Tigers add a little power, plenty of pitching on Day 2
A breakdown of all nine of the Tigers’ MLB draft picks on Day 2:
Friendswood (Texas) IF Izaac Pacheco
Vitals: 6 feet 4, 225 pounds.
Bats/throws: Left/right.
Drafted: Second round (No. 39 overall). They said it: “Really exciting upside high school player,” Tigers amateur scouting director Scott Pleis said Monday. “Big power from the left side, good hitter. He can play shortstop, but he’s such a big guy that he’ll probably end up moving off, depending on how his body goes . ... Really talented kid, really good hands, plus-plus arm. Good accuracy, good actions. His lower half and feet for a big guy work really well.
“We think he’s going to play short. If he had to go to third (base), he would be a plus defender at third with a plus arm, and power from the left side.”
The buzz: Evaluators compare Pacheco to Winder-Barrow High School (Georgia) shortstop Brady House, who the Tigers were linked to before taking Jobe in the first round. Pacheco plays shortstop and has raw power but is likely to shift to third base as a professional. If he continues to grow, don’t count out the corner outfield spots or first base. He is committed to Texas A&M.
Why it makes sense: The Tigers need all the infield depth they can get. Although Pacheco doesn’t have the same upside as House, who went No. 11 overall to the Washington Nationals, he profiles as the power-hitter the Tigers want in the lineup alongside Spencer Torkelson, Riley Greene and Dillon Dingler. Pacheco has some of the best left-handed power in the draft due to his strength and bat speed.
Why it’s a risk: They don’t have a shortstop of the future, and Pacheco might not be the long-term answer. . Pacheco’s power makes him vulnerable to chasing pitches outside of the strike zone. The swing-and-miss hurts his overall approach and leads to strikeouts. Considering his value is found on offense, it will be fascinating to watch how he controls the strike zone against pitchers in the minor leagues.
Alabama RHP Dylan Smith
Vitals: 6-2, 180.
Bats/throws: Right/right.
Drafted: Third round (No. 74 overall).
They said it: “Dylan Smith is a good athlete,” Pleis said. “A lot of room to fill with his body. Delivery and arm works great for a starter. Good breaking ball, spins it well. I think there’s some big upside there. We were lucky to get him there.”
The buzz: Smith, a junior, went 2-8 with a 3.84 ERA, 20 walks and 113 strikeouts over 981⁄3 innings across 16 starts last season. He was 30th nationally in strikeouts, and boasted 10.3 strikeouts per nine innings against an impressive 1.8 walks per nine innings. He is the first Alabama player the Tigers have selected since taking right-hander Spencer Turnbull in the second round of the 2014 draft.
Why it makes sense: His fastball sits around 92 mph but can reach 96 mph and is accompanied by his slider, curveball and change-up. While his slider is his second-best pitch, his curveball and change-up aren’t far behind. The Tigers have a lot to work with because of Smith’s upside and four-pitch arsenal.
Why it’s a risk: For the first two years at
Alabama, Smith spent most of his time pitching out of the bullpen. He had a 6.48 ERA in 13 relief appearances as a freshman, followed by a 5.68 ERA in four games (one start) as a sophomore in the shortened season due to the COVID-19 pandemic. He isn’t an overpowering pitcher, but Smith learned a boost in strikethrowing goes a long way. But the next level will force him to pitch aggressively, like how the big leagues challenged 2018 No. 1 overall pick Casey Mize.
Bryant University RHP Tyler Mattison
Vitals: 6-4, 216.
Bats/throws: Right/right.
Drafted: Fourth round (No. 104 overall). They said it: “He’s big and strong,” Pleis said. “He throws strikes. He’s got velocity. He’s got a breaking ball, a good changeup. He’s definitely a starter. Just the whole package, I thought, was good.”
The buzz: Mattison posted a 10-3 record, 2.46 ERA, 14 walks and 95 strikeouts over 801⁄3 innings across 13 starts this year. He pitched 2322⁄3 innings across 46 games (39 starts) in his college career, logging a 3.52 ERA. Most evaluators weren’t expecting him to get picked as soon as the fourth round. Baseball America points out his fastball sits between 92-95 mph and reached 97 mph, and this pitch has proven to sustain its velocity deep into his starts. Of his secondary pitches, his change-up is his biggest weapon — but it’s only an average pitch.
Why it makes sense: The Tigers want to enhance their bullpen. While Mattison started for Bryant, he should have a chance to contribute as a reliever. His lack of plus-pitches could eventually send him to the bullpen. Considering his fastball reaches 97 mph, he could take a route comparable to Kyle Funkhouser, who was a starter coming out of Louisville in the fourth round of the 2016 draft until the Tigers shifted him to the bullpen. Mattison turns 22 in September, so the Tigers could envision a quick rise to the majors.
Why it’s a risk: Mattison slipped under the radar, similar to the way Tarik Skubal dropped to the ninth round in 2018, because there are some uncertainties. But there’s a chance he doesn’t develop a strong third pitch to enhance his fastball-changeup mix. He went undrafted in last year’s five-round event, after recording an 8.53 ERA, 10 walks and 18 strikeouts over 19 innings (four starts) in the shortened season due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Ahead of the draft, Baseball America ranked him as the
362nd-best player available.
Notre Dame RHP Tanner Kohlhepp
Vitals: 6-4, 210.
Bats/throws: Left/right.
Drafted: Fifth round (No. 135 overall).
They said it: “He can start,” Pleis said. “I’ve seen him throw out of the bullpen, but he’s going to be a starter. He can throw strikes. He’s got really good stuff. He’s a little funky, the way he does it, but it adds deception to the hitter, so his stuff will play up. We’ll start him, and I think he’ll be a good starter.”
The buzz: This year, Kohlhepp went 7-2 with a 3.08 ERA, 22 walks, 65 strikeouts and two saves in 611⁄3 innings over 23 appearances (one start). He was named All-ACC second team. His .195 opponent batting average ranked third in the conference. The 22-yearold played his freshman year at Tennessee, before attending Iowa Western Junior College in 2020.
Why it makes sense: What Kohlhepp offers as a pitcher begins with his fastball, which has reached 99 mph but typically sits in the mid-90s. He also features a slider and changeup. At the very least, he can take over as a power reliever with his sinking fastball and swingand-miss slider. Using Kohlhepp in a bullpen role is the safest bet and would provide the Tigers with a much-needed reliever of the future who can be used in a variety of situations.
Why it’s a risk:The Tigers may want to stretch Kohlhepp out as a starter, considering his arsenal. He has struggled with control in the past. These are not encouraging signs for someone who could enter the rotation, but his makeup — strong fastball and slider — gives the Tigers hope if they want him to start.
North Carolina State OF Austin Murr
Vitals: 6-2, 218.
Bats/throws: Left/left.
Drafted: Sixth round (No. 165 overall).
They said it: “We were really comfortable with his bat,” Pleis said. “We’ve seen him play the outfield and first base, so we think he can do both. He’ll probably do both. The way we do it now, and AJ (Hinch) likes versatility, which I think is great, we’re more apt to use guys in different places and see how they react. It always brings more value when we do that.”
The buzz: The 22-year-old hit .319 with seven home runs, 32 RBIs, 21 walks and 40 strikeouts in 54 games for the Wolfpack as a senior in 2021. Murr played his freshman and sophomore seasons at Des Moines Area Community College before transferring to N.C. State. In 2021, he played 53 games at first base and one game in left field. The Tigers seem willing to test him as a full-time outfielder in the minor leagues.
Georgia Tech LHP Brant Hurter
Vitals: 6-6, 250.
Bats/throws: Left/left.
Drafted: Seventh round (No. 195 overall). They said it: “I think he got a little tired at the end, understandably,” Pleis said. “We like the slider. I think there’s some upside there. The farther he gets away (from Tommy John surgery), the better stuff we’ll see and the more consistent stuff we’ll see throughout the year.”
The buzz: He registered a 5-4 record, 3.90 ERA, 19 walks and 83 strikeouts this season. He missed the end of the 2019 season — after making 10 appearances and nine starts — and the entire shortened 2020 campaign with Tommy John surgery. He turns 23 in early September. Hurter throws a sinking fastball, slider and change-up. While he only touches the mid-90s with his fastball, his command has kept him in the starting rotation.
South Carolina-Upstate RHP Jordan Marks
Vitals: 6-2, 220.
Bats/throws: Left/right.
Drafted: Eighth round (No. 225 overall). The buzz: From Sarnia, Canada, the 22year-old logged a 10-2 record, 2.54 ERA, 20 walks and 101 strikeouts as a senior in 2021. Those results helped him to 9.5 strikeouts per nine innings and 1.9 walks per nine innings. He throws a fastball, slider and change-up but is most respected for his above-average control. Marks’ fastball averages between 90-94 mph but can get into the upper-90s.
Ohio State RHP Garrett Burhenn
Vitals: 6-3, 215.
Bats/throws: Right/right.
Drafted: Ninth round (No. 255 overall).
The buzz: Burhenn jumped on draft watch lists early in his college career, earning Big Ten All-Freshman Team honors in 2019, thanks to a 3.96 ERA, 31 walks and 69 strikeouts over 91 innings in 15 starts. Although his strikeouts increased and walks decreased in the shortened 2020 season, he had an 8.02 ERA that year. But Burhenn, a junior, battled back in 2021, registering a 3.81 ERA, 27 walks and 91 strikeouts in 801⁄3 innings over 13 starts. He throws a fastball, slider, curveball and change-up. His fastball averages 90-93 mph and has maxed out at 97 mph. He turns 22 in September.
Kentucky OF Austin Schultz
Vitals: 5-9, 200.
Bats/throws: Right/right.
Drafted: 10th round (No. 285 overall).
The buzz: The 21-year-old crushed five home runs and 20 RBIs, with eight walks and 12 strikeouts, through 16 games in the shortened 2020 season — giving him an unbelievable 1.234 on-base plus slugging percentage. Through 52 games as a junior in 2021, Schultz hit .329 with 11 doubles, six home runs, 26 RBIs, 20 walks and 54 strikeouts. What makes him special is his speed, stealing 22 bases (only getting caught twice) last year. Previously a second baseman, Schultz projects as a center fielder in the minors.