Better Together: Tigers Trio of Top Prospects Have Bonded Through a Memorable 2025 Season

ERIE – Outside of the Erie SeaWolves’ clubhouse, 20-year-old Max Clark shuffled out of a hitter’s meeting and took a seat on the bench. While Clark has never been one to miss out on an opportunity to analyze development, the chance to talk about his teammates hits a little different.

Ask Clark about Kevin McGonigle or Josue Briceño and his face lights up. Ask Briceño or McGonigle about Clark and you’re bound to get the same reaction.

Positioned as three of the key contributors within a rejuvenated Detroit Tigers organization, they carry the weight of expectation with grace. Knowing that they have the ability to carry it together has made the journey that much more enjoyable.

Briceño, 20 was the first to arrive in Detroit’s system. Selected as an international free agent signing in January, 2022 out of Maracay, Venezuela, the 6’4 backstop, and first baseman spent his first season in the Dominican Summer League before coming stateside in 2023.

For Clark and McGonigle, since 2023, they’ve barely known time apart.

Clark was selected as the Tigers’ first-round pick in the 2023 MLB draft. And coming in as the Tigers’ CB-A pick directly after him? Kevin McGonigle. In August 2023, the trio were all assigned to Class-A Lakeland.

Over the next two seasons, while some of their paths have included some time missed, due to injury, the three have stayed in step and the camaraderie between them remains effortless.

Kevin McGonigle

Anyone who knows Kevin McGonigle will be the first to tell you that he plays louder than he talks.

Off the field, the 21-year-old is reserved with a healthy dose of cordiality. On the field, the Pennsylvania native has positioned himself as arguably the top hitting prospect across all of minor league baseball.

“It’s just seamless for him,” Clark said. “Obviously, he’s the best here. There’s no discussion. It’s well known at this point. You can tell that guys are pitching him so differently than the rest. I think even he recognizes that and he’s just able to deal with it and go up there and compete. I think the coolest thing is he has hammered some balls, and it’s just like he doesn’t give a crap.

“He doesn’t care at all. It’s just another day for him,” Clark said. “Staying on the barrel, doing things great, and he’s continuing to prove to people that he can play shortstop. He’s so good in the infield. Just being able to do what he does; he’s the best prospect in baseball. So, it’s obviously fun to watch.”

Working with McGonigle in multiple facets, Josue Briceño is quick to express appreciation for the how McGonigle’s example has challenged him. Whether it’s working from behind the plate to McGonigle in the middle infield or participating in the same pregame hitting groups, Briceño finds himself constantly challenged to grow, as he watches McGonigle go to work during each game.

“He always says, “Papito, show me how you hit that,” Briceño said, laughing. “He’s so funny. He works so hard. He’s a really good teammate.”

Max Clark

Labeled early on as a “packaged deal,” Kevin McGonigle and Max Clark have been side by side for the majority of their young careers.

In addition to being drafted in neighboring draft slots, the two signed their professional contracts four days apart, received their assignments to the Florida Complex League roughly a week apart and each received their promotion from the Complex League to Class-A Lakeland, from Lakeland to High-A West Michigan and from West Michigan to Double-A Erie all on the same days.

While the two agree they couldn’t be more different in personality and style, you would be hard-pressed to find two players with a deeper admiration for one another.

“It’s the way he plays the game,” McGonigle said. “He’s a flashy player and that’s who he is. I respect every part of his game and he’s a winner. He wants to win and I’m the same way. So is Josue.”

While he couldn’t be more different physically speaking from both Clark and McGonigle, Briceño, like the rest of the position players around the Tigers’ organization has been quick to take notes on things he may be able to apply to his own development.

“Max Clark is super impressive to me,” Briceño said. “You look at some of his catches. He can make hard catches. He made a hard catch one day, and he said to (Yosber) Sanchez, “Relax, I’m here. I’m here.” It was so funny. He’s a really complete player. He’s so fast and always stealing bases. He’s hitting good right now.”

Josue Briceño

Although Briceño has been in the Tigers’ organization since 2022, it wasn’t until 2024 that the 20-year-old propelled himself onto the radar for the Tigers’ fanbase.

After some time missed during the regular season due to injury, Briceño was sent out to the Arizona Fall League and to put it simply, Briceño was explosive. The first-ever Fall League Triple Crown winner was awarded a promotion to West Michigan in 2025 and in turn was reunited with Clark and McGonigle as part of a historic lineup for the West Michigan Whitecaps.

For McGonigle, watching the way Briceño carried himself on and off the field gave McGonigle plenty to admire, but not without a healthy dose of competition.

“It’s just the way (Josue) goes about his business every day,” McGonigle said.

“We hit in the same hitting group, basically every day and we always compete. Obviously, he’s beating me, but I always mess around with him. Maybe it’s a home run derby out on the field or just finding little things like that to compete in and make each other better. We push each other to get better and better each day.”

Briceño’s offensive success still has the Venezuelan native positioned as the home run leader over the West Michigan Whitecaps…29 games after his promotion to the Eastern League.

“The homer he hit the other day was absurd,” Max Clark said. “It was three feet out of the zone, and he was just like, “Ah, whatever.” Thwack. Oppo over the building. He cleared the building. I think he clipped it, and it was 104 MPH, and I was like, “Well, that must be nice.” That was pretty cool. It’s cool to see. He’s a great player.”

Looking Ahead

A unique aspect in baseball is the combination of personal progression and team-orientated contribution.

With Briceño, Clark and McGonigle, you see three different stories.

For Briceño, it was growing up in the “Garden City” of north-central Venezuela. For Clark, it began roughly thirty minutes south of Indianapolis in the town of Franklin, Indiana, and just about 10 hours east of Clark, in Media, Pennsylvania, the journey began for Kevin McGonigle.

“I feel like what us three do great is just keep pushing each other and rooting for each other,” McGonigle said. “Hopefully if we keep doing what we’re doing, we’ll stick together for a long time. But me, Clark and Josue are just going to keep pushing each other and the guys on the team to go out and win every game.”

With the success of the trio also comes the chatter about their futures and it’s not lost on them. Knowing the vision of what the Tigers hope to accomplish, it’s allowed them to fully buy in and by doing so, the noise becomes a little easier to drown out.

This season has been a task of balancing the expectation, being able to play at an elite level and all the while continuing to find a way to remain each other’s biggest fans.

“Both guys are just really crazy, the way they play, for 20 years old is crazy,” Briceno said. “We help each other, and that’s important. I can help both of those guys, and they help me. I’m happy to stay here with these two guys.”

Three journeys, one goal and they wouldn’t have it any other way.

“Having both of them is awesome,” Clark said. “We’re all the same age and just trying to all be big leaguers.”