Yardbarker
x
Tigers' Core Shockingly Receives Poor Ranking Despite Plethora of Young Talent
Detroit Tigers left fielder Riley Greene (31) reacts after batting a foul ball against New York Mets during the first inning at Comerica Park in Detroit on Tuesday, September 2, 2025. Junfu Han / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Tigers' Core Shockingly Receives Poor Ranking Despite Plethora of Young Talent

Originally posted on Detroit Tigers on SI
By Nick Ziegler  |  Last updated Sep 5, 2025 2:00 PM ET

As the Detroit Tigers continue to roll on through September, the team will have its eye on the playoffs with the hopes of getting even further than last year. 

In 2024, the Tigers were able to shock the league by not only making the playoffs but coming within one game of reaching the ALCS. Defeating the Houston Astros in October is no easy task. But, the combination of Tarik Skubal and what was an excellent bullpen was able to get the job done. 

While the success in 2024 might have come as a surprise, expectations were much different in 2025. So far, with a large lead in the American League, Detroit has been able to exceed those expectations as one of the best teams in the league.

Even though success in the regular season is important, this is a team that is going to want to go even further in the playoffs. While the 2024 campaign might have been a step in the right direction, it felt like the young core of the Tigers overachieved a bit. 

However, this is a unit that has a lot of potential going forward with one of the best farm systems in baseball. Recently, Kiley McDaniel of ESPN shockingly ranked the core of the Tigers at a disappointing 22nd in the league. 

Why the Low Ranking for Tigers Core?

There were a few parameters in the ranking of the core, as players considered have to be under team control through the 2027 season. With 2027 being the cut-off, Detroit doesn't have the luxury of including its best player. Skubal is only under team control through the 2026 season. 

This rating would have likely been much better if Skubal were still under contract. The southpaw is likely going to win his second straight AL Cy Young award. However, his contract status is a looming concern for Detroit. 

Without Skubal being eligible, the Tigers didn't have another player in the elite category. However, what is encouraging for the team is that they did have three players in the plus category. All-Star left fielder Riley Greene, star shortstop prospect Kevin McGonigle, and catcher Dillon Dingler all fall into that group. 

Despite the team not receiving a great rating, this is a club that has a lot of talented prospects and young players who could continue to improve and get better. While keeping Skubal is going to be key for the team, the window of opportunity to win should be a big one for Detroit. 

Read More Tigers News:


This article first appeared on Detroit Tigers on SI and was syndicated with permission.

More must-reads:

Customize Your Newsletter

Yardbarker +

Get the latest news and rumors, customized to your favorite sports and teams. Emailed daily. Always free!

This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.