00:00Hey Tigers fans, big news just dropped from MLB Pipeline this Friday, the latest top 100
00:06prospect rankings are out, and they are absolutely covered in Old English D. As we head into
00:12spring training in just a few weeks, the Detroit Tigers stand alone as the only organization
00:16in all of baseball with 2 prospects in the top 10, and 4 prospects inside the top 40.
00:22All 4 of these guys were on the list last year too, which is just another sign of the
00:26wave of talent coming for a team that's been one game away from the ALCS in each of the past two
00:31seasons, leading the pack, as expected, is shortstop Kevin McGonigal. He holds steady at his number 2
00:37overall ranking from the end of last season, right behind Pirates prospect, Connor Griffin.
00:43The supplemental first-round pick from the 2023 MLB draft has been a top 100 name since the middle
00:48of the 2024 season. He rocketed up the rankings last year after a dominant climb through the system,
00:54even after an opening day right ankle injury, the sweet swinging lefty slashed .305-408,
01:01combed an 83 across three levels, finishing at AA Erie, and then took over the Arizona Fall League,
01:07hitting 3-on-6-2 with a 1.2-on-10 OPS to win league MVP honors. McGonigal's good friend and fellow
01:152023 draftee outfielder Max Clark checks in at number 10, making him the highest-ranked outfielder on the
01:22entire list. The third overall pick in that 2023 draft put up a line of .2-4-4-0-3 .4432 over 111 games
01:36between Erie and High A West Michigan, finishing with 14 home runs, 67 RBIs, and 19 stolen bases,
01:42flashing that five-tool athleticism that made him a star in Indiana. Both McGonigal and Clark are expected
01:46to be non-roster invitees to their first major league camp this spring, so we'll likely get a
01:51look at them in Lakeland. McGonigal, in particular, could have a shot to state his case for the opening
01:56day infield. Think about this. The Tigers haven't had a homegrown shortstop start on opening day since
02:02Omar Infante in 2003. This lines up with what President of Baseball Operations Scott Harris said
02:08at the end of last season. I expect the players that posted dominant years in AA to factor into
02:16our big league team next year. They've earned it. They posted incredible years as 20-year-olds,
02:22very young for the level. I expect their progress to continue, and I expect them to be in Detroit at
02:27some point in 2026. Next up is shortstop Bryce Rainer. Even though he missed most of last season due to
02:34injury, he enters this year as the No. 35 prospect in baseball. The 11th overall selection from the
02:402024 draft started last year at No. 53. He made a quick impression in the Tigers' spring breakout win
02:46over the Braves, then hit .288, .383, .48 in 35 games for single-A Lakeland before dislocating his
02:54right shoulder on a dive back to first base in June. The 20-year-old is expected to be ready for spring
03:00training. Rounding out the group is slugging catcher first baseman, Josue Briceño. After cracking the
03:07top 100 last year following his 2024 Arizona Fall League MVP win, he made a huge jump to No. 40 in
03:14these new rankings. This comes off a 20-homer season split between West Michigan and Erie,
03:19the left-handed hitter, known for his all-fields power that created regular highlights slashed
03:30383, .500 across both levels. The Venezuelan native is now ranked as the fifth-highest catcher
03:37on the entire top 100 list. So, with this much young talent officially recognized as some of the
03:42best in the sport, what part of this future core are you most excited to see develop in 2025?
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