3 Detroit Tigers prospects among ESPN's MLB top 50, including newcomer Kevin McGonigle
The optimism around the top prospects that project as the future of the Detroit Tigers remains high.
ESPN updated their MLB top 50 prospect list on Wednesday, about 50 games into the 2024 season. The Tigers had three players make the top 50 and one more in the honorable mention list.
Right-hander Jackson Jobe, currently with Double-A Erie is the highest-rated Tiger at No. 7, checking in as the top minor league pitcher, and the second-rated pitcher trailing only Paul Skenes, who just made his debut for the Pittsburgh Pirates.
"Jobe was the talk of spring training after hitting triple-digits for Detroit, and he is now bouncing back after command issues to start the regular season," ESPN writer Kiley McDaniel said of Jobe, who is still working back from a hamstring strain. Jobe has pitched 16⅔ innings this season, posting a 2.16 ERA with 24 strikeouts and 10 walks.
The other two Tigers included are the team's two top picks from the 2023 draft, center fielder Max Clark at No. 21 and shortstop Kevin McGonigle in the final spot at No. 50, both of whom play for single-A Lakeland. Third baseman Jace Jung, the 2022 first-rounder currently with Triple-A Toledo, was one of the position players listed under "just missed" for the top 50.
Over a dozen players featured on the preseason top 100 list from ESPN graduated from the list after meeting the requirements to qualify as a major league player, including Tigers second baseman Colt Keith. The list also includes projected rankings for the top prospects in the 2024 MLB draft class, which is scheduled for mid-July.
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Clark, the third overall pick in 2023, is hitting .256 with a .361 on-base percentage and .353 slugging percentage for Lakeland through 34 games this season. He has two home runs and 24 RBIs. McDaniel compared Clark, still 19 years old, to catcher Ethan Salas, a 17-year-old prospect, as young players who were sent to A-ball trying to find their offensive footing.
"(Salas) is roughly comparable to Clark — another talented, young up-the-middle position player scuffling a bit in A-Ball — though Salas outhit him at the same Low-A stop last season."
McGonigle is off to a hot start to 2024, hitting .329/.415/.486 through 19 games in Lakeland with one home run and 11 RBIs.
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"McGonigle is my latest gut-feel draft day breakout pick," McDaniel wrote. "He has an excellent feel to hit, with hopes for more power coming."
The choice to include MCGonigle over Jung in the top 50 differs from MLB Pipeline's ranking a few weeks ago, which included Jung at No. 48 while not mentioning McGonigle. MLB Pipeline had Jobe as the 10th-best prospect, and had Clark at No. 13.
The Tigers (23-25) could turn to the minor leagues at some point in 2024 as a way to infuse talent into the big league roster. They have struggled in May, posting a 6-12 record entering Wednesday, after going 17-13 combined in March and April.
This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: ESPN puts 3 Detroit Tigers prospects in updated top 50 ranking
