Detroit Tigers: 5 scouting reports on possible 2023 MLB Draft targets

Priming the Detroit Tigers draft machine as the college season starts.

While the Detroit Tigers have not even begun the 2023 season, and the MLB Draft is months away, it's never too early for fans to look at who they may see selected this June. For the Tigers, they were able to move up the draft board to the no.3 spot in this summer's First-Year Amateur Player Draft.

The Detroit Tigers benefitted from the 2023 MLB Draft Lottery, which was the inaugural lottery as it was introduced to the league. The team was supposed to select sixth overall in the 2023 MLB Draft but have since moved up the board.

With the 2023 NCAA Division I season underway, as well as DII/DIII/NAIA/JuCo all going and even some high school seasons, it's worth looking at the draft board. It's early, but there are some names who vault themselves to the top of the class.

The Tigers will seemingly have their pick of the litter with a draft class with some serious talent at the top. It's a great position, and fans should be excited about this. With a new man in charge in Scott Harris, it will be interesting to see how the team's draft strategy changes.

Given Harris's disdain for the team's farm system, taking a prep player is not off the board, but the collegiate talent will rule the top of this draft class. The Tigers should be looking to grab one of these players.

Wyatt Langford from Florida was an early candidate to move up draft boards from the University of Florida, but has yet to find his stride in 2023, granted it's been one weekend (and two midweek games in Florida's case).

Chase Dollander anchors the top of most draft boards in the second spot but did not have the best day, as Tennesee had a rough first weekend. But he's still someone the Tigers need to be heavily considering on their draft board if he is there.

As the draft nears closer and the collegiate season unfolds, players will rise and drop, but the Tigers have to evaluate which players best fit the direction they are moving in. That being said, let's dive into five different prospects the Tigers should consider with the third overall pick in the 2023 MLB Draft.

1. Dylan Crews - RHH/CF

Coming in as the top prospect amongst pretty much all of the media outlets is LSU Tigers outfielder Dylan Crews. Now, he's the early favorite to go 1:1 in the 2023 MLB Draft, so the Detroit Tigers may not even have a chance to take him, but it's early and worth exploring a crazy turn of events where he falls to third overall.

Crews is going into his third season with the Tigers in Baton Rouge. The 21-year-old outfielder stands 6-foot-1 and weighs in at 203 pounds with a physical and athletic frame. He's got a build that projects as a big leaguer and looks the part with his tools.

He's regarded as one of the best hitters in the draft class, if not the top one. He's got incredible bat-to-ball skills with violent hand speed that can demolish baseballs. In 2022, Crews played in 62 games where he slashed .349/.463/.691 with 11 doubles, four triples, and 22 home runs for 72 total RBI.

In 2023, Crews is 4-for-10 through the season's first four contests with a home run and four walks with three HBP's. He's posted a .647 OBP through the season's first four games. Here's a look at his home run against Western Michigan from opening weekend.

Beyond the box score, Crews' tools are easily spotted. The hand speed catches your eye, but it's a really good path through the zone with control of the barrel to get on plane with pitches and drive them. He can make adjustments well, too, staying on time for off-speed. He hammers the fastball and adjusts to the breaking ball, being an extremely tough out for opposing teams pitching, something he has shown early on in the 2023 season.

In terms of his operation in the batters' box, he starts with higher-set hands and the back elbow up. He gets the weight back and starts just slightly open. There's a slight bat waggle, and he gets the hands into a hitting position early as he loads up with a bigger leg lift and an inward move.

It's a controlled stride with a hard turn through contract, really using that lower half to generate some strength off the barrel which he sends flying through the zone quickly. There's much to like about Crews' abilities in the batters' box.

It's not just the offensive tools, either. Sure, they carry the weight of things, but he can track the ball quite well in the outfield. He's an outfielder who can run balls down in the gap and patrol centerfield well for LSU.

The likelihood is that he can stick in center in the long term, which some Tigers fans might gawk at, reminding you of Riley Greene, but I would argue that passing on Dylan Crews could be a massive mistake for the Tigers if he is there at pick no.3 on draft day.

2. Chase Dollander - RHP

The Detroit Tigers must keep right-handed pitcher Chase Dollander on their radar this Spring. The University of Tennessee Volunteers starter has a chance to be the best arm in the draft class. His first start of the 2023 campaign was not as lights out as usual, but I'd expect him to settle in and be just fine as the Spring continues.

Dollander is a fascinating arm to watch with a lot to like mechanically and stuff-wise. He transferred into the Vols' program ahead of the 2022 season from Georgia Southern University in Statesboro, Ga., and quickly showed he was going to be a problem for opposing teams.

The 21-year-old Georgia native pieced together 14 starts in 2022, with two appearances out of the bullpen for Tony Vitello and the Tennessee staff. He managed a 2.39 ERA and 0.80 WHIP over 79.0 innings of work. He issued just 13 walks and punched out 108 opposing hitters along the way. His first start of 2023 saw him throw 4.2 innings where he walked just one, allowed three hits, and had two earned runs tallied. Dollander punched out seven opposing hitters along the way.

The 6-foot-2, 210-pound right-hander has a desirable mound presence with athletic actions on the slab. It's a frame that looks like it could continue to develop as he works with a big-league club and taps into what his body has left in the tank. It's a desirable frame already but could improve under the watch of a big-league organization.

His operation on the mound is flawless. He's an extremely athletic mover. Let's talk about his operation on the bump. He starts with a side step and a placement step on the first base side of the rubber. His glove drops to just above belt level after starting around the letters.

As he gets into his leg lift, which gets up to the letters, the hands move back up, getting up around the shoulders. He captures the linear move well and drives down the slope with good extension and control of his body. He hides the ball well through the back with a real smooth arm action from a three-quarters/higher-three-quarters arm slot.

It's an enjoyable delivery to watch, quite satisfying, really. He does a good job utilizing his frame to be efficient. He repeats the delivery well and does the same out of the stretch. With runners on, it's a simple operation for Dollander. He gets a controlled leg lift up just above the belt, cutting it down ever so slightly to manage the run game, letting his center of mass ride the slope, getting extended, and controlling the front side well.

Besides the desirable frame and actions on the mound, Dollander has great stuff. His fastball was up to 97 mph in his first outing of the year while working 92-96 mph with spin up above the 2,400 RPM range. It gets on hitters; it's easy velocity if you watch clips as he just lets it rip with ease. The pitch has arm-side run, and when his control is 100%, he can dot both sides of the plate for strikes.

He pairs it with a slider that tunnels well out of hand and can be a problem for hitters. The slider is harder at 85-88, spinning up above 2,600 RPMs with good late bite to it. He also has a changeup in the upper-80s with some depth to it. He rounds out the pitch mix with the curveball in the upper-70s to have a change of pace from the slider.

Dollander has an elite slider, and the fastball/slider combination can be good enough to beat most hitters, but he has a full four-pitch repertoire that profiles well moving forward. He's received comparisons to Jacob deGrom, and frankly, I could see it. Not to say they have a similar career path, but the two pitchers have similarities.

If the Tigers can get Dollander at no.3 in the 2023 MLB Draft, it is a victory for them. Any time you can get a polished arm with desirable traits who's getting comps to someone like deGrom, I'd recommend the team does not pass on them.

3. Jacob Gonzalez - LHH/SS

The Detroit Tigers must consider targeting shortstop Jacob Gonzalez with the third overall pick in the 2023 MLB Draft. The Ole Miss Rebels shortstop has been uber impressive for them during his first two years and is due for a big Junior campaign.

Gonzalez captains the infield for the Rebels and is fresh off of a 2022 NCAA National Championship when the Rebels beat the Oklahoma Sooners in Omaha to secure the championship. Gonzalez has tools in the batters' box to be a real threat in years to come as he gets into a pro organization and works toward the big leagues.

The 20-year-old will hit 21 before the draft, is 6-foot-2, and weighs 200 pounds. He has athleticism present in the frame with quick-twitch actions. He swings it from the left side and has a solid presence in the batter's box.

Gonzalez played 65 games for the Rebels in 2022, where he slashed .273/.405/.558 with nine doubles, three triples, and 18 home runs with 52 RBI over 242 at-bats. This was following up his freshman campaign, where he played in 67 games, slashing .355/.443/.561 with 16 doubles, a triple, and 12 home runs with 55 RBI over 262 at-bats.

He's got the bat working for him once again in 2023. Through the season's first four games, Gonzalez was 5-for-16 with two doubles and a home run with nine RBI to his credit. He's drawn a pair of walks and was hit once, producing a .421 OBP through his first four games of the year.

In terms of his operation in the batters' box, Gonzalez has a very wide base with the hands set high, the back elbow up, and a bit of a barrel wrap. The weight starts mostly on his back leg, with the lead leg outstretched in an open stance.

He uses a hanging leg lift trigger, lifting the lead leg and evening up his base before he strides forward through contact. The hands are direct to the baseball, getting through the zone with exceptional control of the barrel.

He rotates hard through contact and has a pretty finish to his swing. As the tweet below notes, it's a swing that many people probably wish they could pull off. He has tons of bat speed with quick hands through the zone, being able to drive the ball in the air as he does in the video below for the grand slam.

If you look at the video slowed down, you see how much he gets his weight onto his backside as he gets into the hanging part of his leg lift. He does a little toe-tap in that clip, but the weight is on his back foot, and he has a good transfer as part of his swing and rotation through contact.

He has the juice to the pull-side and seems to have that approach to work pull-side, but he won't get hand-cuffed. He can control the barrel to work the other way and collect hits to all parts of the field. He shortens up with two strikes but uses the bat speed and control of the barrel to be a bit more handsy and still get the job done.

Defensively, he's a sure-handed shortstop with the glove and athleticism that works. He can make tough throws across the diamond and has the arm to stick at shortstop in the long term. He's someone the Tigers could grab and hope to plug in on the left side of their infield with some pop in his bat from the left side.

He's another player that needs to be in the mix as the Tigers try to come to a consensus on who they will target in the 2023 MLB Draft. Keep an eye on Gonzalez this spring as he and Ole Miss look to defend their National Championship and get back to Omaha.

5. Paul Skenes - RHP/RHH

Last but certainly not least is Paul Skenes, who needs to be on the Detroit Tigers' list of targets as they continue to profile players for their draft class. Skenes is an Air Force Academy transfer who joined the party in Baton Rouge as a part of the 2023 LSU Tigers.

Needless to say, he's going to be a massive difference-maker for LSU on both sides of the ball. Though, I'm pretty certain he can put the bat down and still walk away with a nice chunk of change come draft time.

Skenes stands 6-foot-6 and weighs in at 235 pounds, with some physical traits and a good feel for his body. He's listed as a pitcher, catcher, and designated hitter, but he likely will headline the LSU rotation in '23 and focus on his craft on the mound, still hitting but having it take a backseat role. But, to review him, let's look at both sides of the ball with Skenes.

Hitting Profile

Skenes is a right-handed hitter. In 2022, Skenes logged 52 games where he slashed .314/.412/.634 with ten doubles and 13 home runs while managing 38 RBI over 153 at-bats. In his freshman campaign, he played in 48 games, slashing ..410/.486/.697 with 21 doubles and 11 home runs with 43 RBI over 188 at-bats.

Needless to say, the bat plays quite well and was a huge part of the Air Force lineup the last two seasons. He has not hit yet in '23 for Jay Johnson at LSU, but he could find at-bats earmarked to him. He took BP before his start last weekend but did not pick up a bat come game time.

He starts with an upright stance, standing tall in the righty box with the barrel pointed up, hands set high, and back elbow up. His feet are slightly open, and he keeps a pretty even base. He sinks into his load with a big leg lift. The hands drop into a hitting position, and he's able to rotate hard through contact.

Skenes shows off good turns through the zone with a feel for the barrel; given his larger frame and strength present, he can muscle balls out of the park when he gets on plane and drives pitches. Overall it's a whippy barrel with a simple operation. But that's just half of his game, and I believe his abilities on the bump are even more impressive.

Pitching Profile

The clip above shows an extended look at Skenes going out and absolutely carving against the Western Michigan Broncos. He threw 98 mph on his 98th pitch of the day and was able to finish off six innings of shutout ball. Skenes allowed just three hits while walking only one, striking out 12 in his first start of 2023.

Before he donned the purple and yellow Tigers jersey, Skenes was a part of the Air Force rotation. In 2022, Skenes made 15 starts, pitched to a 2.73 ERA and a 1.17 WHIP, and punched out 96 while walking just 30 over 85.2 innings pitched.

Let's talk through Skenes' operation a bit further. Working out of the wind-up, he starts with the left foot slightly forward and faces home plate while toeing the first base side of the rubber. He uses a side step and drops the glove to the belt before getting his right foot on the mound with a placement step.

He gets into a leg lift up around the letters with the hands being up around his head with slight separation. It's a short and quick-arm action as he works through release. He pitches from a three-quarters arm action. There's some serious quickness to his arm stroke.

Skenes repeats the delivery well and stays in control of himself with a balanced front side moving down the slope. Out of the stretch, he deviates just a bit. He works to be quicker to the plate with a leg lift that only gets just above the letters, and the hands stay parallel and slightly below the letters. It's still a quick arm stroke, and the front side moves well, but he deviates to control the run game and avoid being too long to the plate.

In terms of stuff, Skenes has a fastball that works into the upper-90s, touching 99 mph in his first start of 2023. It's incredibly firm, with plenty of carry that can overpower some hitters. Now, his slider is also impressive, working the mid-80s and getting into the upper-80s at times. It has good tilt and horizontal break to it.

He's able to pull the string on that slider and miss barrels. It's sharp, but he does lose the pitch at times. When he has it working, that sharper break is problematic for the opposing hitters. Rounding things out is a split-change that has demonic drop to it. It misses bats and gets some hitters getting way out front.

The only thing that is a knock on Skenes on the mound is that hitters can pick up his pitches at times. While Western Michigan stood no chance, and he has top-level stuff, that's the knock on Skenes. A bit of a flatter approach angle means it can be easier to pick up out of hand at times. But, when it's thrown at 99 mph, it will still take a good hitter to get on time and on plane to do damage.

Keep an eye on Skenes this Spring, on both sides of the baseball, as the Detroit Tigers continue to piece together who is on their draft board for their first pick, no.3 overall.