The Detroit Tigers have, whether fans agree or not, managed to uncover several valuable contributors through the MLB Draft over the past ten years. Some of those selections are still in the process of establishing themselves as big-league talents, while others have already been producing at the major-league level for a number of seasons.
Every draft choice comes with the inherent possibility that the player won’t pan out as anticipated, which is simply the nature of the business for any MLB club. Former general manager Al Avila oversaw a number of picks that continue to pay dividends for the Tigers today, though there were certainly some misses mixed in as well.
Scott Harris took over as president of baseball operations too recently for his draft classes to be fairly judged just yet, but the early signs out of Motown suggest a promising future ahead. With that context in mind, here is a ranking of the Tigers’ ten best and worst draft selections from the last decade.
10. SS Jordan Yost
Jordan Yost lands at No. 10 for the simple reason that he was drafted less than a year ago, making it far too soon to draw any firm conclusions. The upside remains very much intact, and Detroit could very well have a nice long-term piece in him; the verdict is simply still out.
This season with Lakeland, Yost has one home run and 15 RBIs to go with a .265 average. He’s committed six errors over 307.2 defensive innings, giving him a .957 fielding percentage. Given time, Yost should move up this list.
9. 3B Jace Jung
Selected 12th overall in 2022, Jace Jung has been given multiple opportunities at the MLB level to carve out a role in Detroit. Across 58 games with the Tigers, he’s accumulated a -1.0 WAR, collecting 25 hits in 132 at-bats.
He hasn’t recorded an extra-base hit in the big leagues since 2024 and is still searching for his first career MLB home run. Jung hits well at Triple-A, showing power and defensive versatility around the infield, but things haven’t clicked in the majors, leaving him as the second-lowest ranked first-rounder from this period.
8. RHP Alex Faedo
Fans will remember former first-round pick Alex Faedo wearing the Old English D from 2022 through 2024. He was used both as a starter and out of the bullpen, and he turned in one genuinely strong season for Detroit in 2024 with a 3.61 ERA.
A shoulder injury cut that year short and ultimately led to the Tigers moving on. Faedo is now in the Angels’ organization but hasn’t returned to the majors since. Over his three seasons in Detroit, he posted a 0.7 WAR as a pitcher.
7. SS Bryce Rainer
The Tigers’ 2024 first-rounder, Bryce Rainer, has had an eventful run in the system so far. His 2025 season was cut short by a dislocated right shoulder that kept him out until this year, and with that lost development time, it’s hard to place him any higher than seventh for now.
His 2026 campaign has been much more encouraging, giving Detroit a clearer look at what he might become. At West Michigan, Rainer has eight home runs and a .281 average. Depending on how his development tracks, he could soon become a key part of the Tigers’ infield picture alongside Kevin McGonigle and Colt Keith.
6. RHP Matt Manning
Once regarded as one of Detroit’s premier pitching prospects, Matt Manning never fully delivered on the expectations that accompanied his ninth overall selection in 2016. He was serviceable upon reaching the big leagues, but he never carved out a long-term role on the MLB roster.
Manning recorded a 4.43 ERA over 50 starts with the Tigers from 2021 to 2024, good for a 1.9 WAR. What might have been a larger piece of the rotation never materialized, and he was dealt to Philadelphia in 2025 for Josueth Quiñonez, who is currently in Rookie ball.
5. OF Max Clark
This placement might raise some eyebrows, but Max Clark comes in at fifth simply because he has yet to make his MLB debut. Clark possesses immense talent and projects to be a major help for Detroit down the line, but he’s probably still about a year away from contributing at the highest level.
He’s performed well throughout the minors and is currently holding his own at Triple-A. The speedy outfielder will eventually make his presence felt in Detroit, and he ranks as the top draft-pick prospect on this list who hasn’t debuted yet.
4. 1B Spencer Torkelson
The former No. 1 overall pick from 2020, Spencer Torkelson, has experienced a roller-coaster career in the big leagues. With 31 home runs in both 2023 and 2025, he’s proven to be a steady power source, which is why he lands in the middle of this ranking.
Still, for a player taken first overall, his career 2.0 WAR across five seasons isn’t quite enough to crack the top three. If he can sustain that power output in the second half the way he did in the first half of 2025, his standing could improve considerably. He’s currently six homers shy of 100 for his career.
3. RHP Jackson Jobe
Jackson Jobe, the third overall pick from 2021, has future star written all over him. He made his debut late in 2024 and helped propel the Tigers to the playoffs, then moved into the starting rotation in 2025, establishing himself as a major piece going forward.
With a career 3.91 ERA, Detroit is hoping to get Jobe back sometime in August, according to MLB.com, which could give the club a boost in a potential late-season playoff push.
2. RHP Casey Mize
The past two seasons alone illustrate why Casey Mize stands as one of the Tigers’ best first-round choices of the last decade. He’s had stretches where he didn’t quite look like a No. 1 overall pick, but he’s developed into someone Detroit should be eager to keep for the long haul.
Mize has earned one All-Star selection and could easily have made it back-to-back if not for injuries in 2026. Health seems to be the only real concern in his profile at this point, but when he’s on the mound, he’s been outstanding for Detroit, posting a 7.4 WAR (and counting) across six seasons.
1. LF Riley Greene
Riley Greene is comfortably the Tigers’ best first-round pick from the last decade. He’s become a star in Detroit and is headed to his third consecutive All-Star Game, making him the first Tiger to achieve that feat since Al Kaline.
With a Silver Slugger Award from 2025 and consistently positive WAR numbers ever since he arrived, Detroit can rest assured that its decision to take Greene fifth overall in 2019 was the right one.
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