Here's where the Tigers' Top 30 prospects will start the 2026 season
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With the Minor League season kicking off, here's where the Tigers’ Top 30 Prospects are projected to start:
- Kevin McGonigle (MLB No. 2), SS -- Detroit (MLB)
- Max Clark (MLB No. 8), OF -- Toledo (Triple-A)
- Bryce Rainer (MLB No. 33), SS -- Lakeland (Single-A)
- Josue Briceño (MLB No. 38), C -- Injured (wrist surgery)
- Max Anderson, 2B -- Toledo (Triple-A)
- Hao-Yu Lee, 3B -- Injured (left oblique strain)
- Thayron Liranzo, C -- Injured (right oblique strain)
- Cris Rodriguez, OF -- Extended spring training
- Jordan Yost, SS -- Extended spring training
- Andrew Sears, LHP -- Injured (left elbow bone spur fracture)
- Malachi Witherspoon, RHP -- Lakeland (Single-A)
- Franyerber Montilla, SS -- Injured (ACL surgery)
- Michael Oliveto, C -- Injured (left great toe fracture)
- Kelvis Salcedo, RHP -- Injured (knee surgery)
- John Peck, INF -- Erie (Double-A)
- Jake Miller, LHP -- Injured (hip surgery)
- Ben Jacobs, LHP -- Lakeland (Single-A)
- Lucas Elissalt, RHP -- West Michigan (High-A)
- Owen Hall, RHP -- Extended spring training
- Ty Madden, RHP -- Toledo (Triple-A)
- Izaac Pacheco, 3B -- Erie (Double-A)
- Jaden Hamm, RHP -- Injured (right shoulder strain)
- Jude Warwick, SS -- Lakeland (Single-A)
- Eduardo Valencia, C -- Toledo (Triple-A)
- Trei Cruz, INF -- Toledo (Triple-A)
- Nick Dumesnil, OF -- Injured (left hamate)
- Caleb Leys, LHP -- Lakeland (Single-A)
- Jackson Strong, OF -- West Michigan (High-A)
- Grayson Grinsell, LHP -- Lakeland (Single-A)
- Randy Santana, OF -- Extended spring training (Dominican Republic)
Team to watch
No. 8 overall prospect Clark brings his trademark electricity to Triple-A Toledo for the first time, and he’s already proven to have a keen eye against Triple-A arms with five walks (against only two strikeouts) through his first five games with Toledo. Clark is joined in the Mud Hens lineup by big boppers Anderson and Valencia, and Lee will add additional length once he’s fully recovered from a left oblique strain. Among the arms, Madden is pushing for an MLB return for the first time since 2024 after a rotator cuff strain kept away from the bigs last year.
Players we could see in MLB in 2026
McGonigle’s arrival and hot start have certainly set a promising tone for what the Tigers’ farm can bring to the Major League table this season. If Clark’s power gains from 2025 continue to hold, he could also push past Parker Meadows to become Detroit’s best center-field option by the All-Star break.
McGonigle has gotten the bulk of his infield work in at third base to begin his MLB career, but if the Tigers slide him back to shortstop full-time, Anderson or Lee could be possibilities at the hot corner. Valencia forced his way onto the 40-man roster with a career-high 24 homers at Double-A and Triple-A, and even if he doesn’t have enough defensively to stick at catcher, the thump in his right-handed bat – and his roster status – could get him an MLB debut at 26 years old.
New faces
Rodriguez comes stateside for the first time after hitting 10 homers and slugging .564 in 50 games in the Dominican Summer League last season. Last year’s 24th overall pick Yost, who made headlines by hitting a grand slam in his Spring Training debut last month, is still awaiting his first official Minor League game in the organization. Together, the two could form one of the more interesting lineups in the Florida Complex League when that season begins in May.
Elsewhere among 2025 Draft picks, the Tigers often play it conservatively with college arms, and this spring is no different with Witherspoon, Jacobs, Leys and Grinsell all opening in Lakeland and the Florida State League (where, it should be said, it is much warmer in April than it is in West Michigan).
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On the shelf
Ten of the Tigers’ Top 30 prospects are injured to start the season. Among the most prominent: Briceño needed surgery to repair the extensor carpi ulnaris subsheath in his right wrist in March and said he expects to be back by midseason. Liranzo suffered a right oblique strain in his first Spring Training on the 40-man roster, but he has resumed baseball activities before his expected return to Double-A Erie.
Sears, who enjoyed a breakout 2025 that saw him strike out 123 in 111 innings at High-A and Double-A, has dealt with a left elbow osteophyte fracture but is back on a throwing program. For more information, Detroit released a full Minor League medical update on Thursday.
How to watch
Fans can watch Minor League Baseball games for free on the Bally Sports Live app or at BallySports.com. Fans may also purchase an MLB+ subscription, which includes access to MiLB games live and on demand, in addition to live MLB audio for all 30 teams, MLB Network and MLB Big Inning. Plus -- with or without a subscription -- Minor League games featuring MLB's top prospects are available in the MiLB Free Game of the Day.