Detroit Tigers 2023 MLB Draft Review
See Also: 2023 MLB Draft Database
Draft Theme: Premium Hit Tools.
The Tigers got perhaps the two best pure hitting prospects in the high school class when they selected OF Max Clark in the first round and then got SS Kevin McGonigle in the supplemental first. While McGonigle isn’t the toolshed that Clark is, he was an exceptional performer all last summer on the circuit and both prepsters have 60-grade hit projections.
Most Interesting Day 2 Pick: 3B Carson Rucker, 4th round
Rucker is a physical third baseman who wasn’t on the national showcase circuit in 2022, but has drawn a bit of attention this spring by hammering the baseball with Goodpasture Christian High in Madison, Tenn. Listed at 6-foot-2, 193 pounds, Rucker has now physicality and strength with an impressive ability to drive the ball with authority to the right-center gap with long levers that create plenty of leverage offensively. He has plenty of room for more strength and power in the future and could get to plus raw power in short order. The evaluations of his hit tool will vary from team to team, but he has shown solid rhythm in the box and an ability to use all fields. He ran a 6.71-second 60-yard dash at PBR’s Super 60 Showcase, which is a plus run time, though he might become more of a 55-grade runner in the future when he adds more mass. Rucker has a chance to stick at third base at the next level with solid actions, particularly given his length and size. He’s committed to Tennessee.
Most Interesting Day 3 Pick: SS Jim Jarvis, 11th round
Jarvis ranked as the No. 298 player in the 2022 class thanks to his reliable defensive ability at shortstop, but he went unselected and returned to Alabama for his fourth season with the program. Jarvis is a small and lean, 5-foot-10, 185-pound lefthanded hitter who has well below-average raw power and will need to rely on his plus contact ability to be an impactful offensive player. He hit .273/.379/.418 in 2023, with a career-high six home runs and 10 doubles. Jarvis is a bit of a slap hitter who puts the ball in play and has historically walked about as much as he’s struck out, with a 12.7% strikeout rate and 11% walk rate in 2023. Scouts praise Jarvis’ plus defensive ability at shortstop and note his soft hands and reliable play at the position. His older brothers, Luke and Mike, played pro ball and his father, Chip, played football in college at San Diego.
