Detroit Tigers

[jaadam4]

It may be a cheapskate move, but it isn't a cheapskate move we saw during the late 90s.

Nothing about that makes me feel better about the garbage pick

[Whitley]

I was reading a Kiley McDaniel (ESPN minor league guy) interview today. The interview is like 2 days old. He was saying the top 5 were historically good like perineal AS, multiple face of the franchise, MVP possible HOF votes good.

It is weird that he is going to agree to an underslot deal, but this also a kid that has his own charity (I think) for a couple years now.

[froot loops]

I'm not going to.discourage you from complaining about draft picks or the Tiger cheapskate ways, but were you more confident in the Torkleson draft pick or the Riley Greene draft pick?

As much as we don't know about the the other drafts, we really don't know shit about these baseball picks.

[jaadam4]

I was reading a Kiley McDaniel (ESPN minor league guy) interview today. The interview is like 2 days old. He was saying the top 5 were historically good like perineal AS, multiple face of the franchise, MVP possible HOF votes good.

It is weird that he is going to agree to an underslot deal, but this also a kid that has his own charity (I think) for a couple years now.

Langford destroyed SEC pitching. I hope he def turns into a HoF player so I can complain about his absolutely f’ing dumb the new GM is and how we should have kept Avila

[Whitley]

Langford destroyed SEC pitching. I hope he def turns into a HoF player so I can complain about his absolutely f’ing dumb the new GM is and how we should have kept Avila

So you are upset because you think Langford could get to the majors quicker to help the Tigers before Greene and Tork become FAs?

And the Tigers should view the draft as a way to plug current holes on the MLB team?

[Whitley]

Paul Wilson LHP Lakeridge HS (OR)



Scouting grades: Fastball: 55 | Curveball: 55 | Changeup: 50 | Control: 50 | Overall: 50

Trevor Wilson is a lefty who went to Oregon State and then spent parts of eight seasons in the big leagues, mostly with the Giants. Now it seems his son Paul, a fellow southpaw, wants to go into the family business. The younger Wilson started making his own name with climbing velocity and sharper stuff as a junior, and though his performances on the summer showcase circuit were a bit more inconsistent, he took another step forward during his senior season.

At his peak in 2022, the velocity of Wilson's fastball climbed to the 94-97 mph range, with some reports of him touching the upper 90s, in competition in the Pacific Northwest. This spring he’s been back sitting around 93 mph, touching 95, but no one squares it up because it has plus carry and life. He pairs it with a true power downer curve and has feel for a changeup, though that’s a bit inconsistent because the timing of his delivery isn’t always good.

Wilson, who could follow in his father’s footsteps and head to Oregon State should the Draft not work out, seemed worn down as the summer went on, something a more consistent pitching routine will help, and he was doing a better job of maintaining his stuff this spring. He’s had a tendency to speed up and letting his foot land too quickly, forcing him out of sync and impacting his command and control, but he was showing off a more consistently efficient delivery as the 2023 season went on. He’s a good athlete who has become a solid lefty pitching prospect to consider in the top two rounds.

[Whitley]

Carson Rucker 3b Goodpasture Christian HS (TN)



Scouting grades: Hit: 50 | Power: 50 | Run: 50 | Arm: 50 | Field: 50 | Overall: 45

Rucker is a bigger and stronger version of his older brother, Jake, a seventh-round pick of the Twins in 2021, who played three seasons at Tennessee. Carson has had a decorated amateur career, playing on a Goodletsville (Tenn.) club that reached the U.S. championship game of the 2016 Little League World Series and winning Division II Class A Mr. Tennessee baseball honors in each of the last two seasons and a state championship with Goodpasture Christian (Madison) in 2022. If he doesn't turn pro this summer, he'll follow his brother's path and play for the Volunteers.

Rucker's most intriguing tool is his raw power, which earns solid to plus grades. He has a quick right-handed stroke geared to drive balls in the air, and as he continues to add strength, he could provide 20 or more homers per season. He doesn't try to do too much at the plate, using the entire field and making enough contact to tap into his pop.

A shortstop in high school, Rucker will move to third base in college or pro ball. He has good infield actions, but his average arm and speed are better suited for the hot corner. His bat also would profile on the outfield corners, though there's no reason to suspect he won't be able to remain on the dirt.

[chemiclord]

I don't HATE the pick, but I do worry he's not going to be put in the best place to succeed. HS prospects tend to need robust resources down on the farm that more ready college players don't.

[Blue Lagoon58]

LOL, who knew this forum had such stout baseball scouts!

[Whitley]

Jaden Hamm RHP Middle Tennesee State

Scouting grades: Fastball: 50 | Curveball: 55 | Changeup: 45 | Control: 45 | Overall: 40

Hard-throwing Eriq Swan was the main attraction at Middle Tennessee State's scout day last fall, but evaluators also stumbled upon Hamm, who touched 97 mph and showed a big-breaking curveball. A hot start to the season that included a one-hit shutout with 11 strikeouts against Evansville built up momentum that could have carried him into the top three rounds, but he struggled in the second half. He still could surpass big leaguer Zac Curtis (sixth round, 2014) as the second-highest drafted pitcher in school history, behind only Dewon Brazelton (No. 3 overall, 2001).

Hamm's best pitch is a 78-82 mph curveball with good depth, though there are days when he struggles to land it for strikes. His fastball sat at 91-93 mph and peaked at 96 this spring, showing good carry at times but getting hammered when he worked lower in the zone. His low-80s changeup lacks consistency as well.

Hamm's control and command fluctuated throughout his junior season, and he struggles to locate his pitches when he gets under the ball in his delivery. Though he's mostly a finished product, he looks like a three-pitch starter with a solid fastball and a plus curveball when he's on. His curve and competitiveness could make him a useful bullpen piece if he can't stick in the rotation.

[Forsh]

I don't HATE the pick, but I do worry he's not going to be put in the best place to succeed. HS prospects tend to need robust resources down on the farm that more ready college players don't.

I don't think this is as much of a worry with somebody like Clark, because he has really shown to be a self-starter. The reason I don't like the pic that much is because I agree with j a Adam. Isn't Langford already what they hope and pray that Clark will turn into when he starts to face better pitching? I mean, Langford wrecked the SEC. I watch some videos of clark, not to say this is the be all and end all, but Clark was beating out a lot of ground balls, well Langford was hitting 450 ft home runs in the College World Series. I mean, come on

[Whitley]

John Peck SS, Pepperdine

Scouting grades: Hit: 45 | Power: 40 | Run: 50 | Arm: 55 | Field: 50 | Overall: 40

A three-year starter at Pepperdine, Peck got scouts excited with a breakout sophomore campaign in 2022, hitting .361/.417/.578 to earn all-WCC first team honors. He struggled with a wood bat in the Cape Cod League last summer and never really got it going as hoped during his junior year, leading to questions about his future at the next level.

Evaluators thought Peck could be one of those middle-infield college-performer types who invariably rises up Draft boards over the course of the spring. Instead, he struggled to find consistency at the plate. The right-handed hitter is handsy with solid bat speed, but there are mechanical issues with his setup and swing that have led to concerns about making contact. He’s a long strider who crashes to the ball, which in turn often makes his head move. He did OK against fastballs in 2023, but really struggled to lay off of and do damage with offspeed and breaking stuff.

An average runner, Peck does have good defensive actions and at least an above-average arm, which could give him the chance to stick at shortstop, at least at the outset of his pro career. Some see second base as a better long-term fit and the fact he’s played three infield positions and some outfield could help him fit in a future utility role. A team taking him on Day 2 will think his hitting mechanics can be fixed and that he has a chance to be an everyday guy up the middle.

[Whitley]

I don't think this is as much of a worry with somebody like Clark, because he has really shown to be a self-starter. The reason I don't like the pic that much is because I agree with j a Adam. Isn't Langford already what they hope and pray that Clark will turn into when he starts to face better pitching? I mean, Langford wrecked the SEC. I watch some videos of clark, not to say this is the be all and end all, but Clark was beating out a lot of ground balls, well Langford was hitting 450 ft home runs in the College World Series. I mean, come on

One big difference is that Langford is a corner OF and Clark is a true CF defensively.

This is from ESPN when the Tigers picked Clark @#3

3. Detroit Tigers: Max Clark, OF, Franklin Community (Ind.) HS


Who is Clark? The best prospect from the state of Indiana since Bryan Bullington went No. 1 overall (out of Ball State) in 2002, Clark won 2023 Gatorade National Player of the Year honors. Clark has a sweet left-handed swing that produces plus contact and bat speed with the only question being just how much power it will lead to in the pros given he has a smaller frame than the other elite hitters at the top of this draft.

Why the Tigers took him here: We have our first true surprise of the night. Going into this draft, the talk was all about the three college stars who have separated themselves at the top of the class -- yet the Tigers went with a high school hitter, and not Langford, with the No. 3 pick. But don't let that fool you into thinking Clark is a stretch here. He would have been in the running for the No. 1 overall pick in many recent drafts if not for the SEC stars ahead of him this year. Clark has electric speed and could develop plus power as he develops, drawing comparisons to Corbin Carroll and Johnny Damon. -- Mullen

[Cody_Russell]

Heck yeah. Johnny Damon 2.0!

…

[jaadam4]

That “could” develop into power. Langford already had that. If they were picking #5 and had to select from the what’s left of the “elite” prospects I’d have no issue with it but Langford was the pick.

The Tigers were cheap.