The Tigers put together a diverse draft class, putting together college arms, bats, two-way players, and preps to stock all aspects of their system. Cameron Flukey had top ten looks early in the draft process, Tyson LeBlanc was a pop-up prospect after a big junior season, and Evan Dempsey brings an intriguing two-way profile. On the prep side, Dominic Pellegrin turned heads late in the process with a strong turn through the MLB Draft League, while Will Adams has been on radars for a long time with consistent strong performances against strong competition. It's a balanced approach sure to provide impact in multiple categories.
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Note that the number before a player's name indicates their draft position. For example, "2-50" would indicate that a player was taken in the second round with the fiftieth overall pick.
1-22: RHP Cameron Flukey, Coastal Carolina
Slot value: $4.08 million. Signing bonus: $3.8 million ($282,700 below slot value).
My rank: #15. MLB Pipeline: #15. ESPN: #19.
The Tigers picked up nice value here at #22, going below slot on a pitcher some would argue was the second best in the class, high school or college. Cameron Flukey was a well-known draft prospect on the Jersey Shore back in 2023, but made it to campus at Coastal Carolina where he quickly pitched his way into the rotation as a freshman. Taking a big step forward as a sophomore in 2025, he established himself as one of the top pitchers in the class and was firmly in the top ten conversation entering 2026. Unfortunately he went down with a stress fracture in his ribs after his first start of the season and missed over two months, then never built up to more than four innings in a start upon his return in late April. Still, the full package is strong as strong as any in the class besides perhaps Jackson Flora. Flukey sits in the mid 90's and touches 98 with his fastball, getting big riding action from a high, over the top release point. His two-plane curveball is a true weapon with great finish, and he has great feel to keep the pitch down and get results with it. There is a tight slider in the low to mid 80's, while his changeup is a nice fourth pitch to round out a full arsenal. Flukey is a towering presence on the mound at 6'6", coming in with long arm action and an over the top delivery that creates good extension and makes all of his pitches play up. Even with the long levers, he repeats his delivery well and pours in strikes, commanding his full arsenal and looking much more like a pitcher than a thrower. The rib injury was poorly timed in his draft season so teams didn't quite see him at full strength in 2026, but the Tigers believe the 2025 Flukey was the real Flukey and that means a high probability #2 or #3 starter that could work his way up through the minors quickly. Provided he stays healthy, he'll be a major part of the Tigers rotation of the future.
Slot value: $4.08 million. Signing bonus: $3.8 million ($282,700 below slot value).
My rank: #15. MLB Pipeline: #15. ESPN: #19.
The Tigers picked up nice value here at #22, going below slot on a pitcher some would argue was the second best in the class, high school or college. Cameron Flukey was a well-known draft prospect on the Jersey Shore back in 2023, but made it to campus at Coastal Carolina where he quickly pitched his way into the rotation as a freshman. Taking a big step forward as a sophomore in 2025, he established himself as one of the top pitchers in the class and was firmly in the top ten conversation entering 2026. Unfortunately he went down with a stress fracture in his ribs after his first start of the season and missed over two months, then never built up to more than four innings in a start upon his return in late April. Still, the full package is strong as strong as any in the class besides perhaps Jackson Flora. Flukey sits in the mid 90's and touches 98 with his fastball, getting big riding action from a high, over the top release point. His two-plane curveball is a true weapon with great finish, and he has great feel to keep the pitch down and get results with it. There is a tight slider in the low to mid 80's, while his changeup is a nice fourth pitch to round out a full arsenal. Flukey is a towering presence on the mound at 6'6", coming in with long arm action and an over the top delivery that creates good extension and makes all of his pitches play up. Even with the long levers, he repeats his delivery well and pours in strikes, commanding his full arsenal and looking much more like a pitcher than a thrower. The rib injury was poorly timed in his draft season so teams didn't quite see him at full strength in 2026, but the Tigers believe the 2025 Flukey was the real Flukey and that means a high probability #2 or #3 starter that could work his way up through the minors quickly. Provided he stays healthy, he'll be a major part of the Tigers rotation of the future.
2-61: SS Tyson LeBlanc, Kansas
Slot value: $1.52 million. Signing bonus: $1.61 million ($85,355 above slot value).
My rank: #96. MLB Pipeline: #113. ESPN: #134.
Looking at the major public rankings, Tyson LeBlanc was mostly outside the top 100 across the board and barely snuck inside of mine. Still, there were rumblings that he would go earlier than his board positions and not only was that true, he even signed slightly above slot value. LeBlanc began his career at LSU Eunice, a junior college in southern Louisiana, where he led the Bengals to a Division II junior college national championship and swung the bat well enough to earn a transfer opportunity at Kansas. He didn't skip a beat jumping to Division I competition, where he hit .341/.425/.706 with 25 home runs across 63 games. What he lacks in terms of a standout tool, he makes up for with feel for the game and the ability to maximize his tools. He can chase at times, but not too much, and while there is some swing and miss, again it's not too much. LeBlanc is good at finding his pitch, jumping on it, and getting it up in the air to the pull side to put the ball over the fence much more consistently than you'd think. The power itself is fringy and there's a question how much it will play with wood, but he gets to it in a way that leaves scouts confident he could hit 15+ home runs a year in pro ball with good on-base percentages. An average runner, he gets it done at shortstop with strong instincts and an accurate arm and has a shot to stick at the toughest infield position. If the Tigers are taking him this early, they likely buy the glove at shortstop too, which makes any offense a big plus. Others see him more as a likely second or third baseman where he could be a well above average defender, and it plays in his favor if he ends up going the utility infielder route. The Lafayette, Louisiana native has outplayed projections his whole career and will look to continue to do that in the Detroit organization.
Slot value: $1.52 million. Signing bonus: $1.61 million ($85,355 above slot value).
My rank: #96. MLB Pipeline: #113. ESPN: #134.
Looking at the major public rankings, Tyson LeBlanc was mostly outside the top 100 across the board and barely snuck inside of mine. Still, there were rumblings that he would go earlier than his board positions and not only was that true, he even signed slightly above slot value. LeBlanc began his career at LSU Eunice, a junior college in southern Louisiana, where he led the Bengals to a Division II junior college national championship and swung the bat well enough to earn a transfer opportunity at Kansas. He didn't skip a beat jumping to Division I competition, where he hit .341/.425/.706 with 25 home runs across 63 games. What he lacks in terms of a standout tool, he makes up for with feel for the game and the ability to maximize his tools. He can chase at times, but not too much, and while there is some swing and miss, again it's not too much. LeBlanc is good at finding his pitch, jumping on it, and getting it up in the air to the pull side to put the ball over the fence much more consistently than you'd think. The power itself is fringy and there's a question how much it will play with wood, but he gets to it in a way that leaves scouts confident he could hit 15+ home runs a year in pro ball with good on-base percentages. An average runner, he gets it done at shortstop with strong instincts and an accurate arm and has a shot to stick at the toughest infield position. If the Tigers are taking him this early, they likely buy the glove at shortstop too, which makes any offense a big plus. Others see him more as a likely second or third baseman where he could be a well above average defender, and it plays in his favor if he ends up going the utility infielder route. The Lafayette, Louisiana native has outplayed projections his whole career and will look to continue to do that in the Detroit organization.
CBB-69: RHP Evan Dempsey, Florida Gulf Coast
Slot value: $1.25 million. Signing bonus: $1.2 million ($56,700 below slot value).
My rank: #107. MLB Pipeline: #101. ESPN: #176.
Two-way players are always fun, especially with some of the added intrigue of coming from smaller schools like FGCU. Evan Dempsey has raked for three years in Fort Myers, slashing .326/.411/.505 with 20 home runs over 169 games, including a career-high ten in 2026. However, Detroit likes the arm even better and they're taking him as a right handed pitcher. After barely pitching as a freshman, he took a major step forward as a sophomore with a 1.97 ERA and a 75/20 strikeout to walk ratio over 68.2 innings. The ERA jumped a bit in 2026 to 3.15, but his 126 strikeouts not only smashed a career high but finished eleventh in the nation and #3 among mid major arms. The stuff isn't overpowering at present, with a fastball sitting in the low 90's touching 95 as well as a pair of high spin breaking balls and a fringy changeup. Dempsey's breaking balls don't always get great finish, but they're sharp at their best and look like potential above average pitches once he focuses full time on pitching. Similarly, the 6'2" righty comes with the athleticism you'd expect of a two-way type and repeats his delivery well, holding low 90's velocity deep into starts and racking up over 150 innings over the past two seasons. It's above average command already despite the split focus and the Tigers think there is much more to come. Beyond getting more time to focus on pitching, two-way players are typically fast learners who can make rapid improvements in unexpected ways, hence their ability to continue doing both at a high level through college. If Dempsey adds a couple of ticks to his fastball and gets more consistent with his offspeed stuff, he has mid-rotation upside and better floor than most pitchers with his background. The last cherry on top is his age, as he was still 20 years old on draft day and therefore young for a college junior.
Slot value: $1.25 million. Signing bonus: $1.2 million ($56,700 below slot value).
My rank: #107. MLB Pipeline: #101. ESPN: #176.
Two-way players are always fun, especially with some of the added intrigue of coming from smaller schools like FGCU. Evan Dempsey has raked for three years in Fort Myers, slashing .326/.411/.505 with 20 home runs over 169 games, including a career-high ten in 2026. However, Detroit likes the arm even better and they're taking him as a right handed pitcher. After barely pitching as a freshman, he took a major step forward as a sophomore with a 1.97 ERA and a 75/20 strikeout to walk ratio over 68.2 innings. The ERA jumped a bit in 2026 to 3.15, but his 126 strikeouts not only smashed a career high but finished eleventh in the nation and #3 among mid major arms. The stuff isn't overpowering at present, with a fastball sitting in the low 90's touching 95 as well as a pair of high spin breaking balls and a fringy changeup. Dempsey's breaking balls don't always get great finish, but they're sharp at their best and look like potential above average pitches once he focuses full time on pitching. Similarly, the 6'2" righty comes with the athleticism you'd expect of a two-way type and repeats his delivery well, holding low 90's velocity deep into starts and racking up over 150 innings over the past two seasons. It's above average command already despite the split focus and the Tigers think there is much more to come. Beyond getting more time to focus on pitching, two-way players are typically fast learners who can make rapid improvements in unexpected ways, hence their ability to continue doing both at a high level through college. If Dempsey adds a couple of ticks to his fastball and gets more consistent with his offspeed stuff, he has mid-rotation upside and better floor than most pitchers with his background. The last cherry on top is his age, as he was still 20 years old on draft day and therefore young for a college junior.
4-125: SS Dominic Pellegrin, Holy Cross HS [LA]
Slot value: $614,500. Signing bonus: $747,500 ($133,000 above slot value).
My rank: unranked. MLB Pipeline: unranked. ESPN: unranked.
Dominic Pellegrin was a very late riser in the 2026 class that didn't appear on many boards, but his trajectory throughout the spring and into the summer had evaluators pushing his price up. The Tigers wound up signing him away from a Tulane commitment for roughly the value of the #105 pick, despite the fact that he topped out at #478 on the Baseball America 500. Pellegrin has long dominated the New Orleans high school circuit but hadn't been seen much on the national stage until his senior year. He picked up twelve games in the MLB Draft League just before the draft and made the most of it, hitting .375/.569/.525 with a ridiculous 22.4% walk rate while swiping eleven bags in thirteen tries. Pellegrin has a compact right handed swing kicked off by a big leg kick, working inside the baseball and spraying line drives to all fields with consistency, even against better competition in the draft league. Listed at 6'1", 175 pounds, he's fairly under-developed and will need to bulk up in pro ball, likely projecting for an average hit tool and fringy power. The Tigers think there is more in the tank as he gets pro instruction given his athleticism and youth. A plus runner, his defense earns him further praise with smooth feet and a quick transfer, giving him a shot to stick at shortstop and make the average bat much more attractive. Pellegrin is old for the class and turned 19 a month before the draft, but still figures to have plenty of untapped ceiling.
Slot value: $614,500. Signing bonus: $747,500 ($133,000 above slot value).
My rank: unranked. MLB Pipeline: unranked. ESPN: unranked.
Dominic Pellegrin was a very late riser in the 2026 class that didn't appear on many boards, but his trajectory throughout the spring and into the summer had evaluators pushing his price up. The Tigers wound up signing him away from a Tulane commitment for roughly the value of the #105 pick, despite the fact that he topped out at #478 on the Baseball America 500. Pellegrin has long dominated the New Orleans high school circuit but hadn't been seen much on the national stage until his senior year. He picked up twelve games in the MLB Draft League just before the draft and made the most of it, hitting .375/.569/.525 with a ridiculous 22.4% walk rate while swiping eleven bags in thirteen tries. Pellegrin has a compact right handed swing kicked off by a big leg kick, working inside the baseball and spraying line drives to all fields with consistency, even against better competition in the draft league. Listed at 6'1", 175 pounds, he's fairly under-developed and will need to bulk up in pro ball, likely projecting for an average hit tool and fringy power. The Tigers think there is more in the tank as he gets pro instruction given his athleticism and youth. A plus runner, his defense earns him further praise with smooth feet and a quick transfer, giving him a shot to stick at shortstop and make the average bat much more attractive. Pellegrin is old for the class and turned 19 a month before the draft, but still figures to have plenty of untapped ceiling.
5-158: RHP Declan Dahl, Louisiana Tech
Slot value: $445,200. Signing bonus: $412,500 ($32,700 below slot value).
My rank: unranked. MLB Pipeline: #228. ESPN: unranked.
Declan Dahl is an interesting sleeper for the Tigers, one whose resume doesn't quite jump out on paper but who could become greater than the sum of his parts with pro instruction. He began his career at Seminole State JC in Oklahoma, where he was a reliable starter for two years, then transferred to Louisiana Tech for his junior year and again proved more reliable than eye-popping. The fastball sits in the low 90's and tops out at 95, showing run and sink with its ordinary velocity. His slider is a short breaker that can steal strikes and finish at bats but also likely grades average out as fringy, while his changeup is easily his best pitch with great sink and run. The 6'3" righty uses a sidearm delivery to create a low release point and get nice extension, making his pitches sneak up on hitters and play better than their velocity and movement profiles. Hitters consistently seem off balance against Dahl leaving them helpless when he pulls the string on that plus changeup. The command is average and he may have more difficulty eliciting chases against pro hitters, so he'll continue to rely on the deceptive qualities of his delivery and pitches. The Fort Worth-area product might fit better in the bullpen, where he could add a few ticks of velocity to his arsenal and rely less on his command. The Tigers could get creative with his arsenal and usage.
Slot value: $445,200. Signing bonus: $412,500 ($32,700 below slot value).
My rank: unranked. MLB Pipeline: #228. ESPN: unranked.
Declan Dahl is an interesting sleeper for the Tigers, one whose resume doesn't quite jump out on paper but who could become greater than the sum of his parts with pro instruction. He began his career at Seminole State JC in Oklahoma, where he was a reliable starter for two years, then transferred to Louisiana Tech for his junior year and again proved more reliable than eye-popping. The fastball sits in the low 90's and tops out at 95, showing run and sink with its ordinary velocity. His slider is a short breaker that can steal strikes and finish at bats but also likely grades average out as fringy, while his changeup is easily his best pitch with great sink and run. The 6'3" righty uses a sidearm delivery to create a low release point and get nice extension, making his pitches sneak up on hitters and play better than their velocity and movement profiles. Hitters consistently seem off balance against Dahl leaving them helpless when he pulls the string on that plus changeup. The command is average and he may have more difficulty eliciting chases against pro hitters, so he'll continue to rely on the deceptive qualities of his delivery and pitches. The Fort Worth-area product might fit better in the bullpen, where he could add a few ticks of velocity to his arsenal and rely less on his command. The Tigers could get creative with his arsenal and usage.
6-187: SS Maddox Molony, Oregon
Slot value: $347,300. Signing bonus: $344,800 ($2,500 below slot value).
My rank: #125. MLB Pipeline: #176. ESPN: #185.
Maddox Molony's higher ranking on my board is more due to the fact that it only went to 132 rather than any personal favoritism towards him. Molony entered the draft cycle looking like a potential top 50 pick, having hit .311/.403/.566 with 25 home runs over his first two seasons at Oregon. However, his line dipped to just .233/.343/.452 as a junior as he chased a bit more and struggled against offspeed stuff. He still reached double digits in home runs (12) for the third straight year, a helpful footnote after he struggled to tap his power in the Cape Cod League in 2025, and still provides an interesting offensive profile. At least with metal, Molony taps his fringy raw power consistently by effectively elevating to the pull side, enabled by strong bat to ball and feel for the barrel. He's especially deadly against fastballs and should have no issues with velocity in pro ball. Given his ability to square the ball up consistently, he could benefit from a bit more selective of an approach especially against offspeed stuff. The Oregon native is a strong defender at shortstop with good reactions and an above average arm, increasing his value as a potential utility infielder who could become a bit more if he taps a little more power with wood. As with Dominic Pellegrin and Tyson LeBlanc, the glove's value makes the bat more attractive he can hit at even a reasonable clip.
Slot value: $347,300. Signing bonus: $344,800 ($2,500 below slot value).
My rank: #125. MLB Pipeline: #176. ESPN: #185.
Maddox Molony's higher ranking on my board is more due to the fact that it only went to 132 rather than any personal favoritism towards him. Molony entered the draft cycle looking like a potential top 50 pick, having hit .311/.403/.566 with 25 home runs over his first two seasons at Oregon. However, his line dipped to just .233/.343/.452 as a junior as he chased a bit more and struggled against offspeed stuff. He still reached double digits in home runs (12) for the third straight year, a helpful footnote after he struggled to tap his power in the Cape Cod League in 2025, and still provides an interesting offensive profile. At least with metal, Molony taps his fringy raw power consistently by effectively elevating to the pull side, enabled by strong bat to ball and feel for the barrel. He's especially deadly against fastballs and should have no issues with velocity in pro ball. Given his ability to square the ball up consistently, he could benefit from a bit more selective of an approach especially against offspeed stuff. The Oregon native is a strong defender at shortstop with good reactions and an above average arm, increasing his value as a potential utility infielder who could become a bit more if he taps a little more power with wood. As with Dominic Pellegrin and Tyson LeBlanc, the glove's value makes the bat more attractive he can hit at even a reasonable clip.
7-216: 1B Brady Ballinger, Kansas
Slot value: $274,300. Signing bonus: $271,800 ($2,500 below slot value).
My rank: #132. MLB Pipeline: unranked. ESPN: unranked.
The very last player on my draft rankings this year, Brady Ballinger has somewhat of a similar story to Maddox Molony despite being a very different type of ballplayer. He began his career at the College of Southern Nevada, alma mater of Bryce Harper, where he hit .431 with an eye-popping .545 on-base percentage and caught the eye of the Kansas Jayhawks. He raked as a sophomore in 2025, hitting .353/.495/.670 with 16 home runs to earn top three rounds draft interest entering his junior year. Unfortunately, like Molony, he dropped to .283/.401/.466 with just seven home runs in 2026 even as Kansas put together its program-defining year. Ballinger is built like a slugger at 6'2", 225 pounds, showing plus power as a sophomore but seeing his exit velocities diminish in 2026 to grade out more as fringy. The Tigers believe the reduced power in 2026 can be brought back with changes to his approach and timing and that the Ballinger of 2025 is the one who will slug his way up their minor league rungs. While his pure bat to ball is fringy, he rarely chases to push his on-base percentages sky-high, and the fact that he actually hit much better in Big 12 play (.306/.408/.559, 6 of his 7 HR) than he did outside it points to an advanced hitter who is ready for pro ball. With his power outage tied more to timing issues than whiffs, the Tigers see this as much more fixable than others on a similar trajectory. The Las Vegas native will need to find that power quickly because he is a well below average athlete who will be limited to first base at best, if not eventually becoming a full-time DH. A left handed hitter, he likely projects as a platoon bat.
Slot value: $274,300. Signing bonus: $271,800 ($2,500 below slot value).
My rank: #132. MLB Pipeline: unranked. ESPN: unranked.
The very last player on my draft rankings this year, Brady Ballinger has somewhat of a similar story to Maddox Molony despite being a very different type of ballplayer. He began his career at the College of Southern Nevada, alma mater of Bryce Harper, where he hit .431 with an eye-popping .545 on-base percentage and caught the eye of the Kansas Jayhawks. He raked as a sophomore in 2025, hitting .353/.495/.670 with 16 home runs to earn top three rounds draft interest entering his junior year. Unfortunately, like Molony, he dropped to .283/.401/.466 with just seven home runs in 2026 even as Kansas put together its program-defining year. Ballinger is built like a slugger at 6'2", 225 pounds, showing plus power as a sophomore but seeing his exit velocities diminish in 2026 to grade out more as fringy. The Tigers believe the reduced power in 2026 can be brought back with changes to his approach and timing and that the Ballinger of 2025 is the one who will slug his way up their minor league rungs. While his pure bat to ball is fringy, he rarely chases to push his on-base percentages sky-high, and the fact that he actually hit much better in Big 12 play (.306/.408/.559, 6 of his 7 HR) than he did outside it points to an advanced hitter who is ready for pro ball. With his power outage tied more to timing issues than whiffs, the Tigers see this as much more fixable than others on a similar trajectory. The Las Vegas native will need to find that power quickly because he is a well below average athlete who will be limited to first base at best, if not eventually becoming a full-time DH. A left handed hitter, he likely projects as a platoon bat.
11-336: 1B Will Adams, Hoover HS [AL]
Slot value: up to $150,000. Signing bonus: $1 million ($850,000 against bonus pool).
My rank: #75. MLB Pipeline: #102. ESPN: #130.
With pool money left over going into the back half of the draft, the Tigers were bound to make a splash in this range. They did so with Will Adams, signing him away from an LSU commitment for a full million, roughly the value of the #82 pick and the fourth largest bonus in this Tigers class. If nothing else, Adams can hit. Armed with a patient approach and strong bat to ball, he has performed everywhere he's gone and even impressed scouts with his ability to handle and do damage against quality offspeed stuff, a real separator for a prep bat. At this point, he is hit over power and his ceiling will depend on how much power he develops. He projects as a Daylen Lile type if he stays more of a doubles hitter who can leave the yard 15 times a year, but he did impress by registering high exit velocities at the MLB Draft Combine and really has the chance to grow into above average power in time. As a potential plus hitter with above average power at his ceiling, he could be an impact bat for Detroit who can knock 20+ home runs per season with high on-base percentages. The pressure will be on the bat, because he's a fringy runner who has given below average looks in the outfield, with the Tigers even drafting him as a first baseman. There's some hope that his above average arm (he touches 91 on the mound) could help him provide some value out there, but given that the position teams draft a player is largely symbolic of an optimistic projection, it doesn't provide much confidence given the Tigers announced him as a first baseman. Still, I really like his bat and I think he'll hit plenty even with less defensive value.
Slot value: up to $150,000. Signing bonus: $1 million ($850,000 against bonus pool).
My rank: #75. MLB Pipeline: #102. ESPN: #130.
With pool money left over going into the back half of the draft, the Tigers were bound to make a splash in this range. They did so with Will Adams, signing him away from an LSU commitment for a full million, roughly the value of the #82 pick and the fourth largest bonus in this Tigers class. If nothing else, Adams can hit. Armed with a patient approach and strong bat to ball, he has performed everywhere he's gone and even impressed scouts with his ability to handle and do damage against quality offspeed stuff, a real separator for a prep bat. At this point, he is hit over power and his ceiling will depend on how much power he develops. He projects as a Daylen Lile type if he stays more of a doubles hitter who can leave the yard 15 times a year, but he did impress by registering high exit velocities at the MLB Draft Combine and really has the chance to grow into above average power in time. As a potential plus hitter with above average power at his ceiling, he could be an impact bat for Detroit who can knock 20+ home runs per season with high on-base percentages. The pressure will be on the bat, because he's a fringy runner who has given below average looks in the outfield, with the Tigers even drafting him as a first baseman. There's some hope that his above average arm (he touches 91 on the mound) could help him provide some value out there, but given that the position teams draft a player is largely symbolic of an optimistic projection, it doesn't provide much confidence given the Tigers announced him as a first baseman. Still, I really like his bat and I think he'll hit plenty even with less defensive value.
