Detroit Tigers

[froot loops]

If it's in between action it is fine, you'll note that any celebrities mention almost always have something to do a show the network is promoting. Unless it's Taylor Swift and she is the rising tide that lifts all boats.

[Whitley]

Bryce Rainer SS (Havard-Westlake HS) 11th overall

MLB.com scouting report:

Scouting grades: Hit: 55 | Power: 60 | Run: 55 | Arm: 60 | Field: 50 | Overall: 60

Before the 2024 high season began, people looked at Rainer as an exciting two-way player. The Harvard-Westlake standout showed off skills in the box and on the mound during the summer showcase circuit and performed double duty for USA Baseball’s 18U team in international competition. The consensus was that while Rainer seemed to want to hit, scouts thought he had tremendous upside on the mound, albeit shown in smaller samples. The Rainer who showed up for his senior season, however, was bigger, stronger and faster. He was the best player at the National High School Invitational this spring and while he still pitches a little, he’s vaulted himself to the top half of the Draft as a position player.

Rainer has a ton of tools in all directions. At 6-foot-3 and listed at 195 pounds, he has a strong and projectable body. While his swing used to get long at times, with a tendency to wrap the bat behind his head, a stronger Rainer has shown the ability to make consistently hard contact from the left side of the plate. He had the top four exit velocities at the NHSI in April and has shown he can drive the ball to all fields. He sticks to a game plan and doesn’t chase or strike out, allowing him to tap into what could be plus power in the future.

There are no longer questions about where he might play defensively. He ran and moved better at shortstop over the summer than some expected, a trend that continued this spring, recording plus run times occasionally and showing he has every chance to stick at the premium position. His easily plus arm that fires mid-90s fastballs from the mound (with a good breaking ball) works from all parts of the infield and if for some reason he had to move to third, he could be a Gold Glove caliber defender there. Like most big left-handed hitting shortstops, the Texas recruit has garnered some Corey Seager comps, and there’s a good chance he lands in the top half of the first round.

https://www.mlb.com/video/2024-draft-bryce-rainer-ss?t=mlb-draft

[Whitley]

Owen Miller RHP (Edmon North HS (OK) 49th overall

MLB.COM

Scouting grades: Fastball: 60 | Curveball: 50 | Slider: 55 | Changeup: 50 | Control: 50 | Overall: 50

Hall made a huge impression at the Area Code Games in August, when he struck out 10 of the 18 batters he faced, including nine with a fastball that had an event-best peak velocity of 97 mph. He's a consensus second-round talent heading into his senior season, though there are some scouts who believe he's on an upward trajectory that could make him the first prep pitcher drafted. He may have to go early to be lured away from a Vanderbilt commitment.

Hall relies heavily on a fastball that sits at 91-94 mph and reaches 98 with explosive life up in the strike zone. With his athleticism and projectable 6-foot-3 frame, he could regularly deal in the mid-90s once he gets stronger. He throws two distinct breaking balls, with his low-80s slider showing more promise and getting more chases than his mid-70s curveball, which lacks consistency but elicits swings and misses.

Though Hall barely uses his mid-80s changeup, it could become an average pitch once he employs it more and gains more velocity separation from his fastball. He moves well on the mound and works with a high arm slot that creates induced vertical break on his heater and depth on his breaking pitches. He already pounds the zone with his fastball but needs to improve his control of his secondary offerings.

https://www.mlb.com/video/2024-draft-owen-hall-rhp?t=mlb-draft

[Whitley]

Ethan Schiefelbein LHP (Corona HS)(CA) #72 Overall

mlb.com scouting report

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

n 2020, Isaiah Greene was a second-round pick out of Corona High School in California. In 2024, Corona’s best chance at matching Greene’s Draft status is Schiefelbein, a lefty who proved his mettle against top competition all summer. He’s pitched for Team USA on multiple occasions and he was arguably the best pitcher on the 18U team in Taiwan in 2023, allowing just one run over nine innings, striking out 12. He continued to show he likes the spotlight by tossing a complete-game shutout to help Corona win the National High School Invitational in early April.

At 6-foot-1, Schiefelbein isn’t the biggest or most physical pitcher in the class, but the left-hander makes up for it by being one of the most competitive arms in the crop. He has a four-pitch mix, starting with a two-seam fastball that typically sits in the 90-93 mph range. He favors his true top-to-bottom curve, but it’s more of a get-me-over kind of pitch. Scouts may prefer his harder slider, which has the chance to be a true out pitch. He has good feel for a changeup, which could be above average in time.

There is some effort in Schiefelbein’s delivery, particularly in his lower half, and he doesn’t have the longest extension in the world. But the UCLA recruit has shown the ability to throw strikes and clearly knows how to navigate an at-bat. His makeup and ability to get outs against top competition make him the best pitching prospect out of Corona High School since Tristan Beck played there before heading to Stanford.

https://www.mlb.com/video/2024-draft-schiefelbein-lhp?t=mlb-draft

[Whitley]

Josh Randall RHP San Diego #85 overall

MLB,.COM Scouting report

Scouting grades: Fastball: 55 | Slider: 55 | Changeup: 45 | Control: 45 | Overall: 45

Randall spent his first two years of college ball at the University of Arizona, pitching out of the bullpen as a freshman in 2022 but only appearing in one game in 2023 because of injury. He entered the transfer portal and landed at San Diego, where he has gotten the chance to not only stick in a rotation, but serve as the Toreros’ Friday night starter. His ability to hold his stuff deep into starts has helped his Draft stock take off.

While Randall has a big 6-foot-4 frame, the right-hander is able to throw multiple pitches for strikes. He’s mostly a sinker-slider type, with a two-seamer that is up to 97-98 mph at times. It’s a heavy bowling ball heater with sink, getting a ton of groundballs as a result. He does also have a four-seamer he can use up in the zone for a different look. He combines it with an 83-84 mph slider that misses a fair amount of bats and should be an above-average offering. There’s some feel for a changeup, though he throws it too hard.

Teams interested in Randall might want to give him the chance to start because he does have the ability to hold his stuff and there’s enough repertoire there for him to have a shot to stick in a rotation, even if he needs to add something softer to the arsenal. A former catcher, he also throws enough strikes to give him a chance, though some think that sinker-slider combination could land him in high-leverage bullpen situations at the highest level.

https://www.mlb.com/video/2024-draft-josh-randall-rhp

[Whitley]

Michael Massey RHP (Wake Forest) #114 overall

MLB.com scouting report



Scouting grades: Fastball: 60 | Curveball: 50 | Slider: 60 | Changeup: 40 | Control: 45 | Overall: 45

Massey spent his freshman year as a starter at Tulane before transferring to Wake Forest and becoming a reliever on college baseball's best pitching staff in 2023. He was overpowering in short bursts, striking out 48 percent of the hitters he faced and limiting opponents to a .161 average. After the Demon Deacons lost three starters in the first three rounds of the 2023 Draft, he moved into their rotation this spring before missing four starts with hamstring and back injuries and returning to the bullpen in late May.

Benefiting from Wake Forest's renowned pitching lab, Massey has souped up his stuff since changing schools, though it hasn't been as sharp in longer stints. As a reliever, he operated with a pair of well above-average pitches in a 93-97 mph fastball with explosive carry and an 82-85 mph slider that plummeted at the plate. Since he became a starter, both offerings have lost a tick or two of velocity and played more as plus offerings.

Massey has added a 75-78 mph curveball with good depth but has trouble landing it for strikes, and he doesn't trust his mid-80s changeup with fade. Scouts think his aggressive, short-arm delivery is better suited for relief work, though it does create deception without hampering his control too much. He'll probably land in the bullpen after turning pro.

https://www.mlb.com/video/2024-draft-michael-massey-rhp?t=mlb-draft

[Whitley]

Woody Hadeen SS (UC-Irvine) #176 overall

mlb.com scouting report

Scouting grades: Hit: 50 | Power: 35 | Run: 55 | Arm: 50 | Field: 50 | Overall: 45

After a solid, albeit unspectacular sophomore season at UC Irvine, Hadeen headed to the Appalachian League and earned All-Star Game MVP honors in the summer circuit before finishing up with a stint in the Cape Cod League. He wasn’t able to carry that over to what should have been his junior year, as a shoulder injury that required surgery shelved him for the season. He’s returned with a vengeance this spring, putting up very good numbers for the highly-ranked Anteaters.

A switch-hitting shortstop, Hadeen is all about contact, getting on base and defense. A bit more productive from the right side of the plate, he rarely strikes out and almost never misses a fastball. In addition to his high contact rates, he draws a ton of walks and has been able to use his speed to swipe some bags. How much impact at the plate he’ll have at the next level remains to be seen, and he hasn’t shown much extra-base authority to date, though some think he could grow into a little more strength in his 6-foot-2 frame.

Hadeen is a solid defender with good hands and instincts at a premium position. That could give him the chance to stick at shortstop, though both his average arm and the questions about offensive impact could point to more of a utility type career in the future. Scouts laud his makeup and grinder mentality, giving teams more confidence he’ll maximize the tools he does have as he enters pro ball.

https://www.mlb.com/video/2024-draft-woody-hadeen-ss

[Whitley]

Zack Swanson RHP (Toutle Lake HS, WA) #266 overall

mlb,com scouting report

Scouting grades: Fastball: 50 | Slider: 50 | Changeup: 40 | Control: 45 | Overall: 40

The Pacific Northwest has produced some exciting high school pitching talent in recent years, from first-round Oregonians Noble Meyer and Mick Abel, both from Jesuit High School, to Washingtonians JR Ritchie, a 2022 comp round pick and Jackson Cox, taken in the second that same year. Swanson has the chance to become a 1-2 punch with Cox as products of Toutle Lake High School much in the way Meyer and Abel have, though he struggled to gain traction after transitioning from basketball to the diamond this spring.

Like some of those who preceded him in the region, Swanson has a full repertoire and plenty of projection. The 6-foot-3 right-hander has thrown harder in each of the last few seasons, going from sitting 89-92 mph as a sophomore to now showing he can live in the 93-95 mph range with good carry, and there could be more velocity to come, though it fluctuated this spring. His tight 84-86 mph slider is often his best pitch, a sharp breaker with high spin and good depth. He’ll flash a decent mid-80s changeup, but it’s a work in progress with inconsistent depth.

Swanson can get rushed and erratic in his delivery, causing issues with his command, and he can try to nibble too much, like he did at the Area Code Games, rather than trust his impressive stuff in the zone. He’s had trouble with consistency this spring in finding the zone, but when the Oregon State recruit repeats his delivery, he can look like one of the better prep arms in the class, even if that hasn’t shown up as much as some evaluators hoped to see before he began his senior year.

https://www.mlb.com/video/2024-draft-zach-swanson-rhp?t=mlb-draft

[Whitley]

Anson Seibert RHP Blue Valley Southwest HS (KS)

Scouting grades: Fastball: 60 | Slider: 50 | Changeup: 50 | Control: 45 | Overall: 45

Seibert teamed with Royals 2021 second-rounder Ben Kudrna to lead Blue Valley Southwest (Overland Park) to the Kansas 5-A state championship as a freshman, then, as a sophomore, helped the Timberwolves repeat. He emerged early as a potential first-rounder for the 2024 Draft, though his stock dipped a bit during an inconsistent summer on the showcase circuit heading into his senior year. There still are few pitchers in this class who can match his combination of size and stuff when he's on, though his status was clouded when he left a mid-April start with what initially was diagnosed as a flexor strain.

While Seibert's fastball can climb to 97 mph, it's more notable for the carry he creates with an extremely high slot and tremendous extension, products of his 6-foot-8 frame. He'll sit at 92-94 mph in the early innings before his velocity tapers off, and the unreliability of his secondary pitches is also a concern. He lacks consistent feel for a low-80s slider that has good shape at times but also can get slurvy, and he doesn't trust his mid-80s changeup.

At his best, Seibert has a well-above-average fastball and at least a solid slider. Considering his size and youth, he does a nice job of keeping his delivery in sync, but his control and command waver along with his stuff. If he attends Tennessee, he'll be eligible for the 2026 Draft as a sophomore.

https://www.mlb.com/video/2024-draft-anson-seibert-rhp?t=mlb-draft

[Whitley]

Keith Law's thoughts on the Detroit Tigers draft (from the Athletic)

The Tigers went all-in on high school players early again, a year after a draft that brought them their top two hitting prospects in Max Clark and Kevin McGonigle. Shortstop Bryce Rainer (1) was the top high school player on my board, a no-doubt shortstop with a 70 arm and plus power, including strong exit velocities to back it up. He’s a heady, instinctive player who shows good leadership on the field. I didn’t see great bat speed from him and I want to see him show he can turn on major-league average velocity.
Rainer is a no-doubt shortstop. (Tracy Proffitt / Four Seam Images via Associated Press)

Right-hander Owen Hall (2) was one of the best high school projection guys in the class, working 90-94 now and touching 97 with a ton of room to fill out and gain some more velocity over time. His slider is plus and he spins the ball well, with a delivery that he repeats pretty well when he gets all the way around to land online to the plate. If I were drafting, which MLB still refuses to let me do because of some silly rule that I don’t actually work for a team, he’s exactly the kind of high school arm I’d target after the first round.


Lefty Ethan Schiefelbein (2B) was a reach for me at this spot, as he’s just low-90s without a ton of projection and his primary offspeed pitch is a slow 12/6 curveball. He’s completely off balance when he finishes his delivery, although I like how well he stays over the rubber before striding forward. He’s committed to UCLA.

Josh Randall (3) transferred to San Diego from Arizona this year after a poor freshman season in Tucson and a sophomore season limited to one inning by injury. He broke out in every way this year, throwing a 95-96 two-seamer with ridiculous sink and tail and a short upper-80s slider, generating a groundball rate over 55 percent. The right-hander has a low three-quarters slot and he doesn’t repeat the arm swing that well. I’d expect a bigger platoon split but he was actually better against lefties this spring, even without much use of his changeup. He hit 25 batters this spring, a 7.6 percent HBP rate, which is not a stat I typically have to calculate and was one off the NCAA lead which was, oddly, a pitcher at San Diego State. Too many fish tacos = too many hit batsmen?

Wake Forest right-hander Michael Massey (4) moved to the rotation this spring, making short starts on Sundays until his hamstring and back took him out of action, and when he returned he was back in relief. He had back surgery after the season to repair a bulging disc. He has an extremely short arm action, getting up to 95 with a hard slider, struggling enough against lefties that he almost certainly sticks in relief. Notre Dame shortstop Jack Penney (5) hit just .269/.406/.492 this spring and didn’t hit .300 in any of his three seasons in South Bend, although he does make hard enough contact — he just rarely swings, with more walks than strikeouts thanks to a 38 percent swing rate.

Oregon State commit Zach Swanson (9) is 92-95 with some arm-side run from an abrupt, rushed delivery that gives him a head-whack and definitely inhibits his command. The right-hander has a solid frame and plenty of projection left, with a lot of work to do to end up a starter. UNC-Wilmington right-hander R.J. Sales (10) was 93-94 as a starter with a power curveball in the low 80s and a hard cutter up to 89. His delivery is fine, with a high three-quarters slot, but it’s 45 command and control and the fastball plays down just enough that he may be more of a long man than a back-end starter — unless he boosts his strike-throwing.
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Any word from the "warm weather has no effect on Tiger bats contingent" ?

[chemiclord]

You mean, "bats that suck in April are going to suck in July?"

Let's see... as a team, the Tigers are currently 24th in AVG, 25th in OPS, 20th in SLG, 18th in HR, 18th in total bases... so yeah, it's still not good. Because yeah... hitters get better as the weather warms. Problem is all bats get better, so the Tigers remain well below average. They still suck. And they'll still suck in September. Because these are not good hitters no matter what month it is or how high the temperatures are.

They've had a bit of a hot stretch. They've had hot stretches this year. No reason to believe this will be any more sustainable than the prior ones. They'll go on another 6 runs in 7 games tear at some point and you'll go oddly quiet about the bats again, I'm sure.

[froot loops]

So you are conceding bats get better as the weather warms. You and others ridiculed that all season. It was as if this was a foreign concept to you guys when I stated it in April. They were scoring 3.5 runs a game when I said the bats will heat up as the season progresses. You and others scoffed at it. Now they are up to 4.36 runs per game, just below league average, not great but a lot of the offense is coming from young bats. Part of the reason I said what I said is I expected it would take awhile for Keith to adjust. I didn't count on losing Carpenter and Tork.

I think expect Colt Keith is going to hit at a good rate like he did in the minors, and it looks.like Malloy is getting comfortable hitting at the major league level and he is starting to produce like he did. Perez is a bona fide find.

Their pitching is not as good as they were hoping.

[whatever_gong82]

So you are conceding bats get better as the weather warms. You and others ridiculed that all season. It was as if this was a foreign concept to you guys when I stated it in April. They were scoring 3.5 runs a game when I said the bats will heat up as the season progresses. You and others scoffed at it. Now they are up to 4.36 runs per game, just below league average, not great but a lot of the offense is coming from young bats. Part of the reason I said what I said is I expected it would take awhile for Keith to adjust. I didn't count on losing Carpenter and Tork.

I think expect Colt Keith is going to hit at a good rate like he did in the minors, and it looks.like Malloy is getting comfortable hitting at the major league level and he is starting to produce like he did. Perez is a bona fide find.

Their pitching is not as good as they were hoping.

And unless Baltimore or the LA Dodgers offer at least 4-5 top of the line players for Tarik Skubal at the trading deadline, don't trade him at all.

[chemiclord]

No, we ridiculed the idea that the weather warming was going to turn bats that suck into bats that don't suck, like somehow this team was going to become a Top 10 offense because the thermometer went over 80. Your claim took a banal fact, and tried to spin it like a solution, which was what we scoffed at, not the banal fact.

You might as well have said, "Listen, once winter comes, that will solve global warming, because temperatures drop in winter."