Why Detroit Tigers 2nd Round pick Max Anderson is ‘Best hitter I’ve ever seen’

Max Anderson absolutely raked at the college level, and the hope is that he is someday doing exactly that for the Detroit Tigers.

Most believed the Detroit Tigers would select a college hitter with the No. 3 overall pick in the 2023 MLB Draft, but instead, they waited until the 2nd Round to snag what one coach describes as the “Best hitter I've ever seen.” That player is Max Anderson out of Nebraska.

Max Anderson Detroit Tigers

Coach: Max Anderson is ‘Best hitter I've ever seen'

While speaking to the Detroit Free Press, Anderson's college coach at Nebraska, Will Bolt, absolutely raved about the Tigers' newest infielder, saying he is the ‘Best hitter I've ever seen'.

“You're gonna love him,” Nebraska coach Will Bolt said. “He is like a grown-up 8-year-old. I mean, he is just happy-go-lucky. I'd have to remind him to get a haircut because I would tell him, ‘Hey, first-rounders don't have hair looking like yours.' ”

“He’s not your prototypical high-waisted, long-legged, short-torso body that you see with athletes,” Bolt said. “His hips are a little wider. I mean, he just doesn't necessarily look the part of a chiseled 6-foot-3, 200-pound athlete.”

“He doesn't really look the part necessarily,” Bolt said. “But this guy's the best hitter I've ever seen, and he's the best I've ever coached, and that includes playing against great players in the SEC and coaching great players in the SEC.”

Bottom Line: Hitting at the MLB Level

For those of you who have followed the MLB Draft closely over the years, you are well aware that there have been a plethora of elite college hitters who fizzled out when it came time to face professional pitchers. It is going to be very interesting to see how Anderson hits at the professional level, but when you listen to what his college coach had to say, it seems like the smart bet is that he will absolutely hit.