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.

SS Zach Neto, Campbell

The Tigers passed on their potential shortstop of the future in Marcelo Mayer last year, but luckily they have another chance to get that this year in Campbell’s Zach Neto.

He slashed a gaudy .403/.500/.751 in three seasons with the Camels, and will more than likely become the first player to be drafted in the first round to come out of Campbell. He’s an aggressive player, both with the bat and on the basepaths. He also has quick hands at shortstop.

Neto has a big leg kick that whoever drafts him may need to work on as he sees higher velocity in pro ball. Pipeline has more on all the moving parts in his swing:

“Neto has an unconventional setup with a huge leg kick that includes a pause and an uphill right-handed swing, but he has the exceptional hand-eye coordination to make it work. He looks to drive balls in the air to his pull side yet makes consistent contact despite his approach. He has at least solid bat speed and constantly gets into good position to do damage.”

Due to his aggressive nature, Neto has drawn comparisons to current Tigers shortstop Javier Baez. While that may leave a sour taste in fans’ mouths, he has shown much more plate discipline than Baez, walking 39 times this season compared to just 19 strikeouts.

While there would be concerns about the Tigers’ ability to work on Neto’s leg kick, he would still be a welcome addition to their farm system. Getting a shortstop with this year’s first rounder may help ease the pain of last year’s draft.

LHP Connor Prielipp, Alabama

Get ready, Tigers fans, because this could be the pick.

Rumor has it

that Detroit is planning on selecting the Bama lefty when their pick comes around on Sunday. Before you take out your pitch forks, let’s see what Prielipp has to offer.

All of his pitches are above average, with his slider being absolutely devastating. It has a max spin rate that exceeds 3,000 RPM according to MLB.com. The fastball usually sits in the low 90s and touches 95, but it could see an uptick with his newly reconstructed elbow.

Oh yeah, he’s coming off Tommy John surgery. That seems important. He had it after making just one start in 2021. He went under the knife last May, so he should be close to making a full recovery, which is obviously good.

He pitched in the draft combine last month, and scouts said his stuff was back according to MLB Pipeline. He had the potential to go 1:1 in this draft if not for the injuries. If the Detroit Tigers do decide to go with another arm at the top of the draft, going the college route would be the way to go.

If his stuff is as good as advertised, and his rehab process is about finished, then this wouldn’t be a terrible pick, especially considering the fact the Detroit Tigers excel at pitching development. Given the amount of injuries to Detroit’s pitching staff this year, it may not be that outlandish to take Prielipp.

RHP Brock Porter, Orchard Lake St. Mary’s High School (Michigan)

If the last scenario didn’t trigger you, then surely this one will. Naturally, the Tigers have been linked to Porter all throughout the draft process, and it makes sense. A local kid with good stuff, big velocity and 6-4 208 lb frame sounds almost too good to be true.

But Tigers fans could not take the team selecting another high school arm in the first round. They would riot. He might be the best prep arm in the class, but fans likely won’t be having any of that.

Fangraphs offers the following profile on Porter, comparing him to former All-Star Ubaldo Jimenez:

“The super loose, lanky Porter has significant physical projection even though he’ll be 19 on draft day, and he has among the best present arm strength in the high school class, sitting 93-96 with explosive life in short outings. He also has a tailing, plus changeup that induces embarrassing swings from high school hitters trying to cheat to catch his fastball. While his breaking ball seems to deceive hitters out of the hand, it doesn’t have consistent finish and often sails on Porter. Its shape is promising, though. Breaking ball polish will give Porter a mid-rotation starter’s repertoire. He shares some mechanical similarities with Ubaldo Jiménez, especially his stride direction, and this creates some relief risk. But while his delivery is intense, it also makes it clear just how flexible and athletic Porter is, and we’re more optimistic about him starting than most pitchers who exhibit this level of mechanical violence and effort.”

The delivery is a slight concern, as it could easily lead to injury, but hopefully the Tigers could fix that should they take a flyer on him. His athletic ability makes him just as intriguing as his stuff.

Porter is still being linked to the Tigers as of yesterday, when MLB Pipeline’s Jonathan Mayo mocked him to them. He also lists several other names that the Tigers have been linked to, including three other players on this list.

The Detroit Tigers are in a position to let the best player available fall to them. The key for them is going to be making sure the correct player is the best one.