Detroit Tigers Star Youngster Moves Up MLB Top Prospect Rankings With Stellar Play

There aren’t many teams in baseball in as good of a position as the Detroit Tigers are.

They are dominating at the Major League level with a 46-27 record, the best mark in not only the American League, but the entire MLB as well.

Players up and down the roster are providing contributions, whether it's bona fide stars such as ace Tarik Skubal or unheralded players like Jahmai Jones, who has had some memorable plays with multiple home runs in his short stint with the franchise.

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What makes this performance so special for the Tigers is that it has a chance to be incredibly sustainable.

This roster is amongst the youngest in baseball, with an average age of 27.4. Only the Miami Marlins at 26.6 and the Washington Nationals at 26.7 have younger teams.

Not only are their big league contributors young, but several other stellar unseasoned players are working their way through the minor league system who will be helping out in the near future.

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One of those players is middle infielder Kevin McGonigle, who looks like their future second baseman.

A first-round pick in the 2023 MLB Draft, he was highly touted coming into the year with a preseason rank of No. 23.

Since returning from injury, he has continued shooting up the rankings shared by Keith Law of The Athletic. In his most recent updated batch, McGonigle now comes in at No. 16.

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It was a warranted jump in the rankings because he has been on fire at High-A West Michigan.

A sprained ankle kept him sidelined for multiple weeks, but he has not missed a beat with his performance on the field.

Through 20 games and 97 plate appearances with West Michigan, McGonigle has produced an eye-popping .415/.505/.707 slash line with three home runs and 15 doubles. Over half of his hits have been for extra bases, showcasing impressive power for a middle infielder.

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If that wasn’t impressive enough, he has also drawn more walks (18) than times he has struck out (15).

His strike zone recognition and skill set are incredibly impressive for a player of his age.

A promotion could certainly be in the works, as it looks as if McGonigle has conquered High-A.

Producing at that kind of clip will have him continuing to rise on Law’s rankings as well, something worth monitoring over the coming months.

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