After looking out of it midway through August 2024 with a 0.2% chance of making the playoffs, the Detroit Tigers turned everything around. Following a loss to the San Francisco Giants on August 10th, the Tigers then finished the season with a 31-13 record. This sparked a run that has continued into the 2025 season so far. Currently with a 46-25 record, the Tigers are the best team in MLB and are doing it with one of the youngest rosters. Going into Opening Day, the team had the seventh youngest roster, averaging 28 years and 10 months. Combined with this is their top 3 farm system in baseball, with five top 100 prospects. Among those Tigers prospects is infielder Kevin McGonigle, MLB Pipeline’s 23rd-ranked prospect.
Tigers Prospect Kevin McGonigle Inching Toward the Big Leagues
What’s a Strikeout?
The 37th overall pick in the 2023 MLB Draft, McGonigle reported to Single-A to begin his pro career. Over 21 games, he managed to slash .315/.452/.411 with five extra-base hits. This was accompanied by 18 walks to only 10 strikeouts, stealing eight bases along the way. This success continued into the 2024 season, as McGonigle hit .326 with a .877 OPS in his first 60 games. His contact skills were on full display with only 24 strikeouts in those 60 games, a 9.06% rate. Because of this, McGonigle was promoted to the High-A West Michigan Whitecaps. At that level, he struggled slightly with a .725 OPS in 14 games. Even so, McGonigle only managed to strike out four times in those games. Unfortunately, he suffered a broken bone in his hand that required surgery, and this ended his season early.
While McGonigle did begin the 2025 season in High-A, he quickly suffered a right ankle sprain while running the bases. This injury would see the prospect miss over a month, as he did not return until May 10. Since then, he hasn’t missed a beat. In 19 games so far, McGonigle has a slash line of .429/.516/.727 with 17 XBH.
Kevin McGonigle — MLB’s No. 23 prospect (@Tigers) — is slashing .429/.516/.727 since returning to the High-A @WMWhitecaps.
On Friday, he added a pro-best five hits as a part of a 20-run outburst: https://t.co/kzicBsVPZp pic.twitter.com/EzbT9eHPBI
— MLB Pipeline (@MLBPipeline) June 14, 2025
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While his strikeouts are up, they are still extremely low, punching out 12 times with 14 walks in those games. Overall, in 120 minor league games, McGonigle has struck out only 51 times, a 9.8% rate for his pro career. That figure would rank as the eighth-best in the major leagues this season.
A Culmination of Talent and Youth
While both McGonigle and fellow top-100 prospect Max Clark are at High-A and not expected to debut until 2027, the Tigers should not have to worry. With a top farm system and currently the best record in MLB, the Tigers are in a prime position to contend for a long time. Their major league success comes from former prospects like Riley Greene, Spencer Torkelson, and Casey Mize. Veterans like Jack Flaherty and Tommy Kahnle are helping their pitching staff led by defending American League Cy Young Award winner Tarik Skubal. This should allow McGonigle to slot right into the shortstop position when he is ready, replacing Javier Báez as the Tigers’ everyday shortstop.
Photo Credit: © Junfu Han / USA TODAY NETWORK
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