After a strong run from 2011-14 that saw the Tigers win four straight AL Central titles and a pennant, Detroit underwent a massive rebuild after the 2017 season. But in recent years, the Tigers have been on the rise thanks to an impressive, homegrown core. But how much did the MLB Draft play into their improvement? Here’s a look at the best Detroit Tigers draft picks of the last decade.
Best Tigers Draft Picks Over Last 10 Seasons
| Name | Position | Year Drafted | Round | Career bWAR |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spencer Turnbull | P | 2014 | 2 | 5.1 |
| Tyler Alexander | P | 2015 | 2 | 2.8 |
| Drew Smith | P | 2015 | 3 | 2.1 |
| Matt Manning | P | 2016 | 1 | 2.0 |
| John Schreiber | P | 2016 | 15 | 3.2 |
| Casey Mize | P | 2018 | 1 | 3.5 |
| Tarik Skubal | P | 2018 | 9 | 8.4 |
| Riley Greene | OF | 2019 | 1 | 6.6 |
| Kerry Carpenter | OF | 2019 | 19 | 3.6 |
| Beau Brieske | P | 2019 | 27 | 2.0 |
Much of Detroit’s recent drafting success has come by way of pitching, specifically college pitching. Seven of the eight pitchers listed above came from college, with the lone high schooler being California prep product Matt Manning.
Detroit snared University of Alabama hurler Spencer Turnbull in the second round of the 2014 MLB Draft. While Turnbull didn’t win many games with the Tigers, the now-Phillie owned a solid 3.82 FIP between 2018-23 and ate innings while Detroit was amidst a rebuild.
The Tigers also got mileage out of Tyler Alexander and John Schreiber, the latter of whom was one of two notable pitchers Detroit snared in 2016. However, neither Manning nor Schreiber have had the career success that Jason Foley, signed as an undrafted free agent in 2016, has.
Detroit’s best scouting work came in 2018, when the Tigers landed an ace in the ninth round of the 2018 MLB Draft, eight rounds after the Tigers selected Auburn ace Casey Mize. Tarik Skubal, who didn’t sign with the Diamondbacks in 2017, quickly rose the ranks and developed into one of the game’s elite starters.
The Tigers didn’t have much success drafting or developing hitters for much of the decade but did land two regulars in 2019. Detroit selected Riley Greene in the first round of the 2019 MLB Draft, then added Virginia Tech infielder/outfielder Kerry Carpenter in the 19th round.
Now, we move from the Tigers’ best draft picks of the last decade to ones that could be considered their worst.
Worst Tigers Draft Picks Over Last 10 Seasons
| Name | Position | Year Drafted | Round | Career bWAR |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Derek Hill | OF | 2014 | 1 | -0.4 |
| Beau Burrows | P | 2015 | 1 | -0.7 |
| Christin Stewart | OF | 2015 | 2 | -1.2 |
| Rey Rivera | 1B/OF | 2017 | 2 | Never played in MLB |
| Sam McMillan | C | 2017 | 5 | Never played in MLB |
| Nick Quintana | INF | 2019 | 2 | Never played in MLB |
| Daniel Cabrera | OF | 2020 | 2 | Never played in MLB |
The Al Avila-led Tigers loved college players, specifically ones from the SEC. From 2013 through 2018, five of Detroit’s eight first-round picks came from the Southeastern Conference.
While that strategy did net the Tigers the likes of Corey Knebel, Alex Faedo, and Casey Mize, Detroit did miss with Christin Stewart. Stewart was an intriguing power hitter who blasted 30 home runs in the Minors in 2016. However, he didn’t have much success at the MLB level. The University of Tennessee product posted a .676 OPS and a -1.2 bWAR with the Tigers.
But a year earlier, Detroit opted to take Derek Hill, a speedy California prep product who received rave reviews for his defense. Unfortunately for the Tigers, Hill’s bat didn’t develop as hoped. Across parts of five MLB seasons, Hill hit .228/.280/.311 (.591 OPS) over 314 plate appearances.
In 2017, the Tigers gave a seven-figure bonus to high school catcher Sam McMillan, who capped out at Low-A ball. McMillan was drafted in the fifth round, three rounds after the Tigers picked Chipola JC slugger Rey Rivera. Rivera, released by the Tigers in 2022, posted a .666 career OPS in the Minors and was suspended for a banned substance in 2019.
One name we did leave off intentionally was Spencer Torkelson. Torkelson was the first overall pick in the 2020 MLB Draft and at the time of this selection was considered the most polished and prolific hitter available that year. Torkelson belted 48 home runs over his first two seasons with Arizona State and a career .463 OBP with the Sun Devils.
However, Torkelson’s yet to be a smash hit at the MLB level. The 24-year-old owns a career bWAR of -1.7, the lowest out of any player selected in the first round in 2020. On the flip side, much of that can be attributed to deep struggles in 2022 and 2024, and in both years he was sent to Triple-A. However, Torkelson has more home runs (47) than anyone selected in the 2020 MLB Draft. Torkelson hit 31 in the 2023 season.
Even though he hasn’t developed into a superstar, it’s hard to call Torkelson a bust.
These lists do not include players selected but did not sign. bWAR figures as of June 2024.