5 collegiate draft prospects Detroit Tigers fans should monitor this spring

4 of 6

Brody Brecht, RHP, Iowa

This spring, the Iowa Hawkeyes will have a star-studded rotation, but their primary arm will be making some serious noise. The Detroit Tigers fans should key in on this, as Brody Brecht is a flamethrowing right-handed pitcher who could garner serious attention ahead of this summer's draft.

A former wideout on the gridiron, Brecht has a downright electric arm with a power arm profile and a ton to like that could leave Tigers fans drooling come draft day. This year will be a big test for him to move further up the draft board in the first round or potentially slip further down.

Last week Brody Brecht announced he was quitting football to focus on his baseball career. I think if I was throwing 104 I would focus on baseball as well
pic.twitter.com/DPfu9KaLPu
— Stephen Schoch (@bigdonkey47) March 31, 2023

Brecht has thrown 104 mph in a collegiate game and has a lightning-quick arm with a fastball that he holds velocity on quite well. Pair that with a wipeout slider with filthy depth, and reports from Iowa's camp state that this pitch has only improved further this off-season, which is something else to watch for this spring.

In 2023, after his breakout performance, Brecht finished the year with 16 starts and one relief appearance, where he pitched to a 3.74 ERA and a 1.27 WHIP over 77.0 innings of work. He walked 61 batters while striking out 109 opposing hitters along the way.

He's a 6-foot-4, 235-pound frame and build with projectable body of a big-league arm. With power stuff and the potential to have improved the arsenal even further this year, it could be a big spring. Keep an eye on Brecht & the Hawkeyes this spring to see what he does. He could certainly move into the top half of the first round of the 2024 MLB Draft.