3 Tigers prospects who could be the next one you'll fall in love with

Taking a look around the Detroit Tigers' projected 26-man roster for the upcoming season, there's a whole lot of talent around that was drafted and developed by this organization. So frequently do we see teams acquire players via trade and then develop them. The Tigers are doing things differently.

Parker Meadows, Spencer Torkelson, Kerry Carpenter, Riley Greene, Colt Keith and Jace Jung are only some of the position players to be drafted and developed by the Tigers. Every single one of them was a well-regarded prospect on their way up the organizational totem pole.

Then, of course, there's that Tarik Skubal guy, as well as Casey Mize, on the pitching side of things. Maybe you've heard of them.

Still coming up through the ranks are the likes of Max Clark and Jackson Jobe, the latter ofwhom we got to see a tiny bit of in the big leagues at the way end of the 2024 campaign. By now, every single follower of the Tigers is well aware of them, and their prospect stock is sky-high.

But they're not the only ones looking to make an impact in Detroit soon. We're going to shine a light on the prospects who are still top-tier names, but might not be as familiar to Tigers fans. This farm system just landed in the second spot in Baseball America's latest ranking as well as third in Bleacher Report's. The stock surrounding this group is extremely high, so here are a few non-Clark and non-Jobe names to familiarize yourself with.

3 Tigers prospects who could be the next one you'll fall in love with

Jaden Hamm

Being taken in the fifth round doesn't mean you're not capable of performing like a player selected higher, but Hamm looked like a first-rounder last year at High-A West Michigan. The right-hander, in his first full season as a professional, looked utterly dominant. It's not difficult to see why he's on his way to being the "next big thing" amongst Tigers fans.

In 23 starts (and one relief appearance), Hamm went 5-4 with an impressive 2.73 ERA in 99 innings. During that time, he struck out a whopping 122 batters (11.1 K/9) and had a HR/9 of 0.7 and H/9 of 6.6. He looked like a pitcher much older and more experienced than he actually was, which deserves a huge round of applause.

A deeper look at his numbers since he went pro will show you that Hamm's 2024 performance wasn't even his first dominant showing in the Tigers system. After being drafted in 2023, he made five starts split between Rookie Ball and Low-A, failing to surrender a single earned run across 12 innings of work. He punched out 12 and walked just one during that stretch as well.

Entering 2025, the sky is the limit for Hamm. In 29 minor league appearances, he's sporting a combined 2.35 ERA and has been a strikeout machine. Don't be surprised to see him reach Triple-A in the coming season. No matter what, don't forget this name.

Thayron Liranzo

Catchers with an offensive profile like Liranzo don't grow on trees, and it's clear the Tigers got a good one. In a deal that will ultimately result in them making out like bandits, Liranzo was acquired at this past year's trade deadline for Jack Flaherty, who the Tigers re-signed this winter.

After hitting 24 home runs with 70 RBI and a .962 OPS in 2023, Liranzo followed that up with a slightly less impressive but still solid showing in 2024, hitting 12 home runs with 50 RBI and a .786 OPS split between the Tigers and Dodgers systems.

Following the trade that landed him in Detroit, Liranzo put together one hell of a 26-game stint for High-A West Michigan. He recorded 12 extra-base hits with 20 RBI while drawing more walks (26) than strikeouts (20). Anytime a player can do that, you know they can turn into something special. He also hit .315 with a 1.031 OPS during that span.

The most recent in-game action we've seen from Liranzo was his showing in the Arizona Fall League. Of course, he recorded nine extra-base hits while still walking more (11) than striking out (9) and sporting a .375/.492/.667 and 1.158 OPS.

On defense, Liranzo is athletic and has a strong throwing arm. There are times where he isn't the best pitch-framer, but his long-term position looks to be behind the plate. A switch-hitting catcher who plays decent defense and rakes with the bat is a formula that will work out nicely for all involved as Liranzo continues to develop.

Kevin McGonigle

As previously mentioned, anytime a player can draw more walks than strikeouts, you know you've got a special talent on your hands. Widely considered one of the best two or three prospects in the Tigers system (alongside Jobe and Clark), McGonigle has yet to advance above High-A, but he should shoot up the ladder this season.

Last year, the first-round pick of the 2023 draft hit .309 through 74 games between Low-A and High-A. He doesn't have much power and likely never will, but he's an incredible slap-hitter who possesses the gap power and speed to rack up doubles and triples as he develops. The fact that he went 22-for-24 in stolen base attempts really showcases the speed and base-stealing prowess he's got as well.

McGonigle rarely swings through bad pitches and has some of the best patience and pitch-recognition as you'll find in the minor leagues. He's walked 64 times and struck out just 38 times through his first 95 games as a professional, so he's basically a Luis Arraez clone with much more gap power and speed.