Detroit Tigers Mock Draft of first 4 selections in 2021 MLB Draft

Round 2, Pick 39: Casey Opitz – C, Arkansas

With the 39th pick and kicking things off on day two, the Detroit Tigers should follow the same pattern as last year. Dillon Dingler may be fuming while reading this, but selecting Arkansas catcher Casey Opitz is more than worth it.

Dingler is an athlete; he has played all over the field. His catching tools are exciting, and I am not dogging him; he looks like he has got a lot to be excited about himself. I like Dingler and think he has a shot to be an in-house answer for the catching position.

But, Opitz has been incredible for Arkansas and would be a great addition to this organization. Opitz is a fun catcher to watch work, and while Arkansas fell short in their hopes of getting to Omaha, he had a great season.

Based on his tools and abilities behind the dish, selecting Opitz is worth it. He is a college senior, so he may not be all over draft lists, but his ability to handle pitchers, work the zone, and be a game manager is great.

https://twitter.com/PitchingNinja/status/1381394301557542913?s=20

A high-energy player, Opitz would be a solid addition to the organization and would be able to work his way through the system at his pace. He chose to return to Arkansas for his senior season after going undrafted in the shortened draft of 2020, but he should be picked in 2021.

His 2021 season consisted of 54 games where he hit .255/.365/.346 with 18 total RBI. The hitting stats may not jump off the page, but he’s been a steady hitter for the Razorbacks. He would be someone the Tigers could take and know that his abilities behind the dish will be an asset to the team.