have alleviated some of those concerns after a great season with the Hokies in 2022. He had an OPS of 1.071 with 17 homers, and he walked 30 times compared to 37 strikeouts.

The question is whether he’ll actually fall to Detroit. Many mock drafts suggest that he could, but with a bat like his and a lack of pitching talent in this year’s draft, it’s very possible a team ahead of them scoops him up.

But if the Detroit Tigers are able land Cross, it would be a huge boost to a farm system that desperately needs impact bats and outfield depth. He should be at the top of their draft board.