New Tigers vanguard inches toward majors with promotions for 3 superstar prospects

The Tigers' major league club has been the best team in baseball and just swept the Guardians to sink their division rivals even deeper into an 0-10 hole, but they're not the only ones in the organization experiencing massive success this year.

In the minor leagues' first half, the Single-A Lakeland Flying Tigers, the High-A West Michigan Whitecaps, and Double-A Erie SeaWolves all finished at the top of their respective divisions, and the Flying Tigers and Whitecaps are still leading in the second half. As of July 5, the Tigers had the best organizational record in baseball (240-170).

The Tigers started at No. 1 on MLB Pipeline's preseason ranking of farm systems, slotting in at No. 2, per Baseball America. Five prospects are listed in the former's top 100 list, and three of those future stars were just awarded a promotion to Double-A.

Kevin McGonigle jumped over Max Clark this season to become Detroit's No. 1 prospect, but Clark is still running in second. They, along with No. 4 prospect Josue Briceño, were all bumped up to Double-A Erie on Sunday to put them that much closer to the major leagues.

Top-five Tigers prospects Kevin McGonigle, Max Clark, Josue Briceño promoted to Double-A

McGonigle leaping over Clark makes a lot of sense. In 36 High-A games, he batted .372 with a 1.110 OPS, seven homers, and 39 RBI. It made Clark's totally respectable .285 average and .857 OPS in 68 games pale in comparison. Briceño, the first Triple Crown winner the Arizona Fall League has ever seen, jumped from No. 19 in 2024 to No. 4 this year and did better than Clark too, with a .296 average, 1.024 OPS, 15 homers, and 57 RBI in 55 games.

The SeaWolves now arguably have one of the most stacked rosters in the minor leagues, across every level. McGonigle, Clark, and Briceño will join top position players Thayron Liranzo (No. 5), Roberto Campos (No. 21), Max Anderson (No. 22), Justice Bigbie (No. 26), and a slew of ranked pitchers, including Jaden Hamm (No. 7).

Erie hasn't quite replicated their first half success in this second half, but these new additions are almost guaranteed to change that. MLB Pipeline predicts that all three will debut in 2027, but at the rate McGonigle, Clark, and Briceño are going, they could end up in the majors by the end of next season. All three will play in this year's All-Star Futures Game to prove on the big stage that Detroit has the best farm system in the game.