Josue Briceno has spent 2024 and 2025 turning heads with the kind of power that makes a farm system stand out, and that’s a big reason the Tigers landed at No. 7 in MLB Pipeline’s latest rankings of the best catching prospect groups, released Wednesday, Aug. 26.
Briceno, a catcher/first baseman and the No. 69 overall prospect on MLB Pipeline’s list, is the obvious centerpiece. He made history in the Arizona Fall League last year as its first Triple Crown winner, then backed it up by crushing 20 home runs across two levels in 2025.
His season got a late start in 2026 after spring wrist surgery, but he still launched eight homers in 17 games for Double-A Erie before moving up to Triple-A Toledo. The first taste of Triple-A has been rough so far: no home runs, a .171 average and 15 strikeouts in 41 at-bats.
The Tigers’ catching crop isn’t just about Briceno, though. Eduardo Valencia is still prospect-eligible and has already given Detroit a real look at his bat since a July callup.
He’s hitting .329 with a 1.018 OPS, with six home runs and six doubles among his 23 hits for the Tigers. Before reaching the majors, Valencia had hit 41 home runs across 2025 and part of 2026 between Erie and Toledo.
MLB Pipeline’s Sam Dykstra summed up the group this way: "This is all about the boppers," MLB Pipeline's Sam Dykstra writes. " … Briceño returned from spring wrist surgery to hit eight homers in 17 games with Double-A Erie in July and August and reached Triple-A for the first time mid-month as a 21-year-old. (He) The has plus power potential with impressive strength and good angles off the bat (though he’s hitting the ball on the ground a lot with Toledo early).
"Thayron Liranzo is a former Top 100 prospect whose stock has slipped as his contact rate has remained in the upper 60s at Double-A the past two seasons, but when he does make contact, it’s at least plus raw pop as a switch-hitter. Tigers fans have gotten to watch Eduardo Valencia’s offensive potential up close following his MLB debut, and it’s been nice to see him carry over his 2025 breakout into his age-26 campaign."
Liranzo, who came to Detroit in the July 2024 trade that sent Jack Flaherty to the Dodgers, also has seen time at first base, though just two games there this season. Briceno and Valencia have also played some first base, and Dykstra noted that all three have questions about sticking behind the plate, with only so many first-base and DH jobs available.
The Twins sit atop Pipeline’s catcher rankings in the American League Central.
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