Detroit Tigers: Top 10 Rookie-Eligible Prospects for 2018

We have reached the point of the offseason where prospect lists abound. We continue our top 10 prospects for every team with the Detroit Tigers!

Our team top 10 prospect lists at Call to the Pen are spearheaded by Benjamin Chase. Today, he gives us the top ten prospects for the Detroit Tigers.

This season, we will be going through teams by division, in order of 2017 record. The AL East will be first, followed by the AL Central and AL West. Then the focus will shift to the National League in the same order.

The format will be as it was last season for the same lists, with a system review, which will include last season’s list. The top 10 will follow in reverse order, two players per page in order to give adequate space to each player. Major trades or international signings will lead to an updated top 10!

Finally, don’t go away after #1 is revealed as each list will also contain a player either signed in the 2017 international free agent class or drafted in 2017 that isn’t part of the top 10 and should be tracked. Last season’s mentions in that area made over half of the top 10s this season, so this is a great way to get to know a player who could be making a big splash in the organization.

System overview

Last year’s list

Two seasons ago, many could have argued the Detroit Tigers system as one of the 3 worst in all of the major leagues, and there would not have been much fight back, from even the most ardent Tigers supporter.

However, the past three drafts and a number of well-done trades have dramatically increased the talent in the Detroit system such that the Tigers are now around the middle of the pack in talent.

The Detroit Tigers were always able to develop talent, even when they were trading away many of those young players in order to supplement their major league runs. Now that the team is in the process of rebuilding their franchise, the Tigers will be able to continue pushing for depth in their farm system.

Right now, the farm system is rich in arms, with some high ceiling position players that won’t be on this list but could make their way into the top 10 very soon!

Let’s take a look at that system….

Next: #9 and #10

10. Gregory Soto, LHP

Birthday (age on opening day 2018): 2/11/1995 (23)
2017 teams/levels played for: low-A West Michigan Whitecaps, high-A Lakeland Flying Tigers
2017 Stats: 23 GS, 124 IP, 2.25 ERA, 1.31 WHIP, 12.5% BB, 27.8% K

Info: Signed out of the Dominican ahead of the 2013 season, Soto has taken time working his way to full season ball, but he finally got there in 2017. He certainly didn’t disappoint for the wait.

Soto may have a future reliever profile, but he had such success as a starter in 2017 that it makes sense to keep pushing him forward in the rotation until he forces his way out. The biggest concern was his struggle with control, and a lot has to do with his high leg kick, from which he sometimes has inconsistent landing, getting his upper body ahead of his lower body due to the high kick and seeing his control suffer due to this.

Soto may have a future reliever profile, but (…) it makes sense to keep pushing him forward in the rotation

Soto works with a fastball that works into the upper 90s, with one report of triple digits in two starts, but most topping out at 98-99. He tends to sit in the mid-90s with his fastball with late life on the pitch that gets the ball off the barrel of the bat and get weak contact.

Soto mixes in two breaking pitches, a curve that works in a 1-7 movement with some hard bite. He struggles with getting behind the pitch rather than on top of it when he is ahead of his lower half in his delivery. His slider is still something he’s working on, but he showed some flashes due to the similarity out of hand to the fastball of having his slider be an effective pitch.

Soto certainly needs a second fastball grip or a change to give hitters a second look that keep them off his fastball, but the biggest thing for him will be managing his delivery. He’s physically filled out at 6’1″ and roughly 200-210 (listed at 180, but he’s certainly more than that), so he can work in his mature frame at this point.

The Tigers could open Soto back in high-A as he only made 5 starts at the level in 2017, but at 23 years old already, they could also push him up to AA in 2018. A lot will depend on how he performs this spring.

9. Kyle Funkhouser, RHP

Birthday (age on opening day 2018): 3/16/1994 (24)
2017 teams/levels played for: low-A West Michigan Whitecaps, high-A Lakeland Flying Tigers
2017 Stats: 12 GS, 62 2/3 IP, 2.44 ERA, 1.15 WHIP, 7.5% BB, 32.5% K

Info: Before his season was shut down by elbow inflammation, Funkhouser was on pace to feature near the top of this list with the season he was having.

As it sits, the Detroit Tigers’ 2016 4th round selection is now entering his age-24 season, and he’s never pitched in the upper minors and hasn’t thrown 100 innings in a pro season yet. He’ll likely get the opportunity to check off both things in 2018, but he’ll have to see how he responds once the season begins.

Funkhouser has the build and stuff to be a solid mid-rotation option with a fastball that sits 91-93 and can touch 96. He has an excellent slider with very good late bite, albeit without a lot of tilt. He throws a power curve that doesn’t get a ton of depth, but it does generate a good amount of worm burners. He also has a change that is below-average. It could be a good idea to drop the change in favor of a cutter or a split finger.

Funkhouser will likely open with AA, but he will need to show success this season to establish himself, but he’s got a fairly high baseball IQ as a pitcher and could be a quality back-end starter if he can’t make mid-rotation work.

Next: #7 and #8

8. Christin Stewart, OF

Birthday (age on opening day 2018): 12/10/1993 (24)
2017 teams/levels played for: AA Erie SeaWolves
2017 Stats: .256/.335/.501, 555 PA, 28 HR, 3 SB, 56/138 BB/K

Info: Physically strong with a college track record of hitting at Tennessee, it was no surprise when the Detroit Tigers saw Stewart jump from the 34th overall selection in 2015 to AA by the end of 2016.

Stewart’s power is undeniable, as he has 68 professional home runs in just under 1,400 professional plate appearances. However, with the advanced build, he’s also had “old man” defense issues, with many scouts worried that he might end up stuck at DH long-term.

This season, a number of scouts told me that he looked much more comfortable in left field. While he won’t ever win a Gold Glove, he has an above-average arm and average speed that works well once he’s underway, which plays well in a corner outfield spot, but he did seem to read the ball off the bat better in 2017.

The concern with Stewart has really shifted now to his swing length and being able to counter premium velocity and hard breaking stuff at the upper levels. He showed the ability to handle the latter in 2017, but premium velocity with movement on both the top and bottom of the zone was a concern in games that I saw of Stewart this year.

He’s made a quick rise up to AA and spent a full season at that level in 2017. He’s likely to open in AAA in 2018, but his power bat could be attractive to bring up to a rebuilding Tigers club this season.

7. Isaac Paredes, SS

Birthday (age on opening day 2018): 2/18/1999 (19)
2017 teams/levels played for: low-A South Bend Cubs, low-A West Michigan Whitecaps
2017 Stats: .252/.338/.387, 517 PA, 11 HR, 2 SB, 42/67 BB/K

Info: From this point forward really shows the improvement of the farm system over the last season. Paredes represents one of five players in the top seven on this list who were not in the organization to begin the 2017 season.

While others may have better track records so far, there may not be a player in the Tigers organization with a higher ceiling than Paredes. The Tigers acquired him this summer from the Cubs in the deal that sent Justin Wilson and Alex Avila to Wrigley.

there may not be a player in the Tigers organization with a higher ceiling than Paredes

As an 18 year-old for the entire 2017 season, the young Mexican did not show himself to be out of place at the plate or in the field in full season ball. In fact, his glove and arm have been considered enough to push him quickly to the major leagues in the next year or two as a 19/20 year-old, which is incredible to consider.

With the bat, many see a .725 OPS and a .252 batting average and dismiss Paredes for his offensive ability. He especially struggled after the trade, hitting .217 with a .671 OPS over 32 games with West Michigan.

However, what was impressive to consider is that Paredes was able to generate 39 extra base hits as an 18 year old in full season ball, something quite impressive for a lean, 6′ shortstop that likely weighs in around 180ish pounds. Most impressive was his 42/67 BB/K rate, which bears out to an 8.1% walk rate and 13% strikeout rate, both excellent numbers for a first full season at any age, even more impressive at Paredes’ age.

The Tigers will send Paredes to high-A in Lakeland to open 2018, and he’s most likely to spend the full season there unless he really hits well. Many compare him very favorably to former Tigers prospect Willy Adames.

Next: #5 and #6

4. Alex Faedo, RHP

Birthday (age on opening day 2018): 11/12/1995 (22)
2017 teams/levels played for: none
2017 Stats: no professional stats

Info: Widely considered one of the best pitchers in college coming into the 2017 season, Faedo really had a solid season, but fall knee surgery meant he was slow to show his dominance in the spring, though he finished with a flourish, leading the Gators to the College World Series title behind his masterful pitching.

However, that deep run into the CWS meant that Faedo had taxed his arm significantly on the season, and while the Detroit Tigers were overjoyed to see Faedo fall all the way to them at #18 in the first round, they also were wise to give him time to rest his weary arm.

Don’t expect Faedo to take long to show the Tigers brilliant in their selection once he’s on the mound in 2018

Don’t expect Faedo to take long to show the Detroit Tigers brilliant in their selection once he’s on the mound in 2018. He features a fastball that is essentially three pitches, as he can sink his fastball or cut his fastball with the same velocity range as the traditional run his fastball gets, giving hitters fits when they do recognize fastball out of hand.

He mixes a dominant slider that some have graded as high as a plus-plus pitch already with low-80s velocity to give him a solid 10-MPH differential from his fastball, but also getting similar out of hand look on the slider before getting incredible late bite and depth, both of which he appears able to manipulate as well, similar to his fastball.

The change works best off of his sinking fastball, but it also is reminiscent of his slider, so he does get plenty of weak groundouts and swings over the top of the pitch, giving him three above-average to plus pitches, two of which he can manipulate to really give him six to seven pitch looks for a hitter.

This should allow Faedo to move quickly as a mid-rotation arm with his solid build (6’5″, 225 pounds) and easy, repeatable delivery working well in the middle of a rotation, however, he could be the type whose command/control plays up or another pitch is added and he becomes an ace-type. He reminds me very strongly of Lance Lynn at Lynn’s best with the Cardinals.

Faedo will open in full-season ball, likely in high-A Lakeland, and it would not surprise if he ended up in AA by the end of the season with his impressive overall package. However, he’s still not tossed a pro inning, so there’s the concern enough to have him here on this list.

3. Daz Cameron, OF

Birthday (age on opening day 2018): 1/15/1997 (21)
2017 teams/levels played for: low-A West Michigan Whitecaps, low-A Quad Cities River Bandits
2017 Stats: .271/.351/.463, 522 PA, 14 HR, 32 SB, 48/112 BB/K

Info: Coming out of high school in 2015, the Georgia native was able to push himself all the way to the 37th overall selection due to his bonus demands, allowing the Astros to manipulate their bonus structure with 4 picks in the first 46 picks to pay Cameron $4 million to sign.

Cameron has struggled since then to really establish himself. He has flashed his athleticism, swiping 24 bases in just 51 games in his draft season and another dozen bases in just 40 games in an injury-plagued 2016, but he really took a significant step forward in 2017.

Cameron didn’t just show over the fence power and flash his speed, but he also showed excellent gap power as well. While he did have a less than desirable BB/K rate, that doesn’t truly show the pitch recognition he showed in 2017, with an aggressive approach due to his position in the lineup frequently having him swinging at pitches he’d likely have held up on otherwise.

Traded to Detroit as part of the Justin Verlander deal, Cameron appears ready to spring up the Detroit Tigers system. He isn’t at the level of elite defender in center field that his father, Mike Cameron, was, but he has the ability to stick at the position going forward.

The Detroit Tigers will likely open Cameron in high-A Lakeland to begin the 2018 season, but if he can show continued growth from his 2017, he could reach the upper minors by the end of the season.

Next: #1 and #2

2. Matt Manning, RHP

Birthday (age on opening day 2018): 1/28/1998 (20)
2017 teams/levels played for: short-season A-ball Connecticut Tigers, low-A West Michigan Whitecaps
2017 Stats: 14 GS, 51 IP, 3.18 ERA, 1.29 WHIP, 11.5% BB, 28.4% K

Info: The son of former NBA player Rick Manning, Matt had college interest in both sports early on in high school due to his premium fastball and his athletic stature. Standing 6’6″ with a fastball that could reach the upper 90s, baseball was a more certain professional path, and his selection #9 overall by the Detroit Tigers in the 2016 draft was indication of just that.

The reasoning why the dividing line is so clear is not evident, but there is absolutely a dividing line at six feet and six inches, where players above that line struggle to maintain their mechanics due to their long levers, and guys just a single inch shorter don’t seem to struggle in the same way.

Manning faced that struggle in 2017, pitching to an impressive performance in the New York Penn League while keeping his walk rate around 10% (still too high, but manageable with high K rates), but when he was bumped up to low-A, Manning saw his delivery “fall apart” to some degree with the main issue for Manning being a varying arm slot, leading to a 14% walk rate.

Manning works with a fastball that can reach upper-90s and sits 92-94 and he pairs it with a very impressive 12-6 curve when he’s in line on both pitches. He has the makings of a future average to above average change up as well.

With those weapons, Manning has the ceiling of a frontline starter, but he will still need to get his delivery in line. His athleticism should certainly help this, but he could end up spending all of 2018 back at West Michigan.

1. Franklin Perez, RHP

Birthday (age on opening day 2018): 12/6/1997 (20)
2017 teams/levels played for: high-A Buies Creek Astros, AA Corpus Cristi Hooks
2017 Stats: 19 G, 16 GS, 86 1/3 IP, 3.02 ERA, 1.14 WHIP, 7.6% BB, 22% K

Info: Perez was originally signed by the Astros in 2014, and his easy delivery has allowed him to move quickly through the minor leagues.

Perez was the highlight of the Detroit Tigers return for Justin Verlander, and he’s a viable top prospect in most organizations, though he’s likely more of a lower-half top 100 guy due to not really having frontline starter projection.

Perez was the highlight of the Detroit Tigers return for Justin Verlander

Perez has a fastball that ranges in the low 90s and can tough 96 with excellent life. He works with excellent secondary pitches that he can command and control well. He altered his slider this season, and he now works with more of a power slider with a hard, sharp break rather than the more elongated gradual break he was getting before that bled into his curve.

Perez has the repertoire and consistency of a guy who would work in the middle of the rotation for quite some time without any improvement in his stuff, but at just 20 to open the season in 2018, there’s no reason that Perez could not still add another tick of velocity as well.

Most likely the Detroit Tigers will open Perez in AA, though he did throw 32 innings at the level with success in 2018, so he could end up in AAA to open the season. He very well could end up with a cup of coffee at the end of 2018.

Next: Newcomers to watch

2017 Acquisition: Rey Rivera, OF

Birthday (age on opening day 2018): 6/14/1997 (20)
2017 teams/levels played for: short-season A-ball Connecticut Tigers
2017 Stats: .187/.261/.280, 207 PA, 2 HR, 3 SB, 18/55 BB/K

Info: After being drafted in the 24th round out of Chipola in 2016 by the Cubs, Rivera returned to school. It was a good choice on his part, as he won a national JuCo championship and moved up all the way to the 2nd round, where the Detroit Tigers snagged him.

The Puerto Rico native is a ginormous human being, standing 6’6″ and 250 pounds. The Tigers did play him in right field for 30 games, but he also played a dozen games at first base.

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In spite of his large size, Rivera is fairly athletic and has a plus arm, so if he can put in the work, he could end up being a quality outfielder, and his plus raw power at the plate should be very impressive as he moves as well.

Rivera didn’t show well in his first pro experience, but he does have a good feel for the barrel, and he’s handled premium velocity well in his previous collegiate experience.

While he did struggle with high whiff rates when he swung for more power and sacrificed contact, he has shown good zone judgement in the past, so if he could cut down on the swing and miss, he could be a guy with three true outcome potential and massive power.

Next: Van Hekken attempting comeback

So that is the Detroit Tigers top 10 prospects for 2018. Who is too high? Too low? Missing entirely from the list? Comment below!!