Introducing the minor league arms set to take a big step forward for Tigers in 2027

Entering 2026, there was considerable buzz about how concerningly thin the Tigers' upper minor league pitching depth was, especially given the lack of starting pitcher depth the 2025 major league team encountered.

These sentiments have reduced markedly due to significant progress by arms currently in the system. In preparation for a potential work stoppage, let's discuss the pitchers who may be front and center if Minor League Baseball is all we can watch to start 2027.

Jake Miller

Miller, a 25-year-old left-handed option currently at Double-A Erie, has been in the system since 2022 and has largely seen success. He has a career ERA of 3.29 over 180 2/3 innings pitched in the minor leagues with 212 total strikeouts (a K/9 rate of 10.6), inflated by his first two years of work where he posted a combined a 7.56 ERA over 50 innings pitched at age 21 and 22.

As you might expect with this relatively small sample, the primary concern for Miller has been his health. In 2023, he developed back issues that likely hindered his performance, with these issues flaring back up in 2025 due to an undisclosed hip injury that caused him to compensate physically, eventually undergoing labrum surgery on both hips in October 2025.

His fastball might not blow a radar gun away, sitting 93-94, but has 96-97 upside and his delivery helps the pitch to play up considerably. Against right handed pitching he sports a nasty fading circle changeup that plays beautifully off his two-seam, leading to weak contact. He also features two distinct slider shapes; one that's more traditional, sitting 84-86, and another that reads of more of a looping sweeper as low as 79 mph.

If he can stay healthy, he could impact the team very quickly as a reliever, with an outside shot at the rotation.

Lucas Elissalt

Elissalt, a right-handed arm who finished 2026 at Double-A, was perhaps the most surprising pitching breakout of 2026. Once thought of as a "crafty righty" out of the 2025 draft, now features a 94-96 mph fastball with upper-90s potential and a hammer curveball with "five feet of drop" according to MLB Pipeline.

This season in High-A and Double-A at age 21, he posted a 3.98 ERA with 116 strikeouts over 92 2/3 innings pitched. As is the case for a great many prospects, the jump from High-A to Double-A wasn't especially kind to him, but his strikeout rate actually increased in his 17 2/3 inning sample, all the way up to 14.8 per 9. Scott Harris cited him as one of several arms he could deploy in the bullpen as soon as next season.

Ben Jacobs

Jacobs is the cream of the crop for this current class of prospects, and to the surprise of very few, took a massive step forward developmentally in 2026. A lefty, Jacobs garnered massive strikeout rates, with a 12.9 K/9 rate in his first season of professional baseball. The main concern for Jacobs in year 1 was command, as his mark of 4 walks per nine led to his 1.148 WHIP despite allowing under seven hits per nine innings. Sustaining his strikeout rates while lowering his walk rate could lead directly to a call-up next season.

Jacobs' fastball sits 93-95 mph, but has a devastating 18-19 inches of induced vertical break, leading hitters to perceive it as "rising" and take it at the top of the strike zone. His changeup, also a plus offering in terms of movement, generated a 44% whiff rate in year one. His package is rounded out by a third shape, in the form of a high-70s curveball he throws primarily to lefties. There's certainly still work to be done here, but he is seen as having the highest current ceiling in the system by scouts across the industry.

Kash Mayfield

Mayfield was the primary return in the Casey Mize trade, and at the time felt like a win in favor of the Tigers, and still looks incredibly promising. Although Mayfield ended the season with a hamstring injury after just one start, In 2026, Mayfield posted a 3.54 ERA over 56 innings and limited hitters to just 6.8 hits per nine. In some ways similar to a right-handed Jacobs, he features three distinct pitch shapes that each play up due to his delivery, and a high strikeout profile. 2027 is a truly exciting year for his development.

The Low-A arms

Malachi Witherspoon is the most intriguing low-level arm in the system currently, with his upper-nineties fastball, but some pitch shape issues.

A highly intriguing leverage reliever is Kelvis Salcedo, who at just 20 years old sports a 14.1 strikeout per nine rate.

Owen Hall was another name mentioned as a potential reliever in Harris’ closing interview, but may need some more seasoning after posting a 6.07 ERA over 56 1/3 innings with 33 walks.

The 2027 names to watch

Cale Wetwiska had a major breakout of his own, going from relatively unknown to 21st overall prospect in the Tigers' system.

Jackson Wolf, the other piece of the Casey Mize trade, posted a 1.62 ERA over 33 1/3 innings pitched, entering the system with an ERA well over 7 for the year.

Cam Flukey, who was taken in the first round of the 2026 season got a few outings to end his year in Low-A, and looked sharp. He is currently the Tigers' No. 5 prospect per MLB Pipeline.

Lastly, Brady Smith, acquired in the Skubal trade, struck out 118 batters over 80 2/3 innings pitched this season. Due to occasional command struggles and some injuries, he's expected not to be a factor until 2028 at least, but he is at minimum exciting.

Expect turnover

There will be regression and random breakouts on the MLB roster and in the minors, as there always is. The names discussed here are the ones that seem potentially viable for some point in 2027, or arms that could be fast-tracked through the system, and that's one area to be excited about from the Tigers under the Harris regime.

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