It’s hard to argue with the Detroit Tigers’ track record in the first round of the MLB draft the past several years.
Since 2018, four of their first-round picks have reached the Majors and are still with the Tigers. One made his MLB debut and is in the minor leagues while two more are considered among the top prospects in the organization.
But the work when it comes to talent identification never ends. That’s why the Tigers must be happy to have two selections among the Top 40 picks in July’s draft.
The 2025 MLB draft will be held Sunday and Monday, July 13-14, during All-Star Weekend in Atlanta.
Detroit received the No. 24 pick based on its finish during the 2024 season. The Tigers also have the No. 34 overall pick, which is a competitive balance round A pick.
Competitive balance round A, per MLB, is for “…teams that have either one of the 10 smallest markets or 10 smallest revenue pools receive an additional pick at the end of the first or second round. The groups of teams alternate between the two rounds each year.”
So, what will the Tigers do next? Baseball America’s prospect analysts did their own mock draft earlier this week and made selections for the first 40 picks on behalf of those teams that had a pick.
With the No. 24 pick, the site projected the Tigers will take shortstop Wehiwa Aloy out of Arkansas. With the No. 34 pick, the Tigers were projected to select left-handed pitcher Joseph Dzierwa out of Michigan State.
Baseball America’s scouts wrote that Aloy is a solid hitter who may eventually move to a different infield position. Dzierwa isn’t just a local pick for the Tigers. He has one of the best strikeout-to-walk ratios in college baseball right now.
The Tigers have done well with their first-round picks, dating back to 2018, when they selected college pitcher Casey Mize. After a bout with injuries, Mize is back in the starting rotation and is off to a solid start this season.
The next three first-round picks are also with the Tigers — outfielder Riley Greene in 2019, infielder/outfielder Spencer Torkelson in 2020 and pitcher Jackson Jobe in 2021.
Jobe is a rookie this season and considered a favorite to win American League rookie of the year. Torkelson is off to a hot start after a rough 2024 while Greene has emerged as one of the game’s top rising stars.
Jace Jung, the Tigers’ 2022 first-round pick, made his MLB debut last season but is back at Triple-A. Max Clark, the 2023 first-round pick, and Bryce Rainer, the 2024 first-round pick, are in the minor leagues and considered among the Top 100 prospects in baseball.