The Detroit Tigers missed the playoffs in 2016 and are trying to find a way to retool while owner Mike Ilitch is still alive. Do they have resources on the farm?
An Introduction
Our minor league top 10 series is coordinated by Benjamin Chase, one of our contributors at Call To The Pen.
He has poured over thousands of minor league games over the course of the year via milb.tv along with speaking with a number of team and independent scouts. These lists are based out of those conversations.
Each system will have prospects from 10 to 1, and then finish with one newcomer to the system that is worth keeping an eye on that is not in the top 10 at this time.
Conversations are certainly encouraged in the comments section on each system as we go along!
On his way out the door last July, Dombrowski made a few trades that impacted the Tigers significantly
Tigers System Review
Dave Dombrowski used the Tigers farm system as a GM should when he’s trying to win, as a method to trade for the pieces needed to fill his team. However, that left the Tigers system quite shallow.
On his way out the door last July, Dombrowski made a few trades that impacted the Tigers significantly in a positive direction in getting high-impact talent. A lot of that talent made its impact already in 2016, as the Tigers saw Michael Fulmer win the Rookie of the Year award, Daniel Norris made 13 tremendous starts for the major league club, and Matt Boyd made 18 fairly effective starts all after being acquired just a year ago.
The system has been left without much for depth, and it’s quite evident in the top 10 as the first two prospects are legit impact-type players, while after that there are three or four guys that would best be described as wild cards, and then predominantly organizational filler after that.
Let’s take a look at the top 10!
Next: #10