Zyhir Hope made yet another splash as his 2026 season came to an end Tuesday.
Hope demolished a first-inning home run in Game 2 of the Eastern League Finals, though his Double-A Erie squad fell to Reading, which clinched the championship at FirstEnergy Stadium.
Hope dipped to the bottom of the zone to golf the big fly out toward right-center field, snapping a 1-for-11 skid in the postseason to that point. It got Erie going early, carrying a lead through the fifth inning before Reading pulled away with a six-run sixth. Hope also drew a walk in the finale.
Hope’s performance added on to a big week for the Tigers’ return in the Tarik Skubal trade. Fellow headlining piece River Ryan made his debut with the big league club, throwing three scoreless innings on Monday. It was his first Major League appearance since 2024.
COMPLETE TIGERS PROSPECT COVERAGE
While Hope may not have been on fire this postseason, it won’t take away from the excellent campaign the 21-year-old outfielder put together overall. He was one of just three Minor Leaguers this year to post 25-plus home runs (29), 25-plus stolen bases (26) and 100-plus RBIs (111) during the regular season, joining former teammate Josue De Paula (Dodgers) and Brandon Compton (Marlins). Hope finished his first full year in Double-A with an .880 OPS.
Hope -- the Tigers’ top prospect and MLB Pipeline’s No. 26 prospect overall -- will have a chance to hone his skills and continue showing off his strong tools across the board in the Arizona Fall League. The 2023 11th-round Draft pick will play with the Scottsdale Scorpions beginning Oct. 3.