2017 Detroit Tigers Midseason Top 10 Prospects
| Tigers Midseason Top 10 |
| 1. Alex Faedo, RHP |
| 2. Matt Manning, RHP |
| 3. Beau Burrows, RHP |
| 4. Christin Stewart, OF |
| 5. Kyle Funkhouser, RHP |
| 6. Bryan Garcia, RHP |
| 7. Sandy Baez, RHP |
| 8. Gregory Soto, LHP |
| 9. Austin Sodders, LHP |
| 10. JaCoby Jones, OF |
The Tigers are stuck in an unenviable position as the trade deadline approaches. Their most talented players—ace Justin Verlander, slugger Miguel Cabrera and DH Victor Martinez, to name a few—are saddled with big contracts that will limit their trade returns without the Tigers eating a significant portion of their remaining contracts.
On the other side of the coin, there are desired players like righthander Michael Fulmer and infielder Nick Castellanos whom the Tigers would like to keep as part of their long-term future.
J.D. Martinez will be in high demand this month if the Tigers are willing to trade him and lefthander Justin Wilson will be a good fit for a team looking to improve its bullpen.
With their stars aging and their rivals in the American League Central either performing currently or accelerating their own rebuilds, the Tigers need to find a way to be creative to get back on the path to contention.
1. Alex Faedo, RHP
Rookie-level GCL
Age: 21
After surgery on both knees in the fall of his junior year at Florida, there was a bit of fluidity surrounding Faedo’s draft stock. Those surgeries cost him conditioning time and led to a slow start. Toward the end of the season, however, Faedo took off. He was the most dominant pitcher in postseason and helped lead Florida to a College World Series win. The Tigers took him 18th overall and signed him for $3.5 million. At his best, Faedo couples a lively, mid-90s fastball with a slider that was arguably the best in this year’s draft class. His changeup features sink and run as well. Upon signing, Faedo instantly became the best prospect in the system.
2. Matt Manning, RHP
Short-season Connecticut
Age: 19
The Tigers are moving slow with last year’s first-round pick after he dealt with a bit of wildness in extended spring training. In the New York-Penn League, Manning has shown the Tigers the same, consistent mid-90s fastball they saw as an amateur. His next step is developing his curveball further.
3. Beau Burrows, RHP
Double-A Erie
Age: 20
Burrows was dominant in the Florida State League and earned a quick promotion to Double-A as well as a spot in this year’s Futures Game, where he struck out two of the game’s top prospects in Rafael Devers and Amed Rosario. Like Manning, the Tigers are happy with Burrows’ mid-90s fastball and would like to see him further refine his curveball so hitters can’t sit on the heater.
4. Christin Stewart, OF
Double-A Erie
Age: 23
Last year’s power surge has continued for Stewart, who has the most usable juice in the system. He’s worked on keeping his bat in the zone longer, and it’s paid off with 20 homers and a .540 slugging percentage. He’s continued to refine his defense in left field. The Tigers are optimistic he can be playable out there, but opposing scouts remain skeptical.
5. Kyle Funkhouser, RHP
Disabled List
Age: 23
Funkhouser showed some of the best stuff in the system before going on the disabled list with a right elbow strain in June. He wowed evaluators in the instructional league and his lively fastball topped at 97 mph this year. An average slider is the best secondary pitch, and he continues to refine his changeup and curveball.
6. Bryan Garcia, RHP
Double-A Erie
Age: 22
The former Miami closer has zoomed through three levels in his first full season and settled into the closer role at Double-A. Garcia is aggressive, particularly up in the zone, with his mid-90s fastball that peaks at 97 mph and uses a wipeout slider to get his strikeouts. He’s whiffed 57 in 35 innings and held opponents to a .185 average.
7. Sandy Baez, RHP
High Class A Lakeland
Age: 23
Added to the 40-man roster this winter, Baez has big-time stuff. His fastball sits in the mid-90s and peaks at 97 mph and his slider projects as a future plus offering. His fastball doesn’t have a ton of movement, however, and some scouts believe that could be remedied with a change in grip.
8. Gregory Soto, LHP
Low Class A West Michigan
Age: 22
Soto is armed with a three-pitch mix that starts with a heavy fastball in the mid-90s and has two developing offspeeds in his changeup and breaking ball. Both secondary pitches project as average. If he doesn’t develop as a starter, Soto could scrap the changeup and be a reliever toward the back of a bullpen.
9. Austin Sodders, LHP
High Class A Lakeland
Age: 22
A pitchability lefthander, Sodders has performed well in his first full professional season. He doesn’t break 90 mph with his fastball very often, but he uses his plus changeup effectively and mixes in a curveball to change eye levels and keep hitters guessing. He dominated at low Class A West Michigan and continued to do so after moving up a level.
10. JaCoby Jones, OF
Triple-A Toledo
Age: 25
Jones is still as toolsy as ever, but he needs to work on not expanding the strike zone as often. If he can shore up his plate-discipline, he might have the ceiling of a second-division regular in center field with speed usable both on defense and on the basepaths.
HURTING
• RHP Joe Jimenez missed a month with a lower back injury before returning to Triple-A Toledo.
• OF Mike Gerber has been on the Double-A disabled list since late June with a strained oblique.
• OF Derek Hill has returned to low Class A after recovering from Tommy John surgery.
RISING
• LHP Matt Hall had a 44-inning scoreless streak in the Florida State League highlighted by a swings-and-miss curveball.
• RHP Wladimir Pinto has impressed evaluators in the New York-Penn League with his ability to command his mid-to-high-90s fastball.
• RHP Jason Foley dominated the Midwest League with an fastball up to 101 mph and has moved up Florida State League, a storybook beginning for the undrafted free agent out of Sacred Heart.
FALLING
• OF Steven Moya has big-time power but simply cannot control the strike zone. He started the year with Triple-A Toledo but has been demoted to Double-A Erie.
• LHP Tyler Alexander has had trouble commanding his offspeed pitches and has paid the price in Double-A with 111 hits allowed in 82 innings.
• INF A.J. Simcox, teammates with Christin Stewart at Tennessee, has scuffled to a .237/.277/.356 line at Double-A.
GRADUATING
• INF Dixon Machado has settled into a role as utility infielder with the Tigers and hit reasonably well in limited action.
• RHP Warwick Saupold has settled into a middle relief role and posted a 2.14 ERA in 20 appearances.
• LHP Daniel Stumpf has been a worthy Rule 5 pick and posted a 3.75 ERA in 19 relief appearances.
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