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

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.