Major League Baseball's offseason is underway, and that means everyone is thinking about the future. In most cities, that means next season; in some, though, it means the bigger picture, the next three to five years. You're either selling wins or you're selling hope, the old saying goes. We here at CBS Sports like to provide as much hope as we can around this time of the winter by evaluating each team's farm system.
Of course, that doesn't mean every team has an equally good farm system -- some, as you'll find out throughout this process, are lacking in that respect. It does mean, nevertheless, that CBS Sports will be spending the next couple of months examining the top three prospects in each organization. We define "prospects" as retaining their rookie eligibility for the 2024 season, so if a young player is missing that's likely why.
These lists and evaluations are formed following conversations with scouts, analysts, and player development types. There's also firsthand evaluation and bias thrown into the mix. Keep in mind that player evaluation is a hard task, and it's fine if you disagree with the rankings. These are opinions, and they have no real bearing on the future. You can check out our winter top 25 list by clicking here.
With that in mind, let's get to it by dissecting the Detroit Tigers.
1. Colt Keith, 3B/2B (22 years old)
- Top 25 ranking: No. 23
- The short version: Legit bat without a certain position.
- MLB ETA: Spring 2024
Keith is a member of the same family as Curtis Mead and Michael Busch. He can hit (as evidenced by his .287/.369/.521 slash line at Triple-A), but there are enough questions about his defensive home that it's a little tough to rank him. The Tigers have given Keith looks at both second and third base, though it's at least possible that he winds up further down the defensive spectrum. On the bright side, he should still produce at the plate no matter where he stands on the diamond.
2. Jackson Jobe, RHP (21 years old)
- The short version: Electric arm coming off rebound year.
- MLB ETA: Spring 2025
Jobe, the third pick in the 2021 draft, re-established himself as one to watch last season following a tough introduction to pro ball. Though he was limited to 64 innings because of lumbar spine inflammation, he made the most of the action he saw, running a 2.81 ERA and a 14.00 strikeout-to-walk ratio across four levels. (He also pitched well in four Arizona Fall League outings.) Jobe's arsenal is full of above-average or better pitches, including a fastball that jets into the upper-90s, two breaking balls, and an excellent changeup for someone this young and inexperienced. Concerns about Jobe's durability and command (his elbow rides up to the shoulder line) kept him from ranking higher, but there's front-of-the-rotation potential here if both improve.
3. Max Clark, OF (19 years old)
- The short version: Think Pete Crow-Armstrong.
- MLB ETA: Spring 2027
In a minor surprise, the Tigers selected Clark with the third pick in last summer's draft. He's often drawn comparisons to Cubs prospect Pete Crow-Armstrong based on their similar profiles coming out of high school. Clark, like Crow-Armstrong, has above-average wheels and the chance to be a good defensive center fielder. Additionally, his present offensive game is based on contact and on-base chops, though scouts have expressed the belief that he's shown more power potential than Crow-Armstrong had at the same point in his developmental arc. Clark will require a fair amount of baking, but if the Tigers get it right they could have their long-term leadoff hitter and center fielder.
