Detroit Tigers Top 30 prospects for 2024: #10 Ty Madden

The countdown of the Detroit Tigers' Top 30 Prospects heading into the 2024 season has reached the Top 10 players. The top part of the list is upon us, and first up, as we get to 10th overall, is right-handed pitcher Ty Madden.

The former Texas Longhorns right-hander has been with the Detroit Tigers organization since 2021, when he was drafted in the first round, with a compensatory round pick at 32nd overall. The 6-foot-3, 215-pound pitcher has really taken some strides since getting into the Tigers' organization, and while his value has fluctuated during his time with Detroit, he's improved plenty.

Madden is heading into year four with the Tigers and his third full season overall. He's coming off of 2023, where he spent the entire summer in Double-A with the Erie SeaWolves. He pitched to a 3.43 ERA and a 1.28 WHIP over 118.0 innings pitched. He walked 50 opposing hitters while striking out 146 on the campaign, making 26 starts overall.

There's still room to like what Madden brings to the table; he just needs to keep moving forward and progressing on his Road to Detroit. He's ranked 10th on our countdown, but Madden brings more to the table than a sub-4.00 ERA and 146 punchouts over 118.0 innings, so let's talk makeup.

Detroit Tigers prospect Ty Madden's scouting report

Frame & Delivery

As mentioned, Madden's a 6-foot-3, 215-pound right-handed pitcher with a physical and thicker build. There's strength throughout the build, with long levers and a high-waisted frame. He's well-proportioned with muscle mass and a projectable professional build, though he's likely reached his ceiling physically.

From the wind-up, it's a more hybrid setup before sidestepping into a placement step. His arms pump over the head as he lifts the leg quickly. It's an aggressive move down the slope, with good extension and a long takeaway in the back. He gets good hip-shoulder separation, and the arm seems to stay on time well and work through release well—Madden pitches from a higher three-quarters arm slot with good arm speed through release.

Arsenal

Madden's fastball has worked the low-90s since his collegiate days and can tick up into the mid- to upper-90s, but lives in the low- to mid-90s. It's a pitch that can miss bats at the top of the zone and induce the swing-and-miss. One of the things he's developed over his time with Detroit is the confidence to locate the pitch, working north and south, and pitching up in the zone more, and it's helped his success.

Especially with Madden's offspeed stuff, allowing him to tunnel pitches well. He's got a big breaker in the mix that has huge 12/6 & 11/5 shape. It's a pitch in the low-70s and is the "ol' Uncle Charlie" offering that he can spot up for strikes to cause havoc for hitters. He pairs that with a high-tilt slider in the mid-80s that has taken some strides as well. He can land it for strikes, and it grades out as an above-average offering.

He's also got a changeup, which has come a long way with the Tigers organization. It's a pitch he used in college as part of the arsenal but seldom used in affiliate ball, but he really found a feel for it during his time with Double-A Erie. The pitch has good arm-side depth and sinks to it, creating another offer he can use to attack hitters as part of his pitch mix.

Outlook for Ty Madden with the Detroit Tigers

The pitch mix has come a long way. He's made improvements. While he has been placed higher in the Top 30 lists in the past, there's still real reason for him to be viewed as a benefit to the Tigers organization. He's got the potential to keep pushing toward the big leagues this year.

Madden's got a chance to be a middle-of-the-rotation and backend arm for Detroit. But for now, he has to keep moving toward the big leagues. Piecing together a quality performance this summer with the Tigers, moving to Triple-A, and making a statement would be huge for his development.

He earned an invite to big-league camp but has since been "cut" from the big-league roster by A.J. Hinch just days into camp. But it was expected as he and Jackson Jobe are spending Spring Training with the big-league club to get experience and get acclimated alongside the players on the big-league roster.