The Detroit Tigers head into the offseason with the goal of figuring out how to improve enough next year that they are able to make a deeper run in the playoffs.
Despite what seemed for a while like a very special year, Detroit surrendered the division down the stretch and wound up being eliminated in the exact same place as they were in 2025: Game 5 of the ALDS.
Of course, fans are going to be looking to free agency with the hope that the Tigers will make a giant splash and hand out a nine-figure contract that, on the surface, fixes everything. And while this could — and frankly should — happen if the right name is available, the most important improvement for any organization is always going to be internal.
In the case of Detroit, they have some existing reinforcements who are well on their way from the minor league ranks with one of the better farm systems in all of Major League Baseball. There’s one prospect in particular who fans are eager to see though, and he’s coming off an incredible season.
President of baseball operations Scott Harris made it pretty clear at his end of season press conference that they won’t have to wait a whole lot longer.
“I expect the players that posted dominant years in Double-A to factor into our big-league team next year,” Harris said via Evan Petzold of the Detroit Free Press. “I expect their progress to continue, and I expect them to be in Detroit at some point next year….I’m not going to announce that he’s going to be in big-league camp because I should probably tell him before I announce it, but a lot of these guys are going to be in major-league camp.”
The main takeaway from most on Harris’ press conference last week was the Tarik Skubal trade talk, but revealing that he expects McGonigle to make it to the big leagues as soon as next year feels like a pretty significant declaration that some have glossed over.
McGonigle just turned 21 years old over the summer and lost some of the season due to injury, and the Tigers are notoriously cautious about bringing prospects along too quickly. Still though, it seems apparent to Harris and every fan that watched him that the young star is simply too good to keep away from Detroit for long.
After a run in High-A that was as special as anyone has seen, McGonigle earned the promotion up to Double-A along with fellow highly rated prospects Max Clark and Josue Briceño. The youngster slashed an absurd .372/.462/.648 in 36 games with West Michigan, and it didn’t stop when he got to Double-A Erie.
In 46 games there, McGonigle slashed .254/.369/.550 with power numbers that got even better, clubbing 12 long balls and 41 RBI in 46 games after hitting just seven with 39 RBI in the 36 High-A games.
McGonigle has come along to the point where Harris feels he can comfortably say the youngster is going to be a factor on next year’s team, which just speaks to how impressive he’s been.
When exactly that debut happens remains to be seen and will likely be heavily dependent on how spring training goes, but McGonigle is coming and coming quickly. It won’t be long before Tigers fans get to see him in person.
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