Top Storylines To Follow in the Tigers’ Farm System
Here are some of the most important stories to follow in the Tigers' minor league system this year, from Single-A Lakeland to Triple-A Toledo.
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The calendar has flipped to April, and minor league baseball is in full swing. The Detroit Tigers farm system has been near the top of the rankings for a few years, and 2026 is no different. Most outlets consider this a top-five system, headlined by Kevin McGonigle and Max Clark.
Here at Just Baseball, our own Aram Leighton included four Tigers on his Top 100 Prospects list, starting with McGonigle at No. 2, Clark at No. 10, Bryce Rainer coming in at No. 35, and Josue Briceño rounding out the bunch at No. 36.
A system that is not only top-heavy but lefty-hitter-heavy, Detroit will need a few arms to break out this season. A number of the pitchers they have recently drafted have struggled with injury, causing the pitching side of the organization to fall behind the hitters.
Today, I am going to highlight each of the affiliated levels and discuss the top players and storylines to follow.
Toledo Mud Hens (AAA)
Key Pitchers: Brenan Hanifee, Ty Madden, Tyler Mattison, Jake Miller, Keider Montero, Tanner Rainey, Scott Effross, Phil Bickford
Key Hitters: Eduardo Valencia, Max Anderson, Jace Jung, Hao-Yu Lee (IL), Max Clark, Trei Cruz, Wenceel Perez
Toledo is going to be a fun watch all season. Not only do you have major league talent like Wenceel Perez, but a number of prospects who are set to debut in Detroit this season. Oh yeah, that Max Clark guy is pretty fun, too.
Will Any Veteran Arm Stand Out? – While the Tigers brought back Kyle Finnegan and added Kenley Jansen to their bullpen, you could argue that there are still innings up for grabs. Toledo has a number of veteran arms who have plenty of major league experience, who could earn a role if they pitch well enough.
After the team traded away Dylan Smith this past week, the path to a spot in the Detroit bullpen became even clearer. I’ll be watching to see if any of these veteran arms can show enough to make a promotion possible. Hanifee is likely to be the first up, but Rainey, Effross, and Bickford all have experience, and if you eventually have to DFA one (after a promotion), it wouldn’t sting too bad.
Which Infielder Gains an Edge? – Max Anderson and Hao-Yu Lee were commonly brought up in discussions as a potential short-side platoon option for Detroit. Neither carries much defensive value, and they are limited to second and third, but their bats are what really matter.
Jace Jung, new stance, swing, and all, impressed in spring. His struggles against velocity have been widely noted, but adding first base to his resume helps his potential path. Could he hit enough to become an injury replacement? The clock is ticking for him to figure it out.
How Close is Max Clark? – Centerfield is one of the questions on Detroit’s roster. There are options, and Park Meadows is off to a decent start, but will Max Clark push for a promotion sooner than later? He has all the tools, but spring training wasn’t exactly what you would have hoped.
McGonigle and Clark were on similar timelines before this season, when McGonigle’s advanced approach pushed him to the majors. Clark’s timeline was always projected to be a bit slower, and he’ll need more time in the minors to refine his game and hopefully tap into more consistent power.
Erie Seawolves (AA)
Key Pitchers: Garrett Burhenn, Jaden Hamm, Marco Jimenez, Carlos Pena, Andrew Sears, Tanner Kohlhepp, Dariel Fregio
Key Position Players: Thayron Liranzo, Josue Briceno (IL), Izaac Pacheco, John Peck, Brett Callahan, Seth Stephenson
Erie has seen a lot of success over the past few seasons. While a number of top prospects have come through Erie, they have also used this team as a place to stack minor league veterans who do not have much upward movement. They should be competitive, and hopefully, a number of guys can reach Toledo before too long.
Andrew Sears Continuing His Ascension – The Tigers’ 10th-round pick in 2023 has been climbing prospect rankings due to his funky delivery from the lefty side, keeping batters off balance. He comes with relatively good command and enough stuff to strike guys out. He also produces a high number of groundballs, which helps him navigate lineups when his stuff is not the best on a given day.
I have liked Sears since the first time I watched him pitch, but always thought the bullpen would be his landing spot. I’ll be following closely to see if he can continue to improve and stay as a starter or if he is moved through the system quicker by being moved to the bullpen.
Sears is dealing with an injury, the severity of which has not been announced, which could impact his season.
John Peck as a Breakout Candidate – Selected three rounds prior to Sears, Peck is starting to look like another quality add from the middle rounds. While his bat-to-ball skills are better than his power, there’s enough juice to think he could grow into a respectable 15 home run output.
To put it in elementary terms, Peck is just a solid ball player. You won’t confuse him with the most talented guy on a field, but he does everything at an average to above-average level, and I would not be surprised if he moves through the system quickly, surpassing other more notable names. He’s Rule 5 eligible this winter, making him a key player to watch.
Thayron Liranzo Bounce-Back Season – A 22-year-old, switch-hitting catcher who has popped on and off of top 100 lists should not be given up on too quickly. Injury slowed his 225 season, and I’m willing to bet the power will return in 2026. Offense has always carried his value, and he’ll need to rebuild this season now that he’s on the 40-man roster.
How the Tigers manage his defensive development will also be interesting. Catchers tend to be slower developing, and I don’t think they are in any rush to move him off the position. He and Briceno (once healthy) will see time at first base, as well.
West Michigan White Caps (A+)
Key Pitchers: Lucas Elissalt, Rayner Castillo, Gabriel Reyes
Key Position Players: Garrett Pennington, Roberto Campos, Jackson Strong
With all due respect, West Michigan is not a team many will be following this season. Every year, there’s usually a level that is void of many intriguing players, at least to start, and West Michigan is that team in 2026.
Lucas Elissalt Rising Up the Rankings – Elissalt is a tall, lanky, righty with the type of delivery MLB the Show would give a generic player. Simple and repeatable, which is never a bad thing. He’s not going to light up the radar guns, but he does come with good enough breaking balls to give him a chance at developing into a useful starter.
Across 22 games last season in Low-A and High-A, Elissalt pitched to a 2.51 ERA and 3.23 FIP while striking out 10.04 per nine. He’ll need to show his stuff can play enough to miss bats as he climbs levels, but he’s the most intriguing arm in West Michigan in my eyes.
Jackson Strong Is Flying Under the Radar – Strong is another player that I gravitated to since the first time I watched him. He’s patient at the plate, often working into deep counts, drawing walks, but he does have swing and miss in his game. A good athlete with speed, Strong will need to tap into more consistent power, especially if he does not cut down on the swing and miss.
I do like the fluidity in his swing and the ball jumps off his bat. Overall, I think he has the tools to at least become a depth outfielder, and I’ll be watching to see if he takes another step this season.
Lakeland Flying Tigers (A-)
Key Pitchers: Ben Jacobs, Malachi Witherspoon, Caleb Leys, Donye Evans, Kelvis Salcedo (IL)
Key Position Players: Bryce Rainer, Jude Warwick, Javier Osorio
Low-A is always fun to follow. Recent draft picks pop up and players you have heard about in rookie ball but rarely get to see video of finally start to show up. Of course, our friends at Tigers Minor League Report help us stay educated on many of these players.
Pitching Prospects Who Could Be the Next Wave – If it isn’t obvious by now, I’ll say it: The Tigers’ pitching prospects in the upper minors are underwhelming and few. They have had a number of injuries that have held arms back and stunted development, which is why I’m excited about this next wave and seeing who stands out.
Malachi Witherspoon, Kelvis Salcedo, and Ben Jacobs are probably the most notable names on the list. Donye Evans is a 6-foot-6 righty who missed 2025 with injury but showed some promise in 2024. Also, a number of other arms should join this team before too long. Watching which names stand out is near the top of my list of intriguing stories to follow in the Tigers’ system.
Bryce Rainer Back Healthy – The Tigers’ first-round pick in 2024 flashed to start last season in Lakeland, slashing .288/.383/.448 with five home runs and nine stolen bases in 35 games. A shoulder injury ended his season, and how he looks upon returning will be interesting.
His swing, particularly his hand positioning, is unorthodox but has worked to this point in his career. The next step in his development will be consistently lifting the ball with more regularity to turn high exit velocities into more power.
Seeing Javier Osorio Develop – Admittedly, I have not been able to see much video of Osorio, which is why I’m going to be tracking him in Lakeland. A significant international free agent, I have only seen Osorio in low-quality video and clips scattered on the internet.
Last season at the complex, he slashed .304/.386/.488 with five home runs and 20 stolen bases across 38 games. These players can struggle to transition to the lower minors at times, but I’m intrigued to see how he looks as an infield option down the road.
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