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.

2B Jace Jung, Texas Tech

Another guy that has been mocked to Detroit quite often, Jung showcases a ton of power potential. Jung is the brother of Texas Rangers prospect Josh Jung, who Jace replaced at third base after Josh was drafted eighth overall in 2019. He then transitioned to second base in 2021 and ended being the Big 12 Player of the Year that year.

Here’s what MLB Pipeline has to say about Jace Jung:

“Jung’s upright setup at the plate is unorthodox but doesn’t prevent him from destroying all types of pitches and pitchers. The left-handed hitter has no discernible weakness at the plate, drawing more walks than strikeouts in each of his first two college seasons while making repeated hard contact to all fields. His hitting ability, strength and bat speed produce home runs from foul pole to foul pole and he makes two-strike adjustments without sacrificing much power.”

Jung would be another dream scenario for the Tigers. They don’t have any prospect with the power potential that he possesses. Pipeline also thinks he could “hit .300 with 30 home runs on an annual basis.”

The question for him long term is where he’ll fit defensively. He has a below average arm that has a tendency to be erratic, which is why the Red Raiders moved him to second base last year. He might be a first baseman in the pros, which may cause him to fall a bit in the draft.

That would okay with the Detroit Tigers. Getting a bat like his would be huge for their farm system. They can figure out the defense later. As long as he hits, he’d be perfect for Detroit.

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.

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.