LAKELAND, Fla. -- The towering frame of Parker Meadows is hard to miss, even in the late innings of a Spring Training game. At 6-foot-5, he stands out when he runs out to center field, as he did for Sunday’s 3-2 win over the Braves at Joker Marchant Stadium.

“It was amazing,” Meadows said. “The adrenaline’s still pumping.”

After Braves prospect Chad Sobotka overpowered Meadows with two fastballs, the lanky left-handed hitter got enough of an 0-2 pitch to hit a dribbler toward third base. For such a tall player, the idea of an infield hit seemed unlikely. But Meadows runs more like a speedy infielder, which is why he beat the throw.

It’s also why the Tigers were counting their blessings when he was available in the second round of last year’s MLB Draft.

“Here’s a guy who’s 6-5 that runs like a deer,” general manager Al Avila said. “He’s got legitimate times in all his performances, running. When you have a guy that has that combination of power and speed and athleticism, that’s special. It’s not just me saying it. Anybody in baseball will tell you that.”

Meadows, Detroit's No. 9 prospect per MLB Pipeline, might have the best potential to become the impact position player the Tigers desperately need in their rebuilding effort. It’ll take time to figure that out. But as rare it is for teenagers to play in a big league Spring Training game, the Tigers wanted a look at Meadows.

Meadows’ older brother, Austin, was a top-10 Draft pick who made his Major League debut last May. He’s now part of the Rays’ future after coming over from Pittsburgh in the Chris Archer deal at last year’s Trade Deadline.

The younger Meadows had committed to play college ball at Clemson. But the Detroit Tigers had enough Draft pool money available that they believed they could convince him to turn pro.

“From losing teams, you get higher Draft picks,” Detroit manager Ron Gardenhire said. “I think they’ve benefited in this organization from having some rough seasons.”

Said Meadows: “I don’t think there was too much of a debate. My mind was really set on playing pro ball. It’s something I dreamed of doing since I was a kid, and something I watched my brother do after getting drafted out of high school. That’s been a goal of mine for a long time, and I was extremely blessed to be able to meet my goal.”

Meadows signed quickly enough to play last summer. He hit enough in the Rookie-level Gulf Coast League to earn a call to Class A Short-Season Connecticut by season’s end. Combine the two stops, and the teenager batted .290 (27-for-93) with four homers, 10 RBIs and an .850 OPS.

Meadows teamed with his older brother, hired a personal trainer, shifted his diet toward lean protein and added 10 pounds. The Tigers invited Meadows to Minor League minicamp, where he took his swings against top pitching prospects like Matt Manning, Beau Burrows and Alex Faedo in intrasquad games.

“Facing that high competition, it’s only going to get me better,” Meadows. “It’s been really good.”

Meadows has a chance to land at Class A West Michigan, if not when camp breaks, maybe by summer. But getting to wear a Tigers jersey, albeit green for St. Patrick’s Day, against a Braves team he followed as a kid was a reward. It was also a preview.

“He’s got the arm. He’s got the speed. He’s got the power. He’s got the athleticism,” Avila said. “He’s got basically all the athleticism you’re looking for in a baseball player.”