6 Tigers prospects who will steal jobs on the MLB roster in 2026

One of the strengths of the Detroit Tigers' organization is its farm system, both in terms of top-end talent and depth. As Scott Harris has made clear, the youngsters will be an integral part of the 2026 club.

The good news is that there is some immense talent knocking on the door that could fill some of the Tigers' biggest holes nicely, but even beyond that there are some prospects who may challenge down the road should some veteran pieces struggle.

Outside of Detroit's core nucleus, no one on the roster should feel safe, as there are more than a handful of farmhands who will be gunning for big league jobs at some point in 2026.

6 Detroit Tigers prospects ready to make impact on MLB roster

The cream of the crop: Kevin McGonigle and Max Clark

The two crown jewels of Detroit's farm system, Kevin McGonigle (No. 2) and Max Clark (No. 8), are both top-10 prospects in all of baseball and have eyes on big league debuts in 2026 despite being just 21 and 20 years old, respectively.

McGonigle raced from Single-A to High-A to Double-A in 2025 and slashed a combined .305/.408/.583 in 88 games. A shortstop by trade, his glove work is questionable, with some believing that second base will be his final home. The Tigers have him in the Arizona Fall League, taking reps at third base to see if that sticks as well.

The speedy center fielder Clark began his 2025 campaign at High-A West Michigan and posted a .285/.430/.427 line while there, walking more often than he struck out. His promotion to Double-A Erie saw his walks drop a tad and a slight uptick in strikeouts, but overall his plate discipline was still exceptional as he hit .251/.360/.439 at the more advanced level.

Outside of first base, the Tigers' infield picture is hazy at best, meaning that a spot between second, third, and short is McGonigle's for the taking. The only question is which. As for Clark, continued struggles from Parker Meadows could allow him to steal the center field job, and if that doesn't do it then the eventual Meadows IL stint will.

A pair of versatile infielders: Hao-Yu Lee and Max Anderson

Hao-Yu Lee and Max Anderson are so similar that they might be battling each other for the chance to steal a job. But there's also a way that both of these youngsters, who rank in Detroit's top 10 prospects, could find big league roles.

Both have experience at second and third, and both present well-rounded offensive profiles. Lee spent the entire 2025 season at Triple-A Toledo and hit well, just not as well as he had in the past. A .243/.342/.406 line with 14 homers and 22 steals is nothing to sneeze at in his first taste of Triple-A.

Anderson started the year in Erie and went off. The 23-year-old posted a .306/.358/.499 line with 14 homers in 90 games. He'd then join Lee in Toledo and post similar results to his teammate, slashing .267/.327/.422 while adding five more dingers.

With McGonigle likely to fill one infield spot, it's hard to believe that the remaining two vacancies will be filled by rookies. That said, one of them may snag a starting role at some point, while one or both could land on the bench.

Veteran Andy Ibáñez doesn't present much upside at 32 years old, and now there's room after he was non-tendered.

A pair of intriguing arms: Jake Miller and RJ Petit

Lefty Jake Miller and righty RJ Petit could find roles on the Tigers' 2026 pitching staff. For Miller, the question will be health. The 24-year-old has battled injuries for most of his young career, including a lengthy IL stint that ended his time in Erie after just 17 innings.

Detroit has used him primarily as either a starter or a bulk option to piggyback off of an opener, and, when healthy, he's done well. His brief work at Double-A produced a 2.12 ERA. In 2024, he tossed a total of 87 1/3 innings across three levels, topping out at Double-A and posting a combined 1.85 ERA.

If made solely a one-inning reliever, Miller's health may hold up. At that point, his deep arsenal that features two breaking balls, a wipeout slider, and a changeup to neutralize righties, all coming from a deceptive delivery, could be lethal.

As for Petit, the 26-year-old might not be the most heralded name as a former 14th-round pick, but he's produced at every level throughout his minor league career.

Last year, he posted a 2.28 ERA over 27 appearances and 43 1/3 innings at Erie before moving on to Toledo, where he posted a 2.74 mark in 20 games and 23 frames.

A physically imposing presence on the mound, Petit measures in at 6-foot-8, 300 pounds. He boasts a mid-to-high 90s fastball, a high-whiff slider, and a changeup that looks the same out of his hand as the fastball (but has the necessary velocity differential to be effective). He leverages his height to create downhill action that makes ground balls plentiful.

The Tigers' bullpen was a problem in 2025, and both of these relief prospects could break through, especially if there are midseason struggles.