The Tigers came away from Day 1 of the 2026 MLB Draft with a class that leaned heavily college, but the people running the room were quick to say that wasn’t some grand shift in philosophy. It was the board. That’s how it broke, and Detroit rode it.
Vice president and assistant general manager Rob Metzler said the Tigers weren’t chasing a trend or reacting to anything happening on the major league roster. They were following the talent as it came to them.
“You never know how that board's gonna play out on draft day,” Tigers vice president and assistant general manager Rob Metzler said. “It's what makes today so exciting, makes it such a fun day.
Couldn't be more excited about how it turned out. It might look like a different crop than last year.
And obviously our processes continue to develop. But I don't think it's - I wouldn't take anything more from it other than just the way 2026 Day 1 worked out for us.”
Detroit used its first four picks on four players it felt good about, and the first three all came from the college ranks: Coastal Carolina pitcher Cameron Flukey at No. 22, Kansas shortstop Tyson LeBlanc at No. 61 and Florida Gulf Coast pitcher Evan Dempsey at No.
- The lone prep player in the group was Louisiana shortstop Dominic Pellegrin, taken at No.
Metzler and director of amateur scouting Mark Conner joined reporters on Zoom Saturday, and both sounded pleased with how the opening day unfolded.
“We were able to execute today in a way that added four profiles to the organization that - we were able to select four players that were really excited about,” Metzler said.
Flukey is the headliner. The 6-foot-6 right-hander brings an upper-90s fastball and breaking stuff that plays off it, with a changeup that still needs refinement. Conner pointed to repetition as the key to getting that pitch where it needs to go.
“So truthfully, it's just getting him reps and getting him to throw it more and get a good feel for the grip,” Conner said. “Because a lot of times as these guys get back on the mound after taking some time off, it's just hard to gain that feel right away. And truthfully, repetitions and athleticism and the feel that he has with his arm, we think it's got a chance to develop into a nice pitch.”
Flukey’s 2026 season was cut short by a rib stress fracture before it really got going, but he still flashed the kind of arm that made him such a coveted name. He also had a huge 2025, helping Coastal Carolina reach the College World Series.
Detroit didn’t address whether Flukey might pitch later this summer in the minors, but the excitement around landing him was obvious. He was viewed by many as a top-20 talent.
“You never know how a draft's gonna turn out,” Metzler said, speaking about getting Flukey, who many had pegged as a top-20 talent. “You never know how other boards are gonna line up, so it was an outcome that we were excited about. But I wouldn't go beyond it was an outcome that we were excited about.”
Metzler also made his case for moving the draft to early June, saying it would give players more time to develop over the summer.
“The sooner the better,” Metzler said.
The other three picks fit the Tigers’ preference for athleticism. Dempsey is especially interesting because Detroit views him strictly as a pitcher, even though he hit over .300 in three years at FGCU. The bat may not matter in his pro future, but the athletic profile did.
“As he focuses on one side of the ball, on the mound, we think he's got a chance to take off,” Conner said. “We're super excited about it.”
LeBlanc brings a different kind of pop. He set Kansas’ single-season home run record with 25 and played every game at shortstop, though he could wind up at second or third base as well. There will be an adjustment as he moves from metal bats to wood, and he spent only one season at Kansas after transferring from junior college, where he won a national championship.
Still, the Tigers like more than the power.
“I think the thing that we're most excited about is the player, in his makeup and how he's wired. He is an ultra-competitive kid that just has a really good mind for the game,” Conner said.
“Really good aptitude and has shown progress over his college career. And truthfully, the power, we think there's a chance for hit, power, defense.
He's a good all-around player. We think everything's gonna translate well to the pro game.”
Pellegrin was the sleeper of the group, a high school shortstop who made a late run up draft boards thanks to his work in the MLB Draft League. Detroit gave credit to area scout Mike Smith for finding him, and Conner pointed to Pellegrin’s athleticism, hands and ability to put the bat on the ball.
“He's a very athletic kid that is wired really well, that has really good hands at short and has shown the ability to put the bat on the ball,” Conner said.
In Other News...
Tigers First Round Track Record Looks Very Different Than Fans Think
The Tigers first-round draft story has not followed the tidy script many fans might assume when they hear about a wave of premium picks. A look back from 2022 through 2025 shows a front office that has mixed upside, patience and a few uncomfortable questions, with Jordan Yost, Bryce Rainer, Max Clark and Jace Jung all sitting at very different points on the development curve. Some are still climbing through the minors, some have already reached the majors, and the overall picture is less about one clean success story than a collection of separate bets still being sorted out.
Jordan Yost, the clubs 2025 first-rounder, is already drawing a C+ grade and leaving observers to wonder what Detroit sees in him. Clark remains in Triple-A, where the Tigers want him to keep developing while also preserving his PPI eligibility for 2027, even as the big-league temptation grows louder. And with the 2026 MLB Draft approaching, Detroit will have four picks after forfeiting its third-round selection by signing Framber Valdez, a reminder that the pipeline is still being shaped not just by who the Tigers choose, but by the roster decisions that come before the draft board ever turns. [Read more 🡒]
Tigers Just Took Another Bullpen Flier Fans Will Want To Track
The Tigers added another arm to the bullpen mix by claiming right-hander Andre Granillo off waivers from the Nationals and sending him to Triple-A. It is the sort of low-risk move Detroit has made plenty of times as it keeps searching for usable pitching depth, and Granillo brings a little more intrigue than the usual waiver pickup because he has already reached the majors this season and now occupies a spot on the 40-man roster.
Granillo also arrives with some real pedigree, having once been considered a notable Cardinals prospect before St. Louis moved him to Washington earlier this year. The immediate assignment to Triple-A suggests the Tigers want to see more before giving him a longer look, but his track record and the fact that he has already opened this season in the big leagues make him one of those names worth following if Detroit needs another bullpen option later on. [Read more 🡒]
Tigers Are Rolling And This Phillies Win Changed The Feeling Fast
The Tigers wasted no time turning a tight game into a loud one Friday night at Comerica Park, burying the Phillies 10-2 in the opener of a three-game series. Detroits offense broke through in a big sixth inning, then kept stacking on runs in the seventh, with Eduardo Valencia, Zach McKinstry, James Outman, Colt Keith and Spencer Torkelson all part of the surge that changed the tone fast.
Jack Flaherty helped set the stage by giving Detroit six innings and allowing two runs, giving the club another steady start to lean on as the lineup came alive behind him. The bigger question now is whether this was just one of those nights where everything clicked, or another sign that the Tigers are starting to look a lot more dangerous when a game gets into the middle innings. [Read more 🡒]