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Tyson LeBlanc provides power and overall solid defense
Just when you think you have the Tigers figured out in the draft, each mock draft pegged them wrong.
For weeks, the most common assumption was that Detroit would lean into its recent tendencies: athletic prep bats, left-handed hitters, up-the-middle players and the type of high-contact profiles the organization has targeted heavily under Scott Harris. Instead, with the 22nd overall pick, the Tigers opened Day 1 by selecting right-handed pitcher Cameron Flukey out of Coastal Carolina.
It was not a wild reach as much as it was a pivot. Flukey came into the year with a strong case as one of the better college arms in the class. Coastal Carolina announced him in January as Perfect Game’s 2026 Preseason Pitcher of the Year and a Preseason First Team All-American after a 2025 season in which he went 7-2 with a 3.19 ERA, 118 strikeouts over 101 2/3 innings and a .209 opponent batting average. He also showed up on the biggest stage, striking out 25 over 22 NCAA Tournament innings and helping Coastal Carolina reach the Men’s College World Series.
The reason he was available at 22 was tied to risk. Flukey missed much of his junior season with a rib stress fracture, finishing with 31 strikeouts in 24 inning. He returned with a vengeance, looking strong after returning, touching 98 mph with the fastball and showing feel for two breaking balls. At 6-foot-6, with a fastball/curveball foundation and starter traits, Flukey gives Detroit a high-upside arm at the top of a system that could use more impact pitching.
Detroit followed that pick by getting back into the infield market with Kansas shortstop Tyson LeBlanc at No. 61 overall. LeBlanc became the highest-drafted position player in Kansas baseball history, and his 2026 season backed up the selection: a .341 average, .706 slugging percentage, 25 home runs, 87 hits, 69 RBIs, 64 runs, 38 walks and 11 stolen bases. He was also a First Team All-American and started every game at shortstop for a Kansas team that won 45 games, the Big 12 regular season title, the Big 12 Tournament and a regional.
LeBlanc fits a different version of the Tigers’ position-player mold. He is older than the prep shortstops they have taken in recent years, but the offensive performance, defensive reliability and ability to stay on the dirt make the profile easy to understand.
The Tigers then added another interesting arm at No. 69 with Florida Gulf Coast two-way standout Evan Dempsey. FGCU announced that Detroit selected Dempsey in Competitive Balance Round B, making him the second-highest pick in program history behind Chris Sale.
Dempsey was a legitimate two-way player in college, but the early read is that Detroit is more intrigued by him on the mound. MLB Network analyst Carlos Collazo noted during the broadcast that Dempsey hit 20 home runs as an outfielder, but also made a velocity jump in 2026, sitting around 92 mph and touching 95 with elite spin traits on his curveball.
Detroit closed Day 1 with another shortstop, taking Dominic Pellegrin out of Holy Cross High School in Louisiana at No. 125 overall. Pellegrin is a right-handed hitting prep shortstop with speed, contact ability and a chance to remain at the position. Bless You Boys described him as a “twitchy defender” with strong bat-to-ball skills, developing power and a shot to be a plus shortstop.
Taken together, Day 1 was a mix of surprise and familiarity. The surprise was Flukey at the top instead of the expected prep bat. The familiar part was Detroit still finding shortstops and athletes after that. The Tigers came away with a potential impact college starter, a productive college shortstop with power, a two-way college player they can develop on the mound, and a prep shortstop with defensive traits. It was not the mock draft path, but it was a clear attempt to balance upside, performance and organizational need.
Find me on "X" @rogcastbaseball
Continue reading...
Just when you think you have the Tigers figured out in the draft, each mock draft pegged them wrong.
For weeks, the most common assumption was that Detroit would lean into its recent tendencies: athletic prep bats, left-handed hitters, up-the-middle players and the type of high-contact profiles the organization has targeted heavily under Scott Harris. Instead, with the 22nd overall pick, the Tigers opened Day 1 by selecting right-handed pitcher Cameron Flukey out of Coastal Carolina.
It was not a wild reach as much as it was a pivot. Flukey came into the year with a strong case as one of the better college arms in the class. Coastal Carolina announced him in January as Perfect Game’s 2026 Preseason Pitcher of the Year and a Preseason First Team All-American after a 2025 season in which he went 7-2 with a 3.19 ERA, 118 strikeouts over 101 2/3 innings and a .209 opponent batting average. He also showed up on the biggest stage, striking out 25 over 22 NCAA Tournament innings and helping Coastal Carolina reach the Men’s College World Series.
The reason he was available at 22 was tied to risk. Flukey missed much of his junior season with a rib stress fracture, finishing with 31 strikeouts in 24 inning. He returned with a vengeance, looking strong after returning, touching 98 mph with the fastball and showing feel for two breaking balls. At 6-foot-6, with a fastball/curveball foundation and starter traits, Flukey gives Detroit a high-upside arm at the top of a system that could use more impact pitching.
Detroit followed that pick by getting back into the infield market with Kansas shortstop Tyson LeBlanc at No. 61 overall. LeBlanc became the highest-drafted position player in Kansas baseball history, and his 2026 season backed up the selection: a .341 average, .706 slugging percentage, 25 home runs, 87 hits, 69 RBIs, 64 runs, 38 walks and 11 stolen bases. He was also a First Team All-American and started every game at shortstop for a Kansas team that won 45 games, the Big 12 regular season title, the Big 12 Tournament and a regional.
LeBlanc fits a different version of the Tigers’ position-player mold. He is older than the prep shortstops they have taken in recent years, but the offensive performance, defensive reliability and ability to stay on the dirt make the profile easy to understand.
The Tigers then added another interesting arm at No. 69 with Florida Gulf Coast two-way standout Evan Dempsey. FGCU announced that Detroit selected Dempsey in Competitive Balance Round B, making him the second-highest pick in program history behind Chris Sale.
Dempsey was a legitimate two-way player in college, but the early read is that Detroit is more intrigued by him on the mound. MLB Network analyst Carlos Collazo noted during the broadcast that Dempsey hit 20 home runs as an outfielder, but also made a velocity jump in 2026, sitting around 92 mph and touching 95 with elite spin traits on his curveball.
Detroit closed Day 1 with another shortstop, taking Dominic Pellegrin out of Holy Cross High School in Louisiana at No. 125 overall. Pellegrin is a right-handed hitting prep shortstop with speed, contact ability and a chance to remain at the position. Bless You Boys described him as a “twitchy defender” with strong bat-to-ball skills, developing power and a shot to be a plus shortstop.
Taken together, Day 1 was a mix of surprise and familiarity. The surprise was Flukey at the top instead of the expected prep bat. The familiar part was Detroit still finding shortstops and athletes after that. The Tigers came away with a potential impact college starter, a productive college shortstop with power, a two-way college player they can develop on the mound, and a prep shortstop with defensive traits. It was not the mock draft path, but it was a clear attempt to balance upside, performance and organizational need.
Find me on "X" @rogcastbaseball
Continue reading...
