Tigers get their man in Harrell second time around

DETROIT -- The Tigers selected Vanderbilt's Connor Harrell in the 31st round of last year's Draft. After deciding not to sign, he responded by hitting .313 with a team-leading 12 home runs and 66 RBIs this spring, and Detroit called his name again -- this time making him its seventh-round choice (216th overall).

Listed at 6-foot-3 and 220 pounds, he is physical and has above-average speed. Harrell has good power, but it comes with a lot of swings and misses. Harrell has a good arm and enough range to continue manning center field as a professional.

Despite leading Vanderbilt with 61 strikeouts, the second-team All-SEC selection sports a .410 on-base percentage and a .535 slugging percentage.

Detroit took Harrell's teammate and left-handed pitcher, Kevin Ziomek, in the second round of this year's First-Year Player Draft and he's the sixth Commodore in the past three years to be drafted by the Tigers. He will face Tigers' third-round selection, right-hander Jeffrey Thompson, in this weekend's NCAA Super Regional.