3 pitching names Tigers should target after first round of 2026 MLB Draft

The Tigers currently hold the No. 22 overall selection in the 2026 MLB Draft, but Detroit’s most interesting draft decisions may actually come after the first round. According to MLB’s released slot values and bonus pools, the Tigers are working with a roughly $8 million draft pool and currently hold picks No. 22, No. 61, No. 69, No. 98 and No. 128 through the first five rounds. That matters because Detroit suddenly has flexibility.

The Tigers have spent the last several drafts building one of baseball’s more athletic collections of young position-player talent, and recent mock drafts connecting Detroit to prep bats like Aiden Ruiz or Trevor Condon still align with the organization’s identity. But once the Tigers move beyond that first-round selection, this draft feels like an opportunity to begin balancing the system differently.

Max Clark, Kevin McGonigle, Bryce Rainer and Josue Briceño have already helped establish a legitimate offensive foundation throughout the farm system. Now the challenge becomes pairing that young core with enough pitching ceiling to sustain contention long term. And honestly, Detroit’s extra selections after the first round may create the perfect opportunity to do exactly that.

How the Tigers could attack pitching upside after the first round

The Tigers currently hold several opportunities to get creative throughout the middle portion of the draft, especially if they continue leaning into athletic traits and developmental upside the way they have in recent years.

Detroit has earned enough credibility recently that it can now take calculated risks on pitchers with loud traits, unusual movement profiles or developmental volatility because the organization finally looks equipped to support those bets long term.

Mason Edwards, LHP, USC

USC left-hander Mason Edwards feels like one of the cleaner organizational fits if he somehow slides slightly beyond the range where some evaluators currently project him. Edwards has become one of the fastest-rising pitchers in college baseball after piling up strikeouts throughout the spring, and his fastball characteristics combined with the deception in the delivery create legitimate swing-and-miss upside.

There is some reliever risk attached to the profile because of the effort in his mechanics, which could ultimately push him down certain draft boards. But those are exactly the types of talent-versus-risk conversations teams like Detroit may now be positioned to capitalize on if the board breaks correctly.

Tegan Kuhns, RHP, Tennessee

Tennessee right-hander Tegan Kuhns is another name Tigers fans should monitor if the organization prioritizes ceiling over polish. Kuhns carries some developmental questions, but the pure arm talent is difficult to ignore. His second-half rise this spring has pushed him firmly into the conversation among the better college arms in the class, and evaluators continue pointing toward the raw traits that could become even more dangerous inside a professional development system.

For a Tigers organization that suddenly has legitimate offensive infrastructure throughout the farm system, targeting another power arm with upside may make more sense now than forcing another prep bat simply because of organizational philosophy.

Ethan Armstrong, RHP, Michigan commit

Then there is an intriguing in-state option who may make a tremendous amount of sense for Detroit somewhere in the compensation or second-round range: Ethan Armstrong.

Armstrong, the top-ranked right-handed pitcher in Michigan’s 2026 class and a Michigan commit, may not yet carry the national draft hype of some larger showcase names, but the upside becomes obvious once you see him in person.

The 6'3", 215 lb., three-sport standout trains at Stevens Complex, DJ LeMahieu’s baseball facility, and works with pitching coach Mike Steele. What immediately separates Armstrong is not simply velocity, but the advanced feel for shaping the baseball at such a young age.

Armstrong already shows the ability to manipulate multiple breaking-ball shapes from the same arm slot, generating roughly 14-to-15 inches of horizontal movement on the slider while also creating nearly 15 inches of downward break on the curveball. At the same time, he can maintain approximately 17-to-20 inches of induced vertical break on the fastball, giving him multiple movement profiles without sacrificing arm speed or athleticism. There is also emerging feel for a fourth pitch in the changeup, which becomes important when projecting long-term starter traits rather than simply short-burst velocity.

And physically, Armstrong already looks much more mature than many prep pitchers his age. He gets to his velocity easily, maintains it deep into outings — even through the 85-pitch range — and carries himself with the kind of calm, repeatable athleticism that often translates well into professional baseball.

That combination creates a fascinating profile because Armstrong arguably offers both floor and ceiling. He is not an overly taxed showcase arm with massive mileage already attached to him, and coming from the north, there is still developmental runway remaining physically and mechanically.

That does not guarantee anything, of course. High school pitchers always carry volatility, and Detroit has generally leaned more heavily toward hitters early in recent drafts for exactly that reason. Still, the Tigers’ organizational timeline is changing.

Detroit no longer needs to force athleticism into the system because it already built that foundation. Now the challenge becomes pairing that young offensive core with enough pitching upside to sustain contention long term. And if this draft becomes the point where Detroit starts leaning more aggressively into ceiling on the mound after the first round, it would make a lot of sense.

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