Tigers draft picks have big night for Connecticut

It takes years to decide whether a draft class panned out or not, but Tigers general manager David Dombrowski has to be feeling good about his 2015 haul after watching the Connecticut Tigers Thursday.

Three top picks helped Rookie League Connecticut cruise to an 11-2 blowout win over Lowell. The group included first-round pick Christin Stewart, who went 2-for-4 with a home run and two RBIs, second-round pick Tyler Alexander, who allowed one hit, one walk and notched four strikeouts in four innings, and fifth-rounder Cam Gibson, who ripped a grand slam in a 1-for-5 night.

Alexander, the No. 65 overall pick in June, was making his pro debut, while Gibson -- the son of former Tigers great Kirk Gibson -- was playing in his fifth contest.

"We have only been together a little while, but we all enjoy each other, and that's always good to have in the locker room," Stewart told MiLB.com. "That shows on the field."

Selected No. 34 overall, Stewart, who played at Tennessee, debuted on June 22 for the Gulf Coast League Tigers, where he batted .364 in six games. On June 28, he went 1-for-3 with an RBI in his Connecticut debut.

"It was a blessing to hear my name called that day," Stewart said. "It was an unbelievable feeling for me and my family. I'm happy the Tigers saw something and took me that early. I'm just going to do everything I can to help the team win."

If Thursday was any indication, he'll have some help from his fellow Tigers.