Detroit Tigers draft board: 4 impact bats to look out for in this draft class

Detroit Tigers should grab Kristian Campbell if they have a chance.

If the Detroit Tigers want to dip into the collegiate ranks and pick up an impactful bat with a later pick who might go a bit under the radar, Kristian Campbell is undoubtedly someone to be considering. The Georgia Tech YellowJackets infielder has been having himself quite the season and deserves some attention.

Campbell has a 6-foot-3, 210-pound with tons of physicality and strength to pair. He's an athletic mover defensively, playing shortstop for Georgia Tech. He has the frame and actions to stick on the left side of the infield moving forward and provide benefit playing on the dirt at the next level.

He's a right-handed hitter who starts bent at the knees with the barrel up high in the stance. He uses a toe-tap trigger before striding with a move toward third that opens up his lower half as he works through the swing and gets the barrel through the zone.

Campbell has some aggressive rotation but has the strength and hand speed to work in the zone and produce loud results. It's a pull-side approach, but he can adjust the barrel to work the other way as needed.

He has a good path through the zone, helping him produce hard-hit balls in the air, and frankly, his stats in 2023 have backed that up with plenty to like from the right-handed hitting infielder so far.

Campbell has been an integral part of Georgia Tech's success in 2023, getting it done during his chances at the plate. He has slashed .382/.497/.559 with 13 doubles, a triple, three home runs, and 22 RBI over 175 plate appearances.

If the Tigers want to grab an impact infielder for the left side of the infield, which has been impressive during his collegiate season in 2023, there are reasons the be considering Campbell. He could very well be a value grab in the later rounds to help add some organizational depth moving forward.

Detroit Tigers need to consider prep standout AJ Ewing.

While he's not in their backyard per se, AJ Ewing is a relatively local product that the Detroit Tigers need to do their due diligence on. Especially as the season winds down and some interesting developments on the college front, Ewing could be an interesting draft choice for Detroit.

Ewing is a Springboro, OH, native who has been a stud on the prep scene. He's a middle infielder with incredibly fast-twitch actions in a 6-foot, 175-pound frame. He's an athletic mover with high-energy traits and is someone that you want on your team.

Defensively Ewing's a middle infielder, and the range/athleticism allows him to stick at shortstop, but he could also see a move to second base in his future. He's swift defensively, and the tools carry over in the batters' box.

Colleague Brian Sakowski got some looks at Ewing this spring, and the tools in the batters' box continue to improve and be extremely loud. He's a left-handed hitter with an open stance and higher-set hands as he gets set.

He has a noticeable weight transfer as he works through the zone, and his hands are lightning-fast. There's some serious explosiveness as he works through the zone, making him an intriguing prospect with the bat in his hands. He's able to get the barrel on balls with explosive bat speed to produce some excellent swings overall.

There's a lot to like about Ewing, and he could very much so be someone the Tigers want to bring into their organization. The scuttlebutt around Ewing was that he would pass up on draft slot money and go to college, but some wrinkles were being thrown into that.

Ewing is committed to Alabama to play for the Crimson Tide, but recently their coach was fired and the baseball program is being investigated amid some betting allegations. Now, there's still plenty to come out on that story, but Ewing's signability may have made a sizable jump in favor of joining a pro-ball organization.

It will be interesting to see how things play out with Ewing, but the Tigers need to make sure they consider bringing in the high-energy prep middle infielder this summer.

Detroit Tigers should be high on prep player Justin Lebron.

Another prep bat that the Detroit Tigers really need to make sure they have on their radar is Justin Lebron. He's also another Alabama commit that could become easily signable with the drama going on with the Crimson Tide program—either way the Tigers need to consider Lebron.

Lebron is a product of Miramar, Fla., and has really been able to show off the tools from last fall until now. He's a middle infielder with a 6-foot-2, 185-pound frame with a ton of athleticism to get the job done at shortstop.

He projects to stick at shortstop for now with toolsy and athletic actions defensively, but at the plate, he's just as dangerous. Lebron starts wider with his hands up high before he makes his move through the zone.

He has a big stride forward to move through the zone and get the barrel on plane to drive pitches well. The right-handed hitter is extremely accurate with his barrel with tons of whip to the swing. He's able to produce a ton of hard-hit contact, including well-struck line drives.

Quick rotation, fast hands, and an in-sync operation make for a real fluid stroke from Lebron. He's got a ton of potential and is someone the Tigers need to be ready to pounce in near the back half of the draft.

As mentioned early on, Lebron is another Alabama commit, which could be problematic for the prep infielder in terms of his commitment. The team fired their coach, and this means there could be an increased likelihood of him signing out of the draft. The Tigers should have him on their draft board.

Detroit Tigers could find hidden value in Ryland Zaborowski

The Detroit Tigers must consider grabbing an under-the-radar college bat in Ryland Zaborowski. He's been the biggest bat in the Miami Ohio lineup this season and has been having an incredible season for the RedHawks.

The Tigers have to consider a Mid-American Conference bat, as he has proven that there's a lot to like with his performance but in terms of the tools he possesses as well. He's a 6-foot-5, 220-pound frame with a ton of strength and physicality that's noticeable.

The RedHawks have deployed Zaborowski all over the field in 2023. He's primary a third baseman and has the tools to stick there as a corner infielder at the next level. However, he has played some outfield and moved around, speaking to some versatility.

But third base is the likely home for Zaborowski; he has the arm strength working across the field and the physicality that looks like a corner guy. In the batter's box, he truly uses the physical frame and is able to reap the benefits in terms of results.

When it comes to his setup, it's quite simple; he's a right-handed hitter with a pretty even base and the barrel on the shoulder. He shifts the hands to a hitting position and transfers the weight onto his backside. He uses a minimal toe-tap trigger before striding forward with the front foot and then driving hard through the zone.

Zaborowski has a ton of leverage in his swing; he stays in sync super well and can easily lift the ball. There's a ton of strength at contact working from a direct path of attack. He gets the barrel wrapped as part of his load, but he can still get on time for pitches and do damage when he's on-time.

The only knock on Zaborowski is that the swing can be a little long in terms of his hand path. With the barrel wrap as he loads, he can take a minute to get the barrel into the zone. It can be easily adjusted, and the swing still plays in terms of his results.

Zaborowski has slashed .304/.407/.707 with 12 doubles, two triples, 19 home runs with 47 total RBI on the season over 216 at-bats. The results are in a scrappy Mid-American Conference, but he really has done an excellent job separating himself with his performance at the plate.

If the Tigers want to get some bang for their buck in terms of slot money, a day-two selection of Zaborowski is certainly worth considering.