Should Detroit Tigers call up MLB’s No. 2 prospect Kevin McGonigle?
On “Days of Roar,” Evan Petzold invites Chris Brown of “Tigers Minor League Report” to debate when the Tigers should call up their No. 1 prospect.
Kevin McGonigle is the No. 1 prospect in the Detroit Tigers‘ organization.
But McGonigle — a 21-year-old shortstop in Double-A Erie — isn’t expected to make his MLB debut in 2025, as revealed by Tigers general manager Jeff Greenberg on Wednesday, Aug. 20, during an MLB Network interview. He ranks as the No. 2 prospect in baseball, according to MLB Pipeline.
“No, I don’t think that’s on the radar right now,” Greenberg said, when asked if McGonigle will play for the Tigers in 2025.
It’s unclear if McGonigle will be a candidate to make the Tigers’ 2026 Opening Day roster.
For now, McGonigle is staying in Double-A Erie.
“Again, they’ve only been in Double-A for a month,” Greenberg said, referencing McGonigle and fellow top prospects Max Clark and Josue Briceño. “It’s been fewer than 30 games. Really excited with what Kevin has done, really excited with what Max has done, and some of the other guys in our system. But right now, the focus is on their development and getting the reps to continue to take those steps forward.”
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The Tigers selected McGonigle with the No. 37 overall pick in the 2023 draft out of Monsignor Bonner High School in Drexel Hill, Pennsylvania, taking him 34 spots after Clark.
In 2025, McGonigle is hitting .275 with seven home runs, 18 walks and 14 strikeouts across 29 games for Double-A Erie, joining the SeaWolves on July 7. Before then, he hit .372 with seven homers, 23 walks and 19 strikeouts over 36 games for High-A West Michigan.
He has a .950 OPS at the Double-A level.
“Kevin has been fantastic,” Greenberg said.
Multiple times, Greenberg referenced McGonigle as part of the trio of top prospects — rather than as an individual. All three players were promoted together to Double-A Erie.
Clark, 20, is hitting .274 with four home runs, 17 walks and 22 strikeouts in 27 games; Briceño, 20, is hitting .226 with four home runs, 16 walks and 31 strikeouts in 29 games.
“They’ve all made a really strong impression in their limited time there,” Greenberg said, interviewed by MLB Network studio host Brian Kenny. “The reality is, they’ve been down there for — I don’t even think it’s been quite a month yet. We’re talking about less than 30 games. The focus for that group is their development.”
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Right now, the Tigers don’t believe McGonigle is ready to play in the big leagues.
Maybe he will be in 2026.
“They need the reps. They need it offensively. They need it defensively,” Greenberg said. “When you see young prospects get to that Double-A level, the game is played a little faster, and there are adjustments to be made on a day-by-day basis. We’re excited about that group. Obviously, Kevin is a really big piece to that.”
Contact Evan Petzold at epetzold@freepress.com or follow him @EvanPetzold.
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