4 potential breakout prospects we can't wait to watch at Tigers spring training

The Detroit Tigers will have some of their top prospects on display in spring training. According to Scott Harris, some of them will play major roles in 2026. With that, we'll see a whole host of other youngsters for the Tigers' deep farm system on display, with some having a chance to really break through and raise their profiles.

What constitutes a breakout can fall into a wide range of criteria. It could be someone who levels up a skill. It could be a young player who shows drastic improvement. Or, it could be a prospect who wasn't previously highly thought of, but now could put himself on the radar for a potential call-up at some point in 2026.

With that in mind, there are four youngsters who will be on display who have caught our eye as potential breakout players in one way or another.

Four potential breakout Tigers' prospects that will be exciting to watch in spring training

Max Anderson

Entering last season, Max Anderson was an intriguing infielder whose likely future was as a utility man. He hit extremely well at Erie, but simply held his own with a .749 OPS in Toledo.

Then, the Arizona Fall League happened. The 24-year-old finished the autumn showcase with a whopping 1.418 OPS, leading the league and besting Tigers' wunderkind Kevin McGonigle by over 200 points. You could argue that was his breakout, but a strong showing in the spring could put Anderson on the map as a potential starter at the hot corner come opening day, and/or further change the way we view his ceiling moving forward.

Ty Madden

As stacked as Detroit's system is, it's dangerously thin on pitching talent. That could pose a problem in 2026 if and when injuries pile up, and could become a grave concern in 2027 when Tarik Skubal, Jack Flaherty, and Casey Mize all hit free agency.

Enter Ty Madden. The 26-year-old had looked like a real riser, posting impressive strikeout rates and manageable walk rates throughout his minor league career, until he reached Triple-A in 2024. In Toledo, the righty posted a 6.98 ERA, but still got some major league experience, tossing 23 innings that came mostly in relief.

The Tigers were hoping Madden would make a leap last spring, but a rotator cuff injury cost him the entire 2025 campaign. We can't wait to see if he looks healthy and can get back on track for another shot at some point this season, and a chance to prove he can be a rotation staple in 2027.

Eduardo Valencia

Speaking of the oft-injured, Eduardo Valencia has had a tough time staying on the field since he was signed out of Venezuela for just $10,000 back in 2018. However, his injury luck changed last season as he managed 103 games played, split nearly evenly between Erie and Toledo. A bat-first catcher, who actually logged more time at first base than behind the dish, he hit. A lot. A .311/.382/.559 line and 24 homers definitely turned some heads.

Still, Valencia is overlooked because of the presence of Josue Briceño and Thayron Liranzo as backstops in the system. The 26-year-old is likely ticketed for the cold corner full-time, and a strong showing here could threaten Spencer Torkelson should he turn into a pumpkin again.

Dylan Smith

Dylan Smith rose an incredible four levels last season, beginning his year in High-A West Michigan and getting all the way up to the majors, where he threw 13 innings. A former starting pitcher, he pitched his first season as a reliever in 2025, and there were positive developments. In the minors, he posted a 37.7% strikeout rate and a 2.27 ERA. When he got to the bigs, those strikeouts evaporated, shooting down to a 8.3% clip in the abbreviated sample.

Given the volatility we saw from Tigers relievers last season, plus the multitude of optionable arms in Detroit's bullpen mix, Smith showing he can do to big league hitters what he did to minor league ones this spring could make him a dark horse for a bullpen role, or at least put him on the map for a call-up later on in the season.