The Detroit Tigers are loading up on pitchers so far in the 2021 MLB Draft.
After selecting RHP Jackson Jobe with the No. 3 pick and RHP Ty Madden with the No. 32 overall pick, the Tigers have now used their 3rd Round pick to select RHP Dylan Smith out of Alabama.
The Tigers did select SS Izaac Pacheco in the 2nd Round.
Smith is the No. 74 ranked prospect according to MLB.com.
With the No. 74 overall pick, the Tigers draft Alabama RHP Dylan Smith.
MLB broadcast called him Alabama's best pitching prospect since Spencer Turnbull.
— Cody Stavenhagen (@CodyStavenhagen) July 12, 2021
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AGE21
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BATSR
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DOB05/28/2000
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THROWSR
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HT6′ 2″
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DRAFTED2018, 18th (531) – SD
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WT180
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TWITTER
Scouting Grades/Report (20-80 grading scale)
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FASTBALL50
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CURVEBALL55
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SLIDER60
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CHANGEUP50
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CONTROL50
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OVERALL50
An 18th-round pick by the Padres out of a Texas high school in 2018, Smith barely pitched in his first two seasons at Alabama, fighting the strike zone while logging a 6.26 ERA in 23 innings. He has emerged as one of the better starters in the Southeastern Conference this year and the Crimson Tide’s best pitching prospect since the Tigers made Spencer Turnbull a second-round pick in 2014. Smith could go in similar territory in July.
He has added some velocity this spring and now works in the low 90s and peaks at 95 mph with some armside run on his fastball. He has exhibited aptitude for spinning the ball since his high school days and his best offering is an 82-86 mph slider with tilt. He also has an upper-70s curveball with downer break and has some feel for a changeup that should become an average pitch as he uses it more often.
Smith has added 30 pounds in college and still has more projection remaining in his 6-foot-2 frame. His athleticism and quick arm allow him to produce quality stuff without much effort in his high three-quarters delivery. He’s pounding the strike zone more than ever, though he’ll need to refine his command to succeed as a starter against more advanced hitters.
