MLB Pipeline's list of the Tigers' top 30 prospects in 2025 wasn't destined to offer many surprises at the very top. Detroit has a top-10 farm system in baseball by multiple accounts (including MLB Pipeline's), and the big star/story this year is Jackson Jobe and where he ends up on the major league roster on Opening Day — if he ends up on it at all.
Max Clark, the Tigers' No. 2 prospect and 2023 first-round draft pick, is almost guaranteed to stay near the top as he continues to rise through the majors. Kevin McGonigle, Bryce Rainer (2024's first-round pick) and Thayron Liranzo, who impressed quickly after coming from the Dodgers in the Jack Flaherty trade, were also likely to end up in the top 10.
However, there are also a few notable changes in this year's top 10 from last year's end-of-season rankings. Nos. 1-4 are the same — Jobe, Clark, McGonigle, and Rainer — but Liranzo has moved up to No. 5 and Arizona Fall League Triple Crown winner Josue Briceño leapt from No. 9 to No. 6. Jace Jung slid down from No. 5 to 7, Hao-Yu Lee stayed at No. 8, Jaden Hamm moved down to No. 9, and international signing Cris Rodriguez made his top 10 debut at No. 10.
The @Tigers have developed one of the best farm systems in baseball, and it could pay dividends for years to come -- the new Top 30 Prospects list features just 10 members who have played at Double-A or higher: https://t.co/KmwU13JIkG pic.twitter.com/bkGBOsBtiF
— MLB Pipeline (@MLBPipeline) March 4, 2025
Tigers' updated top 10 prospects list will have fans pumped for 2025
The Tigers took Rodriguez, an outfielder, off of the international free agent market in January, when he was ranked by MLB Pipeline as the No. 4 overall player in the draft class. They ranked his power at a remakable 70 (out of 80, though it's pretty rare to see rankings over 60). His arm also got a nice 60 grade, but his fielding (45) will probably need some work as he moves through the minors.
A few familiar names are also still on the top 30 list — Trey Sweeney (No. 11) and Ty Madden (No. 15) both made their debuts last season, and Sweeney is guaranteed a spot on the Opening Day roster to platoon with Javy Báez at shortstop, and Owen Hall and Ethan Schiefelbein were last year's second-round and Competitive Balance Round B picks.
Jobe is clearly one to watch this year, but Lee could also plausibly make an appearance in the latter half of the season if he earns a promotion to Triple-A to start the year. This is a solid group for the Tigers, and it definitely bodes well for their future when you look beyond the shiny group at the top.