Detroit Tigers 2024 MLB Draft Review

Draft Theme: Upside Preps & More Jucos Than Most

Last year, the Tigers targeted advanced high school hitters. This year, the team continued to draft prep players early, which was perhaps no surprise given scouting director Mark Connor’s background and previous drafts. SS Bryce Rainer stands out for his raw power and arm strength more than his pure hitting ability and RHP Owen Hall has a chance for a plus fastball and above-average breaking ball but needs a bit more control. The same is true of RHPs Zach Swanson and Anson Seibert, who both have exciting pitch mixes but will need to add a bit more consistency and command to make the most of them. On the third day of the draft, the Tigers picked three junior college players, which was the most of any team in this year’s draft.

Most Interesting Day 2 Pick: RHP Zach Swanson, 9th round

The Pacific Northwest has been something of a powerhouse in recent years when it comes to producing prep pitchers. Swanson is next in a line that has recently included players like Noble Meyer, Mick Abel and JR Ritchie. Swanson is a 6-foot-3, 195-pound righthander who has a power arsenal and was a consistent performer throughout the 2023 showcase circuit. He sits in the 91-95 mph range with a high-spin fastball that looks like an above-average offering and has ripped off an above-average slider in the low 80s that also has high spin rates in the 2,600-2,800 rpm range. The slider generates whiffs against righties and lefties and is thrown with frisbee-like sweeping shape at its best. He has also mixed in an occasional straight changeup at 84-87. While Swanson posted consistently on the circuit, scouts noted that his control was a question mark during his spring season with Toutle Lake High and some scouts think his high-effort delivery will push him into a reliever role in the future. Swanson is committed to Oregon State.

Most Interesting Day 3 Pick: RHP Anson Seibert, 16th round

Seibert is an enormous righthander with a 6-foot-8, 220-pound frame and a power fastball that he uses at a tough downhill angle to overwhelm hitters. He has the sort of stuff that can make him look like the best pitcher in the class in short spurts when he’s near his top-end velocity and throwing strikes, but his fastball can taper off quickly during outings and his control comes and goes. For the most part, he sits in the low 90s with a high-spin fastball that will touch 97 mph and get into the range of 2,600 rpm spin. He also has a high-spin slider in the 2,400 to 2,600 rpm range that flashes two-plane biting action and has above-average potential. Seibert will also throw a mid-80s changeup with a bit of armside fading life and a slower curveball in the mid 70s, but he has less feel for both those pitches and primarily goes to his fastball/slider combination. Seibert has a deliberate, controlled delivery that is more synced up than scouts would expect for a player of his size, though he’ll need to constantly work on his balance and timing to repeat his release point and rein in his long levers. Seibert turns 19 shortly after the draft and will be an eligible sophomore if he makes it to campus at Tennessee.