MLB Draft: Detroit Tigers Names to Watch in the First Round

Scott Kingery, 2B (Arizona)

Jim Callis selects Kingery to the Tigers in the final MLB.com mock draft, but also notes that hard-throwing pitchers always seem to be on the Detroit Tigers’ radar. Here’s what Callis had to say about the pick:

"One of the more underrated position players in the Draft, Kingery has more upside than his more heralded double-play partner, Kevin Newman. The Tigers are known to love hard throwers, so feel free to pencil in anyone who can light up a radar gun."

Kingery was also selected to the Tigers — but this time at pick 34 overall in the compensation round — by John Manuel of Baseball America in his Mock Draft version 5.0.

"Ian Kinsler’s current team drafts a player who gets Kinsler comps."

I think teams typically like to avoid drafting second basemen in the first round because they don’t have much room to fall down the defensive spectrum (there’s usually a reason they played second base in college and not shortstop). But, as Dave Cameron recently pointed out on JABO, sometimes these “lower upside” second basemen are undervalued in the draft.

Here’s where other experts see Kingery going in the draft:

Jonathan Mayo: #26 to the Angels

Kylie McDaniel: ranked #31 overall

Christopher Crawford: ranked #29 overall

Next: Kyle Funkhouser, RHP