Tigers Make Intruiging Pick in ESPN's MLB Mock Draft

Updated: Sep 10, 5:00pm UTC

Success has been tough to come by for the Detroit Tigers as all signs point to them missing the playoffs for the seventh straight season. Though Tigers fans haven't had much of a reason to cheer this year, they do have something to look forward to next month: the 2022 MLB Draft.

The Tigers hold the 12th overall selection heading into next month's draft. ESPN's Kiley McDaniel has Detroit making an intriguing pick at No. 12 in his mock draft, taking Alabama left-handed pitcher Connor Prielipp.

Tigers Mock Draft

There are plenty of talented prep arms in this year's class, but that timeline doesn't work for the Tigers, who'd like to be competitive sooner than later. That's why it makes sense for them to target a collegiate hurler like Prielipp.

The 21-year-old is an interesting prospect because he hasn't played meaningful baseball since undergoing Tommy John surgery in May 2021. He had a chance to return toward the end of the 2022 campaign but opted to pitch in the bullpen for MLB scouts rather than risk another injury.

Prielipp looked strong in two seasons with the Crimson Tide before he was sidelined. He amassed a 4-1 record in seven starts over that stretch, pitching to a 0.96 ERA, 0.714 WHIP and 15.1 strikeouts per nine innings pitched.

If Prielipp proves that he can still pitch at that level following Tommy John surgery, the Tigers could have something special on their hands. Detroit's team ERA (4.13) currently ranks fourth-worst in the American League, proving the need for a prospect like the Alabama product.

The 2022 MLB Draft begins on Sunday, July 17 in Los Angeles, CA.

Devon Platana is not a FanDuel employee. In addition to providing DFS gameplay advice, Devon Platana also participates in DFS contests on FanDuel using his personal account, username PepeSilvia0. While the strategies and player selections recommended in his articles are his personal views, he may deploy different strategies and player selections when entering contests with his personal account. The views expressed in their articles are the author's alone and do not necessarily reflect the views of FanDuel.