Tigers predicted to promote MLB’s No. 2 prospect who’s batting .400 in Spring Training originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
This may be the second most significant decision the Detroit Tigers make this season, behind whether to trade ace Tarik Skubal.
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Shortstop Kevin McGonigle is the No. 2-ranked prospect in baseball on MLB Pipeline, behind only Konnor Griffin of the Pittsburgh Pirates.
McGonigle has been displaying serious talent at the plate this spring, hitting .400 with two doubles in 17 trips to the plate. Using the help of Fangraphs’ Steamer projections, The Athletic’s Eno Sarris does not believe the Tigers will choose Javier Baez or Zach McKinstry over the 21-year-old.
“McGonigle is the only one of the three who could be above-average in both facets of the game, and as McGonigle continues to play this spring, it may just make that more obvious,” wrote Sarris. “A full season of McGonigle should give the Tigers a shortstop with a decent average, 20 homers, and double-digit steals.”
The prospect has the advantage
Baez is several years removed from his prime seasons with the Chicago Cubs and has played in just 486 of the Tigers’ 648 games the past four campaigns.
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If the Tigers are serious about contending in the American League, then having McGonigle on the Opening Day roster is necessary, writes Dan Szymborski of FanGraphs.
“On a fundamental level, the primary purpose of the minor leagues is to develop players who can help the parent club win,” Szymborski wrote Thursday.
“And McGonigle didn’t just excel in the minors last season, he absolutely dominated multiple levels, posting a 182 wRC+ (162 at Double-A) with 19 homers in 88 games as a 20-year-old. Those are video game numbers, ones that suggest that you probably need to raise the difficulty level of the game you’re playing.”
McGonigle appears ready for the challenge.
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