The 2022 Major League Draft begins this coming Sunday, which means we will soon know which direction the Detroit Tigers decided to go with the No. 12 overall pick in the opening round.
Most Tigers fans and local media members are pounding the drum for the Tigers to draft a hitter with their first pick but according to ESPN MLB Draft analyst Kiley McDaniel, Al Avila would prefer to take a college pitcher but it’s a bad college pitcher class.
“They’d like to take a college pitcher, but this is a really bad college-pitcher class, so they no means are forced to do that, because I don’t think that’s necessarily what the board’s giving them,” McDaniel said. “I think what the board is giving them is a college hitter. I think they are most likely to go that direction, I think, given where they are competitively and trying to get over the hump.”
Analyst suggests ‘dream’ MLB Draft target for Detroit Tigers
McDaniel went on to say that selecting a high school pitcher such as Brock Porter out of Orchard Lake St. Mary’s would not make much sense for the Detroit Tigers.
“I don’t think a high-school pitcher makes any sense at all, even though it sounds like they like Brock Porter. He’s local, he’s very good, all those things,” McDaniel said. “It’s hard for me to stomach.
“They don’t really want to do that, again, because of the competitive situation.”
As far as players who McDaniel does think are in play for the Tigers are college hitters such as 2B Jace Jung, Jacob Berry, a 3B/OF out of LSU, and Tennessee OF Jordan Beck.
But according to McDaniel, the ‘dream’ for the Detroit Tigers would be if Virginia Tech outfielder Gavin Cross was available at No. 12.
“There’s a chance he gets to 12,” said McDaniel, “and I’d imagine they’d pick him if he does.”
During his final season at Virginia Tech, Cross batted .328 with 17 home runs and 50 RBIs while stealing 12 bases.
