Kevin McGonigle is only adding to his reputation as one of baseball’s top prospects.
The Detroit Tigers infield prospect, ranked No. 2 overall by both MLB Pipeline and Baseball America, was named Friday the Most Valuable Player of the Arizona Fall League. He is the second Tigers in as many seasons to earn the honor, following Josue Briceño in 2024.
In 19 games with the Scottsdale Scorpions, the 21-year-old McGonigle hit .362 with five home runs, 19 RBIs and a 1.210 OPS, splitting time between third base and shortstop. He led the circuit with 12 extra-base hits and 49 total bases. He also scored 22 runs, good for second in the AFL.
The top-ranked prospect in the circuit, McGonigle was one of three Tigers named to the Arizona Fall League All-Star team last week, joining infielder Max Anderson and pitcher Dariel Fregio.
The Tigers selected McGonigle with the No. 37 overall pick in the 2023 MLB Draft out of Monsignor Bonner & Archbishop Prendergast High School in Drexel Hill, Pennsylvania. He has rocketed up the Tigers’ organizational ladder — as well as the prospect rankings — since, finishing the season at Double-A Erie. He entered the 2025 season as the game’s No. 23 overall prospect, according to Baseball America, and put together a season in which he slashed a combined .305/.408/.583/.991 at three levels (including a rehab stint at low-A Lakeland), with 19 home runs, 80 RBIs and 10 stolen bases. More than half of his 101 hits (52) went for extra bases.
McGonigle, who has played primarily at shortstop in the minors, is expected to get a long look from the Tigers in spring training come February.
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