2011 Detroit Tigers Draft Recap

[ChrisBrown]

I promised an update, and here it is. Let's start with the draft:

2 - James McCann - C - R/R - 6'2, 210 - 21

There wasn't a lot of sizzle to this pick at all, but some felt McCann could go 15-20 picks higher (others though he'd go in the 3rd round). He projects to be MLB average across the board, with his defense perhaps developing into a plus tool. He probably won't be an all-star, but his floor is probably an MLB backup.

3 - Aaron Westlake - 1B - L/R - 6'4, 230 - 22

Big, strong kid who was generally considered a supplemental-to-2nd rounder, so the Tigers got a bit of a deal here. He has plus raw power, and he should be a guy who hits in the .250-.270 range. He's slow, and can't play another position, so he'll have to hit. Sort of a lefty Ryan Strieby.

4 - Jason King - 3B/OF - S/R - 6', 215 - 22

Solid athlete who understands the game and plays very hard. He has above-average power potential from both sides, and he shows a good approach at the plate. He's a decent defender, but he'll probably have to move to an outfield corner if he makes it to the Majors.

5 - Brandon Loy - SS - R/R - 6', 170 - 21

Loy is a classic Tigers shortstop prospect -- all-glove, no bat. Many considered Loy to be the best defensive shortstop in all of the college ranks, but he doesn't offer much as a hitter. He can work counts, and he'll put the ball in play, but scouts question his hit tool, and he has no power to speak of. Still, his glove could get him to the Majors...think Danny Worth.

6 - Tyler Collins - OF - L/L - 5'11, 210 - 22

Collins played for Baylor before transferring to tiny Howard College, and he's been making some noise on the JC level. He's a scrappy player with above-average pop, solid contact ability, and decent speed. He'd be a solid addition to the system.

7 - Brian Flynn - LHP - 6'8, 240 - 21

Reminiscent of Cole Nelson from the 2010 draft, Flynn is a gargantuan lefty who doesn't throw quite as hard as his frame might suggest. He sits in the low 90s, and can spike to 94-95, but he backs it up with a slider and changeup that are poor. The org probably thinks they can make a few tweaks to get him to a ceiling as 3rd starter. It's more likely that he's a back-end starter or middle reliever.

8 - Jason Krizan - OF -L/R - 6', 180 - 22

A poor-man's Andy Dirks? Gritty type who handles every aspect of the game well, but doesn't do anything great. Likely to be an organizational type.

9 - Chad Wright - OF - L/R - 5'11, 190 - 21

Almost a carbon-copy of Krizan, with maybe a touch more speed.

10 - Curt Casali - C - R/R - 6'3, 220 - 22

There appears to be a minority opinion that Casali can be a solid player, but most scouts fail to see the bat, and most don't even seen an above-average defender.

15 - Tyler Gibson - OF - L/R - 6'2, 190 - 18

If Gibson signs, and it looks like he will, he'll be the prize of this draft for the Tigers. Baseball America had him ranked as the 85th best position player in the draft, and he reportedly turned down a six-figure offer in the 2nd round. He shows a knack barreling the ball, he has the potential for plus power down the line, and he's currently a plus runner. He was an infielder in high school, and he'll need to get used to advanced breaking balls, but the kid has All-star potential if everything pans out. Think Colby Rasmus. It will probably cost between $1-2 million to sign him, but I think it happens.

16 - Ismael Salgado - OF - R/R - 6'1, 165 - 18

Coming from the the Puerto Rican Baseball Academy, Salgado is wicked fast, earning 80 grades for his speed, but everything else about his game is super raw, and he figures to spend a few years in the rookie leagues. If everything works out, he could be an everyday outfielder in the Majors...but we're a loooooonnng way from that point.

------------------------------------

Okay, I'll hold off on any of the other players until they sign (and Collins and Gibson still may not sign) but as I mentioned above, I'm not as upset about this draft as I was at the time. There isn't a ton of upside, but I think they got some solid talent that may contribute in 3-4 years.

[john thomas]

Great read Chris. Thanks.

[ChrisBrown]

Hmmm...I guess the minor league update in my original post was lost in the ether?

[SportsFromA2]

IF you have to give the Tigers organization a letter grade on this draft, what would it be? like a B-/C+ type draft?

Who of these would you say has the biggest upside? Like perhaps becoming an above-average everyday MLB player (instead of a 4-A/fringe type player)? Gibson?

[ChrisBrown]

IF you have to give the Tigers organization a letter grade on this draft, what would it be? like a B-/C+ type draft?

Who of these would you say has the biggest upside? Like perhaps becoming an above-average everyday MLB player (instead of a 4-A/fringe type player)? Gibson?

Boy, grading a baseball draft is tough (particularly before they sign everyone), but I'd be inclined to give it a flat C.

Gibson might be the only guy with an All-star ceiling, while Collins, Westlake, McCann, King, and Salgado could all conceivably be decent everyday players. It's so hard to tell though...if you had asked me this question in 2008, I probably would've said that Avila was never gonna be more than a backup. So much can happen to players once they get professional instruction, and conversely, once they start facing professional competition.

[ChrisBrown]

The Tigers have signed Gibson.

http://www.baseballamerica.com/blog/...on-for-525000/

Tigers Ink Gibson For $525,000

Posted Aug. 15, 2011 1:01 pm by Jim Callis
Filed under: Signings

The Tigers have signed 15th-rounder Tyler Gibson for $525,000. That's more than three times MLB's recommended $150,000 maximum for picks after the fifth round, and nearly as much as Detroit paid its top 2011 selection, second-rounder James McCann ($577,900).

A product of Stratford Academy (Macon, Ga.), he's the son of Mercer head coach Craig Gibson. Tyler is a quality athlete with a pretty lefthanded swing, and he profiles as a third baseman or corner outfielder with projected plus power. He had committed to Georgia Tech.

This is actually about half of what I thought they'd pay for the kid...very nice signing.