DETROIT – The Detroit Tigers now have two of the top 10 prospects in all of baseball and five players in the top 51, according to the most recent rankings update.
MLB Pipeline released its new top 100 prospects late Tuesday night to include players selected in the 2020 draft.
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Torkelson and Mize
The No. 1 overall pick, Spencer Torkelson, checks in at No. 7 on the overall list. He’s now the No. 1 prospect in the Tigers’ organization, and the highest ranked first baseman and third baseman.
Torkelson supplanted the team’s 2018 No. 1 pick, Casey Mize, bumping the top right-handed pitching prospect on the list to No. 8 overall.
Both Torkelson and Mize are among only eight players given overall rankings of 65. No. 1 prospect Wander Franco, a shortstop in the Tampa Bay Rays organization, received the lone 70 rank.
Scouts who contributed to the rankings gave Torkelson a 60-grade hit tool and a 65-grade power tool. Prospect tools are rated on a scale of 20-80. He received 50 grades (average) for his arm strength and fielding and a below-average 40 grade for his speed.
In his scouting report, Torkelson is praised for having power to all fields without selling out and sacrificing average.
“Regardless of where he ultimately lands on the defensive spectrum, it will be Torkelson’s bat that makes him a special player in the big leagues,” the summary says.
READ: There’s no reason for Detroit Tigers to delay Casey Mize any longer
Mize’s splitter received a rare 70 grade, and his fastball and slider each received 60 grades. It’s uncommon for a pitching prospect to have three pitches that grade out above average. He also has 60-grade control.
Only MacKenzie Gore, a left-handed pitcher in the San Diego Padres organization, is ranked ahead of Mize among pitching prospects.
No other team has two prospects ranked in the top 10. Here are some of the other top duos.
- Tampa Bay Rays: No. 1 Wander Franco (SS) and No. 16 Brendan McKay (LHP)
- Chicago White Sox: No. 3 Luis Robert (OF) and No. 17 Andrew Vaughn (1B)
- Seattle Mariners: No. 12 Jarred Kelenic (OF) and No. 19 Julio Rodriguez (OF)
- Toronto Blue Jays: No. 9 Nate Pearson (RHP) and No. 20 Austin Martin (SS/OF)
Others in top 100
The Tigers have three more players in the top 100: No. 26 Matt Manning, No. 33 Riley Greene and No. 51 Tarik Skubal.
Manning and Greene were bumped down two spots by Torkelson and Martin. Skubal was bumped down five spots because Torkelson, Martin, Asa Lacy, Emerson Hancock, Nick Gonzales and Max Meyer were added and Pittsburgh Pirates pitcher Mitch Keller (previously No. 39) graduated from prospect status.
Manning is a 60 overall with a 60-grade fastball and curveball. His changeup received a 55 rating, as did his control.
Greene, who looked like the organization’s best position player already during summer camp, is a 55 overall with a 60-grade hit tool, 55-grade power and arm strength and 50-grade running and fielding. He showed a high defensive ceiling with a handful of excellent plays during intrasquad games for the Tigers.
Skubal had better minor league numbers than Mize or Manning last season, striking out a ridiculous 82 batters in 42.1 innings after a promotion to Double-A. The former ninth-round pick has a 60-grade fastball and slider and a 55-grade curveball and changeup. His control rating is 55. Having four above-average pitches is a feather in the cap of the 23-year-old lefty.
Top 30 prospects
Each of the Tigers’ 2020 draft picks made the team’s top 30 prospect rankings, with Torkelson at No. 1, catcher Dillon Dingler at No. 9, outfielder Daniel Cabrera at No. 12, third baseman Colt Keith at No. 23, third baseman Gage Workman at No. 24 and shortstop Trei Cruz at No. 28.
Here’s the organization’s full top 30:
- Spencer Torkelson, 3B/1B
- Casey Mize, RHP
- Matt Manning, RHP
- Riley Greene, OF
- Tarik Skubal, LHP
- Isaac Paredes, 3B/SS
- Willi Castro, SS
- Daz Cameron, OF
- Dillon Dingler, C
- Joey Wentz, LHP
- Alex Faedo, RHP
- Daniel Cabrera, OF
- Jake Rogers, C
- Parker Meadows, OF
- Franklin Perez, RHP
- Beau Burrows, RHP
- Wenceel Perez, SS
- Bryan Garcia, RHP
- Anthony Castro, RHP
- Bryant Packard, OF
- Kody Clemens, 2B
- Roberto Campos (OF
- Colt Keith, 3B/RHP
- Gage Workman, 3B
- Adinso Reyes, SS
- Nick Quintana, 3B
- Jose De La Cruz, OF
- Trei Cruz, SS
- Andre Lipcius, 3B/2B
- Rony Garcia, RHP
The top 15 players on this list received a 50 overall grade or better, with each prospect from Paredes to Franklin Perez at exactly 50. Everyone on the second half of the list received a 45 grade.