Draft is done

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Paul Meloche

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Jul 14, 2025, 8:04:31 PM7/14/25
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Your 2025 Detroit Tigers draft class:




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2025124Detroit TigersTeam Logo of Detroit TigersHeadshot of Jordan YostJordan YostSSSickles HSHSFLN
2025CB-A34Detroit TigersTeam Logo of Detroit TigersHeadshot of Michael OlivetoMichael OlivetoCHauppauge HSHSNYN
2025262Detroit TigersTeam Logo of Detroit TigersHeadshot of Malachi WitherspoonMalachi WitherspoonRHPOklahoma4YROKN
2025398Detroit TigersTeam Logo of Detroit TigersHeadshot of Ben JacobsBen JacobsLHPArizona State4YRAZN
20254129Detroit TigersTeam Logo of Detroit TigersCaleb LeysLHPUniversity Of Maine4YRMEN
20255159Detroit TigersTeam Logo of Detroit TigersRyan HallRHPNorth Gwinnett HSHSGAN
20256189Detroit TigersTeam Logo of Detroit TigersHeadshot of Grayson GrinsellGrayson GrinsellLHPOregon4YRORN
20257219Detroit TigersTeam Logo of Detroit TigersCale WetwiskaRHPNorthern Oklahoma College-EnidJCOKN
20258249Detroit TigersTeam Logo of Detroit TigersHeadshot of Nick DumesnilNick DumesnilOFCalifornia Baptist University4YRCAN
20259279Detroit TigersTeam Logo of Detroit TigersTrevor HeishmanLHPSt. John Bosco HSHSCAN
202510309Detroit TigersTeam Logo of Detroit TigersEdian EspinalCCentral Florida4YRFLN
202511339Detroit TigersTeam Logo of Detroit TigersHeadshot of River HamiltonRiver HamiltonRHPSam Barlow HSHSORN
202512369Detroit TigersTeam Logo of Detroit TigersCash KuiperRHPMurray State CollegeJCOKN
202513399Detroit TigersTeam Logo of Detroit TigersJack GoodmanSSNortheastern4YRMAN
202514429Detroit TigersTeam Logo of Detroit TigersHeadshot of Beau AnkeneyBeau Ankeney1BLoyola Marymount University4YRCAN
202515459Detroit TigersTeam Logo of Detroit TigersCharlie ChristensenRHPU Central Arkansas4YRARN
202516489Detroit TigersTeam Logo of Detroit TigersJoe RuzickaRHPBelmont University4YRTNN
202517519Detroit TigersTeam Logo of Detroit TigersJoey WimpelbergRHPCollege of Central FloridaJCFLN
202518549Detroit TigersTeam Logo of Detroit TigersEthan RogersLHPLone Jack HSHSMON
202519579Detroit TigersTeam Logo of Detroit TigersMeridian LeffewSSGaston Christian SchoolHSNCN
202520609Detroit TigersTeam Logo of Detroit TigersKameron DouglasOFAlabama St U4YRALN



Consensus on our top two picks is that they were reaches but in general had been moving up draft boards this spring. Yost doesn't seem to have much power potential but has other skills the current Tuges brass covets. Oliveto has good power potential but is definitely a project and may not stick at catcher. I can't remember if it was a writer or someone on the list that compared Yost to the athletics' Jacob Wilson. I've seen more than one writer comp Oliveto with Logan O'Hoppe, assuming the former sticks at catcher.

Malachi Witherspoon, our second rounder, saw his twin brother and college teammate taken 47 picks before him (Boston).

MLB.com says our 8th rounder, Nick Dumesnil, was trending towards a Day 1 pick until he couldn't hit breaking balls this spring. Still, he has good speed, power potential, and experience with wooden bats from playing in the Cape Cod League. MLB.com had him as their 118th prospect and we got him at 249.

In the 11th round we took LSU commit River Hamilton. MLB.com thinks the Tigers might give him a godfather offer with their savings from the earlier rounds. He was MLB.com's 99th ranked prospect with his plus slider and mid-90s fastball. He also had "elbow discomfort" this spring (might as well get the TJS done early).

Best names? I'll go with Meridian Leffew and Joey Wimpleberg.

Michael W

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Jul 14, 2025, 8:32:27 PM7/14/25
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The first thing to watch, especially for the top two picks, is what level they are assigned to.  If it’s Rookie League, then they are in the mix with the 14th rounders.  If they get placed in A-ball, for a high-school player that is a significant.  If they get the rookie ball placement, but get a quick promotion, that’s also a good sign.

Michael 

John Watkins

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Jul 15, 2025, 11:46:29 AM7/15/25
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WETWISKA / great name for the Rookie League 

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Sent: Monday, July 14, 2025 8:32:26 PM
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Subject: Re: Draft is done
 
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Tanvir Shaikh

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Jul 15, 2025, 12:08:53 PM7/15/25
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I'm curious how the signings go, since we deviated so much from the consensus rankings. 

Will competitive-balance pick Michael Oliveto, ranked 219 at pick 34, receive the full slated $2.83M bonus?  I mean, he committed to Yale, which to my knowledge doesn't offer atheltic scholarships (which made it extra-embarrassing when they beat us), so he'd be better off going to school during/after his pro career.

The high-schoolers that we picked, especially late, can they be coaxed into foregoing their college commitments?  In particular, River Hamilton in round 11 was ranked 99th by MLB [1] -- behind only 1st-rounder Jordan Yost -- but his pick is not slated to receive any signing bonus.  The other late-round high-schoolers are Ethan Rogers (round 18) and Meridian Leflew (19).  

I haven't kept close track, but when did the number of picks get so high again?  During one pandemic year, I remember only around 5-6 rounds.

-Tapu


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Peter Welch

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Jul 15, 2025, 1:35:48 PM7/15/25
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I think they kept it a small draft that one year because of the pandemic.

They've been drafting 20 rounds since then.

Peter

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Subject: Re: Draft is done

Peter Welch

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Jul 15, 2025, 1:46:07 PM7/15/25
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The 2nd-round pick, Witherspoon had a career 5.21 ERA at Oklahoma with a 1.469 WHIP.   Witherspoon's twin brother, Kyson, was drafted 15th overall by the Red Sox.  He also pitched for Oklahoma with a 3.14 career ERA and 1.171 WHIP.
The 3rd-round pick Jacobs, a lefty, had a career 4.99 ERA at Arizona State with a 1.477 WHIP.   

They must have some pitches in their arsenal the Tigers' scouts like, though.  Maybe they can be molded into serviceable relievers or back-of-the-rotation starters down the road. 

The Tigers did seem to focus mostly on pitching after their first 2 picks.  Not surprised.  The pitching depth in the system is getting thinner.

Peter

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Peter Welch

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Jul 15, 2025, 2:07:29 PM7/15/25
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Oliveto might as well take the bonus money and forgo going to Yale.  If he invests the money wisely (he seems like a smart kid from what I've read) he should be fine financially and if he really wants to, can go to Yale or some other school later in life.  I also thought the Tigers should have drafted Slater de Brun with the comp pick instead of Oliveto.  De Brun seems like a potentially exciting player like Max Clark.  

The Tigers must see a lot of power potential in Oliveto's swing.  He supposedly hit for a lot of power in a recent scouting combine.

I also kind of wanted the Tigers to draft California high school SS Quentin Young in the comp round or in the 2nd round, but the Twins got him in the 2nd round before the Tigers had a chance.  The 6'6" Young is nephew of former Tigers Dmitri and Delmon.  From what I've read about him, he has a lot of power potential but also a lot of swing-and-miss.  High upside but potentially a bust because he can't make enough contact.
I hope he didn't inherit his uncles' taste for alcohol, though.    

Peter
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Subject: Re: Draft is done

Michael W

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Jul 16, 2025, 4:08:42 PM7/16/25
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Tapu wrote:
>  I mean, he committed to Yale, which to my knowledge doesn't offer atheltic scholarships 
> (which made it extra-embarrassing when they beat us),

Don't feel too bad.  The Ivy league doesn't offer "athletic scholarships", but they offer other kinds of scholarships to their athletes.  It's just marketing, and the result is the same.

Michael

Michael W

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Jul 17, 2025, 8:32:07 PM7/17/25
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This free article has the available info about the 4-10 picks:  

Detroit Tigers selections for rounds 4-10 of the 2025 MLB Draft


Michael 


On Monday, July 14, 2025 at 7:04:31 PM UTC-5 Paul Meloche wrote:

Tanvir Shaikh

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Jul 20, 2025, 5:07:57 AM7/20/25
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The Tigers have signed their top two picks:

In case the link is paywalled, they saved $853K, which they'll presumably use to sign the other high-schoolers.

Tapu

Peter Welch

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Jul 22, 2025, 1:46:28 PM7/22/25
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So Oliveto signed for a $2.45 million bonus, which was slightly under slot.  He skips going to Yale to ride buses in hot and muggy Florida for $2.45 million.  
He seems like a smart kid (and nice kid) from what I've been reading.  If he invests the money wisely he'll be ok if he never makes it, plus if he invests really well, he'll be able to go to Yale in the future if he wants.

Peter
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