How has Detroit Tigers president Scott Harris done in MLB draft? Pretty darn good
The Tigers hired Harris as their president on Sept. 19, 2022, meaning Harris has run the team's draft strategy during the 2023 and 2024 MLB Drafts. And though that only represents two years of drafting, Harris' drafts have already given the Tigers' farm system a wealth of talent.
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Much of these high draft picks have come as the result of losing seasons, since MLB typically allocates high draft picks to sub-.500 teams, which the Tigers were in every season from 2017-23. The Tigers had the No. 3 pick in the 2023 draft as one of their two first-round picks and the No. 11 overall pick in the 2024 draft.
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However, with the Tigers surprise playoff appearance in 2024, the team is picking No. 24 overall in the 2025 draft.
Here's a quick primer on Harris' draft history as the head of the Tigers:
2023: Selecting the future – Max Clark and Kevin McGonigle
Tigers first-round draft pick Max Clark walks on the field before a game between Tigers and Padres at Comerica Park on Friday, July 21, 2023.
Harris wasted no time in his first draft at the helm for the Tigers, armed with two first-round picks at the 2023 draft. With the No. 3 overall pick, the Tigers selected Max Clark, an outfielder out of Franklin Community High School in Indiana.
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In less than two years, Clark has risen to become the No. 12 overall prospect in MLB (according to MLB Pipeline) and the No. 2 prospect in the organization. He's recently been called up to Double-A Erie and will be featured at the 2025 All-Star Futures Game on Saturday, July 12 at Truist Park in Atlanta.
And he arguably wasn't even the Tigers' best pick that draft.
Detroit Tigers prospect Kevin McGonigle practices during spring training at TigerTown in Lakeland on Friday, Feb. 20, 2025.
That title could go to shortstop Kevin McGonigle, who the Tigers drafted with the No. 37 overall selection in the first round of the 2023 draft. McGonigle has since leapt Clark to become the organization's No. 1 prospect (and the No. 7 prospect overall). McGonigle will also be playing in the Futures Game with Clark.
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Fifth-round pick Jaden Hamm is rocketing up the farm system at Double-A Erie, now listed as the organization's No. 7 prospect after a successful season at High-A West Michigan in 2024.
Second-round pick Max Anderson, who the Tigers selected at No. 45 overall, is listed as the organization's No. 22 prospect, with fourth-round pick Carson Rucker (No. 107 overall) the team's No. 23 prospect.
That's five players from one draft already in the top 30 of one of MLB's strongest farm systems. For a Tigers team that has had a lot of recent success developing draft picks to become MLB regulars, that's a strong sign of health.
2024: Rounding out the farm
Detroit Tigers prospect Bryce Rainer watches practice during spring training at TigerTown in Lakeland on Friday, Feb. 20, 2025.
It's still way too early to have a robust understanding of the Tigers' 2024 draft performance, but early results look good.
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The team's first-round pick Bryce Rainer (No. 11 overall), a shortstop out of Los Angeles, is already the team's No. 3 prospect (and No. 41 overall among all prospects) while in his second professional season at Low-A Lakeland. He had a season-ending shoulder injury in June, however, cutting his 2025 season short.
The team's 2024 second-round pick, pitcher Owen Hall at No. 49 overall, is the team's No. 9 prospect, giving the Tigers two top-10 prospects from the 2024 draft (and five overall from Harris-drafted players). Left-handed pitcher Ethan Schiefelbein, the next second-round pick (No. 72 overall), is the team's No. 13 prospect, while right-handed pitcher Josh Randall, the team's third-round pick, is the team's No. 16 prospect.
Rounding out the list are fourth-round pick Michael Massey, the team's No. 19 prospect, and pitcher Zach Swanson, the team's ninth-round pick at No. 24 in the organization.
That's 11 total players drafted by Harris who currently stand in the top 30 of the team's prospect group. That's a list that is bound to change as players rise and fall with their performances, and as Harris drafts the next crop of Tigers prospects in the 2025 draft.
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But for just two years of drafting, Harris has already helped build out the Tigers farm system to be one of the strongest in the majors.
You can reach Christian at cromo@freepress.com
This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: Detroit Tigers MLB draft: How Scott Harris has done in first two tries
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