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

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.